PPP Poll: Switch in MN, voters now against marriage ban

It ain't over till it's over, but still, this is good news. From PPP, a very good polling outfit:

Minnesota's constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage now appears to be in serious danger of failing, a reversal from a PPP poll four months ago when it led for passage by a 48/44 margin.

Now only 43% of voters support the proposed amendment, with 49% of voters opposed to it. The shift since then has come with independent voters. After previously supporting the amendment by a 50/40 spread, they're now opposing it 54/37. Republicans continue to strongly favor the amendment (74/21) while Democrats are almost equally strong in their opposition (71/22).

Independents coming a lot closer to Democrats than Republicans on gay rights is becoming something of a constant in our polling. The GOP seriously risks antagonizing voters in the middle if it continues to pursue a far right social agenda.

Minnesota sees the same massive generational gap on this issue that we've found in other states. Voters over 45 support the proposed amendment by a 50/42 spread. But those under 45 oppose it by an even greater 60/34 margin.

Voters in the state think gay marriage should be legal by a 47/42 margin, closely matching the numbers on the amendment. And when you expand the discussion to civil unions 75% of voters support some form of legal recognition for gay couples to only 21% who think there should be none. That includes even 55% of Republicans.

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Obama lands in Minneapolis today - what will he say about state marriage referendum?

Folks weren't happy that the President didn't say anything about the anti-gay marriage referendum in North Carolina right before the vote, so it will be interesting to see what happens when Obama speaks in Minnesota today. From AP:

The political impact of President Barack Obama’s support for gay marriage will be tested this fall in Minnesota, where opponents of a proposed gay marriage ban are hoping the president’s enduring popularity here will help persuade skeptical Democrats to vote it down.

Obama’s trip to Minneapolis on Friday comes three weeks after he announced his full support for the right of same-sex couples to wed, and it’s his first trip since then to a state that will definitely have a gay marriage ban on the November ballot. Voters in Washington, Maine and Maryland — three other states Obama won in 2008 — are expected to vote on gay marriage.

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Labor joins the battle against anti-marriage amendment in Minnesota

Minnesota Independent has the news that our side has gained some key allies in the effort to defeat the anti-marriage amendment in November 0f 2012:

The Minnesota AFL-CIO, the state’s labor federation, voted on Monday to oppose a ballot measure that would add a ban on same-sex marriage to the Minnesota Constitution. The vote of the general board was unanimous in oppositon to the amendment which will be on the ballot in 2012. The AFL-CIO is made up of 1,000 affiliated local unions and represents more than 300,000 workers.

“The labor movement is, and has always been about protecting and advancing the rights of all people,” Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson said in a statement on Monday. “We will not stand by and allow discrimination to become part of Minnesota’s constitution.”

In addition to the AFL-CIO, AFSCME Council 5 and the SEIU have also announced opposition to the amendment.

The campaign to defeat the amendment is Minnesotans United for All Families. Read the rest of this post...

Minnesota sees spike in number of gay couples

It might seem counter-intuitive because of the efforts by the GOP legislature and Michele Bachmann to make Minnesota less friendly to gays, but Minnesota has enjoyed a 50% rise in gay couples over the past decade.

The statistics emerged during a time of abrupt contrasts for gays in Minnesota.

A national magazine named Minneapolis the nation's most gay-friendly city.

At the same time, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, long a lightning rod for gays, has gained prominence as a presidential aspirant. And a Republican-dominated Legislature has the state headed toward a 2012 referendum on a constitutional amendment against gay marriage.

h/t to regular "Mike in the Tundra" who writes:

It was rather nice for me to read. I live in Golden Valley that is mentioned. There is a rather high tone grocery store there, and many of the gay couples go there. The staff always asked about Ed when he was no longer able to go with me.

Michael (Mike in the Tundra)

It is really satisfying to see how Americans are really starting to understand the motivations behind homophobia and how it relates to those like Michele and Marcus Bachmann.

And, we will all need to help our friends in Minnesota fight the major battle against the bigoted constitutional amendment, which is on the ballot for November of 2012. Minnesotans United for all Families is leading that campaign. Read the rest of this post...

Senator Franken talks marriage, bullying and Bachmann

Andrew Harmon spent 15 minutes talking to Minnesota Senator Al Franken. It sure sounded like a fascinating 15 minutes -- and there was no shortage of material:

Advocate: You were one of several pro–marriage equality senators who told us that the president should come out in support of full marriage rights. Why do you believe it’s important that he does so now?

I believe very strongly in marriage equality, and I’d like him to show that kind of leadership. He says he’s evolving, and I don’t know what that exactly means. I think that he probably made a political decision in 2008. That doesn’t really shock me, but I’m hoping that he’s moving to the right and moral position.

I’ve seen incredibly fast movement in public opinion and the attitudes of even some of my conservative colleagues here. On repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell,” we had two senators who had voted against cloture on the bill and then changed their votes in the end—[Nevada] Sen. Ensign and [North Carolina] Sen. Burr. I think their calculus there was that they understood that they were going against the curve of history if they voted against [DADT repeal].

The president has said that states should decide the marriage issue and that New York was an example of that process. Do you believe the people of your state have the right to decide the issue at the ballot?

They have the legal right, now. Do they have the moral right? No. I just think that marriage equality is a right for everyone. I mean, marriage is the best thing that happened to me. This idea that same-gender couples are a threat to marriage … first of all, it’s ridiculous logically. Elizabeth Taylor—wonderful woman—was married how many times? Is that less of a threat to marriage than a same-gender couple being married once?

Are you confident that Minnesotans will vote against putting discrimination into the state constitution?

I think we’ll win this one, but I think it will be very close. We’re a very divided state, and on this issue I don’t have the strongest sense on where it’s going to be. I know there are people who just have their views and are against marriage equality.

Rep. Michele Bachmann being one of them.

Yes, I think she’ll vote for the amendment.

There's more and it's worth a read. Read the rest of this post...

Minnesota parents take up the cause of equality for their son who died in Afghanistan

From Andrew Belonsky at Towleroad, we have an important read for July 4th. CNN shares the story of Cpl. Andrew Charles Wilfahrt, believed to be the first gay soldier killed since the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and his parents' effort to push for LGBT equality in the wake of his death.

It's an intense read, but one that is ultimately more inspiring than it is sad. Below is the video from CNN, as well as their story as produced for the Courage Campaign.

He was also among the smartest in the half-million force, scoring a perfect score on his aptitude test, a feat the Army says is rare.

Andrew was so well-liked his comrades named a combat outpost for the soldier with the infectious smile. COP Wilfahrt sits 6 kilometers from Kandahar. To his buddies, it is not named for a gay soldier, but for one who fought with valor.

"Mom, everyone knows. Nobody cares," he told his mother in their final conversation, a phone call from Afghanistan on Thanksgiving.

Definitely take a few minutes to read the story too. Andrew was a hero, as are his parents who are taking on the fight for equality.

The Wilfahrts have the milquetoast looks of middle-age Midwesterners: gray hair, rimmed glasses, apple-pie ordinary. Yet make no mistake: These lifelong Minnesotans might be the most powerful force to join the same-sex marriage movement.

In a state that has produced GOP presidential hopefuls Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty -- who have made careers fighting gay marriage -- these parents of an American hero present a major challenge to the establishment.

From CNN


From the Courage Campaign
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