Minnesota.USA

Borrowing from Clint Eastwood’s much maligned appearance at the Republican National Convention in August, Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe said he will debate an empty chair on the issue of marriage equality.

Kluwe, an outspoken champion for LGBT rights and same-sex marriage, had hoped to debate congresswoman Michelle Bachman (R-Minn.), former teammate Matt Birk, or another opponent of marriage equality in advance of the November 6 ballot initiative which, if passed, would amend the state’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Problem is, no one will publicly debate Kluwe on the issue, reports USA Today.

Billed as “Chris Kluwe vs. The Chair,” Kluwe will take the stage at downtown Minneapolis’ The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre to share his views against Minnesota’s Same Sex Marriage Amendment, Amendment 1, which if passed, would limit legal marriage in that state between a man and a woman.

In addition to Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann and numerous other politicians who support the amendment, organizers also invited Kluwe’s former teammate Matt Birk to discuss the amendment. Since none of those people agreed to come to the event, Kluwe decided to appear with the chair and a local radio host serving as moderator.

Kluwe recently appeared in a new video for Minnesotans United for All Families, the official campaign working to defeat the proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

“It’s not the government’s job to tell us what to do. That’s not what America stands for,” says Kluwe. “At the end of the day, this is an issue about freedom… and treating other people the way that you would like to be treated.”

A video of Kluwe’s conversation with the chair is expected to be available on Monday.

Tags: Chris Kluwe, Debate, Marriage Equality, Minnesota

Filed under: Minnesota