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(Minneapolis) - Although Governor Tim Pawlenty made time to attend a
March 22 rally to endorse a proposed constitutional amendment to ban
legal recognition of same-sex couples, Pawlenty already knows he will be
"unavailable" to receive the petition signatures of
approximately 15,000
Minnesotans calling on him to oppose inequality and discrimination, said
Ann M. DeGroot, Executive Director of OutFront Minnesota, the state's
leading organization serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender
(GLBT) community and its allies.
"While running for office, Tim Pawlenty told our state he wanted to be
the governor for all Minnesotans," recalled DeGroot. "Today, it seems
more clear than ever before: he has no intention of being a governor for
Minnesota's GLBT citizens, and no intention of hearing their voices call
for justice."
After the announcement in November 2003 that legislators would seek a
constitutional amendment banning marriage and other legal recognition
for same-sex couples, Pawlenty initially indicated he thought the effort
was unnecessary. He quickly changed his mind and has since come out in
favor of the unprecedented effort to write discrimination into the
state's constitution.
"These signatures come from all over Minnesota, calling on the Governor
to contribute to a climate of respect and dignity for all," explained
OutFront Minnesota Public Policy Director Monica Meyer. "His apparent
refusal to acknowledge these Minnesotans sends a stark message that GLBT
residents are less worthy than others. We fear that the Governor's
attitude will help fuel an environment in which GLBT citizens are
marginalized, not just politically, but through violence and
harassment." Meyer noted that hate-crime reports by GLBT citizens across
the country have been showing a steady increase in recent years,
coinciding with political campaigns against same-sex marriage. The
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) has found that
anti-GLBT hate violence rose 24% in the six months following the US
Supreme Court's landmark decision in the Lawrence v. Texas case, which
struck down sodomy laws.
OutFront Minnesota will gather GLBT Minnesotans and their allies on the
steps of the State Capitol May 12th to deliver the approximately 15,000
signatures as part of an event entitled "Minnesota Speaks Out." Speakers
at the event will include State Senator Scott Dibble, State
Representative Karen Clark, Marina Gorsuch, a student at Maple Grove
Senior High School, and C Scott Cooper and Ann DeGroot of OutFront
Minnesota.
Contact:
Ann M. DeGroot, Executive Director
(612) 822-0127, ext. 107
Phil Duran, Legal & Policy Analyst
(612) 822-0127, ext. 102
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