Minnesota Independent

Minnesota for Marriage taps NOM’s Christopher Plante in amendment push at fair

By Andy Birkey | 09.07.11 | 12:07 pm

The National Organization for Marriage, a Washington, D.C.–based group that opposes rights for same-sex couples, has solicited the help of Christopher Plante in its Minnesota operations in the run-up to a 2012 vote that would ban same-sex marriage in Minnesota’s constitution. Plante is the executive director of the National Organization for Marriage Rhode Island. Plante opposes marriage rights for same-sex couples including civil unions and even the right for same-sex couples to make funeral arrangements together. Update: Plante says he will not be joining NOM’s MN operations.

Marriage equality stalls at the Capitol despite ‘fair-minded majority’

By Andy Birkey | 03.31.09 | 1:12 pm

An unprecedented number of bills has been introduced this legislative session that would grant same-sex couples legal status similar to that of married couples. But they have all have died quiet deaths, as leaders say they don’t have the votes to pass then, even out of DFL-dominated committees.

New bill would separate civil and religious marriage in Minnesota

By Andy Birkey | 02.19.09 | 5:54 pm

A bill to allow civil unions in Minnesota was introduced in the House on Thursday. The bill (HF 999) would change the word “marriage” in state statute to “civil union contract” effectively taking the state out of the religious aspects of marriage.

Religious Right Watch: When ‘religious freedom’ and taxpayer funds collide

By Andy Birkey | 01.16.09 | 9:11 am

For many in the religious right, the prospect of gay and lesbian couples gaining full relationship rights is frightening, and rhetoric is fraught with doomsday scenarios of pastors going to prison, forced homosexuality and men marrying box turtles. But in one such story — about how civil union laws resulted in a church’s being punished for denying a lesbian couple from marrying on church property — the rhetoric doesn’t meet reality.

Evangelical lobbyist asked to resign after supporting Obama, civil unions

By Andy Birkey | 12.12.08 | 10:23 am

When a top lobbyist for the country’s largest organization of evangelical Christians publicly acknowledges he supports civil unions and voted for Barack Obama, it’s practically a sin. And it’s something that’s sent Rev. Richard Cizik, a 28-year lobbyist for the National Association of Evangelicals looking for a new job. After sharing his views on National Public Radio last week, he was asked by NAE president Leith Anderson, a pastor at Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s Eden Prairie church, to resign as the NAE’s chief lobbyist.