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Nearly 100 supporters of justice and fairness for GLBT Minnesotans
rallied in the shelter of the south portico of the State Capitol May 12th
as OutFront Minnesota delivered to Governor Pawlenty the petition
signatures of approximately 15,000 Minnesotans opposed to
discrimination, bigotry, and the proposed constitutional amendment to
forbid legal recognition of same-sex couples and their families.
Pawlenty, however, was "unavailable" according to his staff. "The
Governor has never been 'unavailable' to demonstrate his support for
this harmful, anti-democratic amendment proposal," State Senator Scott
Dibble reminded the crowd. "I am extremely disappointed in Governor
Pawlenty." Dibble was joined at the podium by State Representative Karen
Clark, to raucous applause.
OutFront Minnesota Executive Director Ann M. DeGroot called on
supporters of the anti-marriage amendment, including the Minnesota
Family Council – whose director, Tom Prichard, was present – to take
responsibility for the anti-GLBT violence that their bigoted campaign
against our community spurs. OutFront Minnesota Intern Marina Gorsuch, a
high-school student, told the crowd that youth look to adults as role
models for their behavior, which can be fine "unless the adults
themselves are modeling poor behavior that inspires violence," such as
threats she herself has received in the halls of her school. DeGroot
reminded the crowd that at the Minnesota Family Council rally at the
Capitol on March 22, attendees carried signs calling for the "death
penalty for homosexuals," and that supporters had declined to distance
themselves from such extremist views.
DeGroot and Dibble both urged legislators to focus on issues that are
critical to Minnesotans, including the bonding bill and measures related
to health, education, transportation, and jobs.
After the brief OutFront Minnesota program, the rally attendees
proceeded through the Capitol to the Governor's office, ignoring a
contingent of sign-wavers outside the Senate chambers demanding to vote
on the anti-marriage amendment, despite its rejection thus far by the
Senate. Though the Governor was "unavailable," the petitions were
nonetheless delivered and a surprise appearance was made by House
Speaker Steve Sviggum, who was at the Governor's office meeting with an
unnamed high government official. |
