The Minnesota state Senate on Wednesday voted to approve a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, advancing the measure another step closer to appearing on the 2012 ballot.
The bill would seek voter approval to amend the state constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
The Senate passed the proposal 38-27. One Democrat, Sen. Leroy Stumpf (D-Plummer), joined every Republican in voting to approve the bill.
“It’s a sad and shameful day, and those who voted for this are going to be ashamed of themselves,” said Sen. Scott Dibble (D-Minneapolis). “We’re taking this to the streets, and we’re going to the ballot in 2012. Thirty-one states have passed this thing. It’s not going to be 32.”
Dibble, the only openly gay member of the Minnesota Senate, said he was shocked that his colleagues passed the amendment.
Republicans have been trying, unsuccessfully, to get the issue on the ballot for years. But now, with control of the House and Senate, they can make it happen because they don’t need the approval of Gov. Mark Dayton (D), who strongly opposes the measure.
In Minnesota, the only way to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot is to have both chambers approve it by simple majorities. Such a bill is not subject to a veto or any other action by the governor.
The amendment now goes to a vote in the House, where it is also expected to pass.
Articles Related to this topic:
Battle lines drawn: Campaign to defeat MN anti-gay marriage amendment begins
Minnesota governor gives anti-gay marriage amendment 'symbolic' veto
Minnesota House adjourns without voting on anti-gay marriage amendment
Minnesota House committee votes to advance anti-gay marriage bill
Minnesota anti-gay marriage amendment headed to full Senate for vote
Minneapolis Star-Tribune: 'Don't put bigotry up for a vote'
'How many gay people must God create before we accept that he wants them around?'
Minnesota House committee approves anti-gay marriage amendment
Straight, Republican constituent testifies against Minnesota ban on gay marriage
Filed under: Minnesota
son of a bitch. really? really.
People are now moving to Canada as we type…
well that sucks…….. stupid Minnesota
Wow. being so close to Illinois you would figure that they’d learn a little or two about equality.
Rose Nylund would not be amused.
Sad
oh look, suddenly I’m ashamed of living in MN. wtf?
Yeah. Minnesota is where 7 gay kids killed themselves last summer because of bullying. And more disgustingly, Minnesota is where parents fought hard NOT to have anti-bullying laws put in place, of any kind. I have only one question: WTF?
Sounds like Minnesota needs a new State Senate
Or brains.
What…the…hell.
Minnesota allies we must continue to fight this!
I’m ashamed to live here in MN. /:
Since when did Minnesota become struck with such ignorance? I thought it was a cool state, til now that is.
Hate-A-Sota.
This is asinine. I don’t understand how people cannot connect the oppression of the LGBT community to the past and current oppression of other minorities. The people who deny rights for LGBT people now are no better than the people who denied interracial couples to get married. They are on the wrong side of history.
Thank god that state is not important
Ignorami
MORONS
THE WORLD IS MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION
who liked this?
Well looks like I can’t drive to my neighboring state.
Thats not constitutional!!!
this isnt right !!!! how the hell can those fucking idiots do that
I have mixed feelings. On the one hand I’m filled with loathing and disgust at these knuckle dragging maroons. On the other hand, it feels kind of good to be so very superior to these people in morality and intellectual ability.
This coming from a bunch of people who seem to believe that the purpose of their reproductive organs is to make a stain.
You folks are frauds
Now every single gay person in that state should get signs and march to that door and show how bigot they really are. All these people are about is religion and a law should NOT be based on a belief, simple. It should be based on rights, rights that everyone has but gay people. If they want to pass a law based on their belief that follows the bible, then people who divorce should never be allowed to marry again because they broke the “rules” of the bible. If you want to change the consitution because certain people disagree with who others love, then their should be no rights at all. It shows that no matter what, laws can be changed if others disagree with who people are.
I think since a majority of people that support anti-gay measures are religious we should start to take their rights of protection away. I am disgusted with wingnut religious people. I think we should start banning together across the United States and Federally start to take away their rights away and then once we get their religious protections taken away then all the marriage advantages taken away.