A project of the Minnesota Family Council

Minnesota for Marriage E-NewsLetter

The Threat is Real - May 2006

Minnesota for Marriage vows to carry fight through session and to the November Elections.

Over the past few months much has been written about the consequences of legalizing same-sex marriage in Minnesota. More often than not, the local press has chosen to side with same-sex marriage advocates and ignore the realities of current events in Canada, Europe and here in the United States. However, the attack upon marriage and religious liberties is alive and well.

This issue of the E-NewsLetter is focused upon revealing the truth about the consequences of same-sex marriage here and abroad. Use this information in discussions with friends, local representative, and media.

In this issue – 05/08/06

· Time is running out for DFL Senators who continue to block the people’s vote on protecting marriage.

· Reality Check – Marriage will be challenged in Minnesota.

· Canadian Justice Department study recommends repeal of polygamy laws.

· Banned in Boston: The coming clash between gay marriage and religious liberty.

· Bill to ban ‘mom’, ‘dad’ from test advances.

· New European Union law may force homosexual marriage on all member states.

· Talking Points to “Ask Your Senator”

· Volunteers Needed – Help get-out-the-vote in November.

· Make a financial contribution to protecting marriage in Minnesota.

Time is running out for DFL Senators.

“Time is running out for DFL senators who continue to block the Minnesota Marriage Amendment,” said Chuck Darrell communications director for Minnesota for Marriage. “If they don’t pass the marriage amendment before the session ends they’ll have to explain to their constituents why they chose to leave marriage in Minnesota exposed to lawsuits - rather than letting the people vote,” he said.

“We will be reaching out to DFL senators until the session ends,” said Gary Borgendale of Minnesota for Marriage. “We want to give them every opportunity to represent the voters of their district. However, if they choose to squander the remainder of the session, we will sure voters know which candidates support the marriage amendment, and which don’t, in November – and we will do everything in our power to get pro-marriage voters to the polls,” he said.

“We believe that Senate DFL leadership is telling their senators to walk the party line and oppose the marriage amendment for political reasons. Up until now, Senator Jim Vickerman is the only DFLer who has been willing to put marriage before politics. The rest are foolishly betting their constituents won’t hold them accountable in November,” said Darrell.

Minnesota for Marriage warned DFL senators not to listen to the false assurances of their leadership. “Many rural DFL senators have admitted to getting thousands of emails, faxes, and phone calls on this issue,” continued Darrell. “Do they really believe blocking the amendment will help them get re-elected? We have built a network of tens of thousands of people across the state and our database has grown to well over 100,000 names, especially in outstate areas. We will encourage people to attend town hall meetings and expose the hollow arguments used by senators to deny the people of Minnesota the opportunity to vote to protect marriage. This issue is not going away,” Darrell added.

Every state senator will be up for election in November. “This will be the first opportunity for amendment supporters to make their voices heard, and we expect that they will vote their values. It’s up to each senator to decide if the people will be able to vote on the definition of marriage,” said Darrell. Minnesota for Marriage and its parent organization, Minnesota Family Council, have already begun to register and educate voters on key issues that effect families and children.

Go to the end of E-NewsLetter to volunteer with get-our-the-vote efforts in your district.

Click Here to (email or fax) tell your senator to protect marriage before the session ends.

Reality Check – Marriage will be challenged in Minnesota

“Marriage will be challenged in Minnesota,” said Senator Michele Bachmann at a Senate Judiciary Hearing held April 4^th. Working with Minnesota for Marriage Bachmann provided a comprehensive argument for the passing of an amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman. Bachmann testified before a committee of nine state senators that later voted 5-4 to block the amendment along strict party lines.

The testimony was largely ignored by the capitol press corps despite the fact that a USA Today story reported Lambda Legal of New York had filed lawsuits challenging marriage laws in seven states – including right next door in Iowa. Lambda Legal’s tactic is to argue that a state constitution’s equal protection and due process clauses make it unlawful for the state to bar same-sex couples from marriage. Consequently, Minnesota’s statutes do nothing to protect our laws from a similar challenge.

Click here to read the complete text of “Attack on marriage is real” article in Pro-Family News.

Canadian Justice Department Study Recommends Repeal of Polygamy Laws.

A new study for the federal Justice Department says Canada should get rid of its law banning polygamy. “Those who claim that legalization of same-sex marriage will not lead to other forms of marriage are either ignorant or disingenuous, said Chuck Darrell of Minnesota for Marriage. Hardly a year after Canada legalized same-sex marriage, a government study now urges the repeal of polygamy. Marriage amendment supporters now have proof that same-sex marriage does lead to the slippery slope of the disintegration of marriage.

Click here to read the entire article.

“Banned in Boston”

The coming clash between gay marriage and religious liberty.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF BOSTON made the announcement on March 10: It was getting out of the adoption business. "We have encountered a dilemma we cannot resolve. . . . The issue is adoption to same-sex couples."

It was shocking news. Catholic Charities of Boston, one of the nation's oldest adoption agencies, had long specialized in finding good homes for hard to place kids. "Catholic Charities was always at the top of the list," Paula Wisnewski, director of adoption for the Home for Little Wanderers, told the Boston Globe. "It's a shame because it is certainly going to mean that fewer children from foster care are going to find permanent homes." Marylou Sudders, president of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, said simply, "This is a tragedy for kids."

How did this tragedy happen?

Click here to the complete article.

New European Union Law to Force Homosexual ‘Marriage’ on Member States.

A new law may force nations in the European Union to accept same-sex unions from other nations. The European Free Movement Directive entered into legal force last week and it requires EU member states to grant residency to homosexuals who are not citizens if their partner is a citizen of an EU country.

The directive grants family reunification rights to same-sex partners when one of the partners resides in an EU country that gives legal recognition to same-sex unions. But EU countries without same-sex marriage or partnership laws are not let off the hook. Though not automatically required to give legal recognition to same-sex unions such nations are obligated under the new law to perform an investigation into the stability of same-sex couples seeking reunification rights. If a relationship is deemed "real and durable," then national authorities are required to facilitate entry and residence for the gay partner who is a non-citizen.

Click Here to read entire article.

Bill to ban ‘mom, dad’ from texts advances.

A proposed California law would remove sex-specific terms from textbooks and mandate pro-homosexual lessons. A bill requiring students to learn about the contributions homosexuals have made to society and that would remove sex-specific terms such as “mom” and “dad” from textbooks has passed another hurdle on the way to becoming the law of the land in California.

Click Here to read article.

Talking Points to – “Ask your senator.”

1. Remind your senator that marriage is under assault.

· Marriage laws have been challenged in over half the states in our country.

· Activist judges have overturned marriage laws in 9 states, including states with Defense of Marriage Acts (DOMA) similar to that of Minnesota.

· All major organizational players have agreed to a 15-year strategy. Tactics are being developed and tested; there is a strategy and funding.

· In addition to the 9 states listed above, Lambda Legal of New York has filed lawsuits in 7 states. They have the nearly inexhaustible financial resources of the Gill Foundation to sustain their effort.

· “Senator, are you aware that marriage laws have been overturned in 9 states and there is a well-planned, well-funded effort to overturn marriage laws in another 7 states across the US?”

2. Emphasize that marriage laws will be challenged in Minnesota.

· It is exceedingly naïve to believe that the state-by-state push by Lambda Legal will level off or decline.

· For example Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit in December of 2005 challenging the legality of marriage laws under Iowa’s state constitutional guarantee of due process and equal protection.

· The Lambda Legal lawsuit is attempting to score a quick victory in courts while Iowa’s marriage amendment is bottled up in senate committee.

· “Senator, what guarantee do you have that this won’t happen in Minnesota?”

3. Be adamant that Minnesota marriage laws are vulnerable to attack.

· In response to a Lambda Legal lawsuit, an activist judge could easily strike down the Defense of Marriage Act of 1997 and the Minnesota Supreme Court decision of 1971. (Baker v. Nelson).

· The 1971 Baker v. Nelson decision has no value in Minnesota courts weighing whether the Minnesota Constitution compels the right of marriage to be given to same-sex couples. (Testimony of Chris Stovall, Alliance Defense Marriage Litigation Center.)

· “Senator, what proof do you have that our marriage laws will stand up to a lawsuit?”

4. Make clear that a constitutional amendment is the best protection for marriage.

· Amending our constitution is appropriate.

· The amendment does not expand or restrict the rights of any Minnesotan.

· The amendment puts marriage out of reach of activist judges and Lambda Legal lawsuits.

· “Senator, how would you feel if traditional marriage was struck down because you failed to pass a marriage amendment?”

5. Ask your senator “Who decides?”

· In 2004 a handful of state senators decided that the people of Minnesota did not have the right to define marriage – and blocked the amendment.

· If they block it in 2006, Minnesotans will be silenced until at least 2008.

· This gives same-sex marriage activists two years to decide the definition of marriage in the courts before the people of Minnesota get another chance to vote.

· “Senator, are you aware that if the amendment is not passed this session, opponents will have two years to redefine marriage before we can vote again?”

· “Senator, who decides? The people or activists?”

6. Tell your senator to “Let the people vote in 2006!”

· Polls show 63% of Minnesota voters agree that the people should be allowed to vote.

· 19 other states have approved marriage amendments by an average margin of 70% -- most already had DOMA laws.

· At least 6 additional states will allow their citizens to vote on an amendment in 2006.

· “Senator, will you vote to pass the marriage amendment if it comes to the senate floor?”

· “Senator, will you vote to bring the marriage amendment out of committee?”

Click here to download the questions in pdf format.

Volunteers needed – Help get-out-the-vote in November.

· Click here to volunteer to get-out-the-vote in November. Fill out the form and indicate that you would like to help with GOTV in November. We are particularly interested in the following districts.

o District 27 - Dan Sparks

o District 09 - Steve Langseth

o District 01 - LeRoy Stumpf

o District 11 - Dallas Sams

o District 20 - Gary Kubly

o District 30 - Shelia Kiscaden

o District 28 - Steve Murphy

o District 13 - Dean Johnson

o District 03 – Tom Saxhaug

o District 54 – John Marty

· Gather petition signatures in your community. Help expand our petition drive by gathering at least 10 signatures on our Marriage Protection Petition. Click here to download the petition. Please fax or mail the completed petition to the address on the petition. Petitions in the districts listed above are important.

· Click here to volunteer as a church contact.

Contribute to protecting marriage in Minnesota.

No issue is more crucial to the future of our culture than the preservation of society’s most fundamental building block – families based on the marriage of one man and one woman.

Help us continue the fight to protect marriage!

Click here to donate on-line to Minnesota for Marriage.

Need a tax deduction? Click here to make a tax-deductible contribution to Minnesota Family Institute's Get-Out-the-Vote efforts.

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Prepared and Paid for by Minnesota for Marriage, 2855 Anthony Lane S, Suite 150, Minneapolis, MN 55418

1-877-MN-MARRY www.minnesotaformarriage.org

(Minnesota For Marriage is a project of the Minnesota Family Council)