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Marriage
is at Risk
Traditional
family values are under attack in our country. Activist judges and
elected officials are ignoring our laws and the will of the people by
redefining marriage through their personal interpretations of our state
and federal constitutions. This small group of activists is attempting to force
our country into the greatest social experiment of our lifetime.
Contrary to much of what one sees in the media, this is not an issue about
hatred towards homosexuals. We believe that all human beings are
equal in their intrinsic dignity. However, this does not mean that
one must agree with activists who are attempting to redefine the
institution of marriage. You are not a hate monger or a bigot just
because you believe that the traditional definition of marriage should be
preserved within our society.
Marriage
is About More Than Just Love
There are many types of loving relationships
in our society (the love between parents and a children, between siblings,
between friends). Yet none of these relationships
constitutes a marriage. Throughout the ages and across societies,
marriage has been recognized as the union of a man and a woman which creates
kinship obligations and a sharing of resources with the children their
sexual union typically produces. The State has only one vested interest in marriage:
to support the successful upbringing
of the next generation of it's citizens. Countless studies have proven
that the best environment for raising children is in a family with a
mother and a father. Why then would the State sanction anything other than the best
relationship for raising children?
A
Single Judge's Decision Could Bring Same-Sex Marriage to Minnesota
Marriage
laws have now been overturned in by judges in 8 states -- California,
Hawaii, Alaska, Vermont, Massachusetts, Washington, New York and Nebraska --
mandating the recognition of same-sex marriage. In Hawaii and Alaska, the
people responded by amending their state constitutions. The Vermont
legislature resisted in so far as it created civil unions, rather than
extending marriage to same-sex couples. The other cases are awaiting
rulings by appellate courts.
It's
a sad fact, but Minnesota's
current Defense of Marriage Act will not protect marriage from activist judges or back-room deal making by
legislators. We know there are same-sex couples in Minnesota that have
obtained marriage licenses from other states or other countries. Some of these couples will
eventually seek to have their unions legally recognized by the state of
Minnesota in a court of law.
The
Only Real Protection for Marriage is a Constitutional Amendment
The only certain
protection against judicial activism is a constitutional amendment defining
marriage exclusively as the union of one man and one woman. Last year, 13 states allowed their citizens to vote on the question of
amending their state constitutions to include this definition of
marriage. All of these measures were overwhelmingly approved by the
citizens of these states.
Here
in Minnesota, DFL State Senate majority leaders have worked to block the
Marriage Amendment bill, thereby depriving Minnesotans the opportunity to
vote on this question. These DFL Senators are using tactics such
as the manipulation of parliamentary procedures, adjournment of committee
meetings at the mere mention of the Marriage Amendment and the introduction
of "fake" bills that do nothing to protect the definition of
marriage. It's unfortunate, but
it appears these Senators are failing to represent the interests of the vast majority of their
constituents.
MAKE
NO MISTAKE: Our Constitution Will be Amended - The Only Question is by
Whom?
Will it be activist
judges who amend our Constitution, as is the case in Massachusetts? Will they be allowed to undo marriage
as the union of a man and a woman? Or will the people be allowed to amend the
Constitution to preserve marriage? This is the only real question
before us at this time. A number of local governments in California,
Oregon and New York followed the lead of the Massachusetts court, offering
marriage licenses in violation of state laws and constitutions. Same-sex
couples from 46 states applied for marriage licenses in these
jurisdictions, including several Minnesotans. It's simply a matter
of time before Minnesota's marriage laws are challenged in a court of
law.
Send a
Clear Message to Our
Legislators: LET THE PEOPLE VOTE!
We
believe the people should have the right to vote on matters of constitutional
importance, such as the definition of marriage. We offer you a
number of ways to clearly communicate this message to your legislators:
Now
is the time for Minnesotans to stand-up and fight for their rights -- the stakes are
simply too high to be ignored. Please join
us in taking a stand to protect the institution of marriage in Minnesota.
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