People of faith turn out in droves to organize against anti-gay marriage amendment

More than 550 people of faith gathered at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church Monday to learn more about organizing against a faith-based opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in Minnesota.

Organizers for the meeting say people of faith have been sidelined in past efforts to defeat such amendments, with campaigns opting to keep religion out of the discussion. But in Minnesota’s debate, they plan to have religious leaders front and center.

Javen Swanson, a member of Outfront Minnesota’s Faith Organizing Workgroup, said they initially had planned for a smaller group.

“When we started planning the faith organizing kickoff about six weeks ago, we thought it would be great if we could get 250 people there,” he told the Minnesota Independent. “As it turns out, around 550 people showed up and packed the sanctuary.”

Attendees heard from groups that are part of the anti-amendment coalition, including Jewish Community Action.

“The campaign isn’t just asking people of faith to help with phone banks and canvassing efforts,” Swanson said. “Rather, people of faith are being asked to figure out how they want to be involved, and to develop organizing strategies that make sense for their own communities.”

In other states, Swanson said, pro-equality campaigns did not organize people of faith effectively.

“In other states that have faced an anti-gay marriage ballot initiative, people of faith have often been kept on the sidelines, or they’ve been asked to get involved just a few months before election day,” said Swanson, “In Minnesota, people of faith have been an important part of the anti-amendment campaign from the very beginning.”

Minnesota for Marriage, the ballot campaign supporting the ban on marriage for same-sex couples, is composed exclusively of religious groups and has relied on making a faith-based case for their position.

Phillip Lowe attended the event and was impressed that the movement for marriage equality is taking a strong interest in people of faith.

“This is the first time in a campaign anywhere that they are attempting to tip the scale on the religion thing, that the anti-gay religious right alone does not have the only say in the debate,” he said. “I think we will see the left and the right side of religions engaged in this campaign. And I think in this campaign, we need them all, including those who are not religious.”

“What was very encouraging to me, was that while the religious right is trying get this passed because of how their religion defines things, the people of faith organizing [event] was about respecting differences, but at the same time coming together to work together for that one common goal.”

Swanson noted that the event did not go off without a hitch.

“The energy in the room was electric,” he said. “About a minute before we were scheduled to begin the meeting, the whole block lost power and the church went dark. We started the meeting without lights or mics and spent the next 45 minutes straining to see and hear the proceedings.”

But the power failure helped bring everyone together. “If anything, the power failure nurtured the sense of community in the room as we all waited together for light to break through the darkness. By the time the power was restored, folks were eager to get up and get organized.”