yay, another Marriage ammendment rally

[indigo32]

:argh:


WILLMAR — Supporters of an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman are conducting an informational rally Saturday in Willmar.

Catholic Bishop John Nienstedt of New Ulm will speak, as well as Minnesota House Speaker Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, and Rep. Dan Severson, R-Sauk Rapids, according to an advertisement published in the Tribune.

Severson is the House author of the legislation proposing the constitutional amendment.

http://www.wctrib.com/articles/index.cfm?id=4654§ion=homepage

[CatholicEdHead]

1. All MN Catholic Dioceses have a postcard drive this weekend

at all churches to push the DFL controlled State Senate to let this through. All state senators will have full mailboxes next week with this.

I believe this is illegal and I think the IRS should now have at it with the MN Catholic Churches. I mailed the bishops over this showing my disagreement. The Bishop of New Ulm responded and said that the beliefs of acceptance come from the "liberal media". He will be getting a follow up letter very soon.

I will be boycotting this weekend services because of this.

[northernsoul]

4. I know this is tough for you and other Catholics

Thank you for having the courage to speak the truth to power.

[CatholicEdHead]

2. Here is a related story on the same site

Lots of money is going into this that should be going elsewhere.

http://www.wctrib.com/articles/index.cfm?id=4653

"MINNEAPOLIS — The group leading an effort to define marriage as a heterosexual institution in Minnesota raised $220,000 last year — more than half of it from just two donors who opened their wallets to the cause.

But that’s just a fraction of the millions that could flow into the fight if a constitutional amendment makes it onto the ballot in November. The executive director of OutFront Minnesota said the gay rights group would spend $7 million to $8 million to defeat it. Whether it makes the ballot is still an open question. Activists on both sides are getting ready for lawmakers to take up the issue soon after the Legislature opens March 1.
.........

By contrast, OutFront executive director Ann DeGroot said the group’s political committee raised almost no money in 2005.

Instead, the group used its usual funding sources to support its regular lobbying of state lawmakers. DeGroot said they’ll do that again this year, asking Democrats who control the state Senate to continue keeping the measure off the ballot."

Also I saw this from your first link.

"The Rev. Dan Johnson and the Rev. Brent Waldemarsen are slated to speak, as well as Willmar City Councilman Doug Reese and U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy, a Republican who represents Minnesota’s 6th District.

The rally begins at 4 p.m. Saturday at Harvest Community Church, 905 Litchfield. Ave. S.W."

Mark Kennedy will be there, expect this to be one of the wedge issues this fall. I hope Amy is ready for the onslaught and has her points in order.
http://www.wctrib.com/articles/index.cfm?id=4654

[CatholicEdHead]

3. Protesters this weekend at the St Paul Cathedral

Here is a follow up story on this weekend.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/13857693.htm

"As the Roman Catholic archbishop honored hundreds of married couples inside the Cathedral of St. Paul on Sunday, more than 150 people gathered outside to protest his support of a state constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.

"Today we come together to celebrate … the vocation of marriage between one man and woman,'' Archbishop Harry Flynn said during the Mass. "Today that vocation is under challenge, even under attack.''

The archdiocese has celebrated an annual Mass honoring marriage for the past 25 years. This time, though, protesters attended to oppose efforts by the state's Roman Catholic bishops to promote a constitutional amendment, destined to be a key issue in the upcoming state legislative session.

"We … are outraged by the position and tactics taken by the Minnesota Catholic bishops in actively endorsing and advocating for the discriminatory and anti-Christian marriage amendment, both from the pulpit and through official Catholic publications,'' said David McCaffrey, one of the protesters."

[indigo32]

5. Wow

I missed that somehow.
Thx for your support on this issue.

[Minnesota Raindog]

6. Oh, the irony

Catholic priests and bishops pontificating about morality? Um, yeah, right.

And what are those tens--or hundreds--of millions of dollars in legal settlements you've paid all about?

[Minnesota Raindog]

7. Sviggum says the Bible=Minnesota Constitution

At their ugly little gathering in Willmar last week, our fearless Speaker of the House had this to say:

"The majority of people I know in this country and state support marriage as one man, one woman," said House Speaker Steve Sviggum. "The Old Testament supports it. The New Testament supports it. The constitution of the state of Minnesota should support it."

So there you have it. If Sviggum's Bible says it, then it's the law of the land. Not a believer in this fantasy? Then get the hell out of Minnesota--you clearly don't belong here, according to Sviggum.

[CatholicEdHead]

8. I wonder how much he actually believes this

and how much Sviggum is toeing the party line. This issue was set out long ago to be pushed for the voter turnout and deviciveness for the Repubs.

I give Dean Johnson more creditbility with his weekend job as minister. He does all he can to keep the grandstanding down with this "issue".

[FiveGoodMen]

9. As far as I'm concerned it's treason

to suggest that a holy book's rules should become the secular law of the land. That undoes the cornerstone of America's freedom.

Whether Sviggum is committing treason for the sake of his beliefs or his party is a secondary issue to me.