If you don’t know my story and WHY I am VOTING NO on the ammendment, you can read it HERE. But in a nutshell: my sister is a lesbian. She has been with her loving partner for 17 years. I love them both more than words can describe. I myself am straight, but believe two people that love each other should be allowed to be married. I myself have had the opportunity to marry ~ and divorce ~ twice. Plus I was engaged a third time in there. All because I am straight and have the “right” to get married. My sister and her partner have been in a loving, committed relationship for over 17 years. Ha! That’s longer than all of my relationships combined. But because they are gay, they don’t have the ability to get married and all the advantages and opportunities that it opens up for them.
For instance: Right now if my sister’s partner was in an ICU, they would be able to deny my sister the right to visit her ~ because she’s not immediate family. Yes, my sister has power of attorney and they have health care directives, but if the hospital or her partner’s family wanted to be difficult, they could deny her being in the room with her partner. Unless they work for an employer that allows “domestic partnership” they are not able to be on one another’s insurance plans. They are not able to file taxes together, and the list goes on.
It frustrates me to no end that people get their undies in a bundle over this marriage issue. Stating we have to save the “sanctity of marriage“. Pahleeeeze. What sanctity of marriage? I’ve been divorced ~ TWICE. And what happened to the seperation of church and state?? Seems to me the only “sanctity” issues we have are related to religion. And honestly, marriage doesn’t have one thing to do with religion. You don’t have to be religious to get married just straight, heterosexual, breeders.
Ok, yes I am being cynical, but I am trying to make a point here. I am trying to open people’s eyes to the fact that two people in love should be allowed to get married. Period. End of story. I don’t give a flying fudgecicle if they’re straight, gay, or undecided. If they love each, then so be it. Marriage is NOT an issue of sexual orientation, it is NOT an issue of politics, it is NOT an issue of religion. Marriage is an issue of LOVE. Two people in love.
What I learned last night at the Scott County VOTES NO launch party: if the election were tomorrow, we would not win. We are SO close, but not quite there yet. We need to convince approx. 140,000 Minnesotans to VOTE NO on the ammendment.  The easiest way to engage that conversation is to ask your friends, family, coworkers who they plan to vote. Ask them to share “why” if they are planning to vote yes on the ammendment (some believe that voting YES is actually the way you’re supposed to vote if you WANT gay marriage because of the way it is worded….. we need to educate these people that it is a NO vote). Tell them “thank you for sharing your story. Now can I tell you mine?” and give them a heart felt story of why you are choosing to vote NO (like mine above). DO NOT: tell them they are wrong, they are being prejudice, or badger them, get mad, or yell. We are learning from the THIRTY STATES THAT FAILED that we need to give people heart felt stories to get them to change their minds. WE CAN DO THIS MN!!
PLEASE, I beg you, VOTE NO on the marriage ammendment this November. Let Minnesota be the first state to shoot it down!!!Â
I am so proud of you Mayor Brad Tabke for giving a wonderful, heartfelt speech last night. Even though other Mayor’s and politicians have encouraged you to not take an opinion on the matter because you are supposed to be non-partisan. But you hit it on the head, marriage IS non-partisan. Marriage IS LOVE!!! I am proud to have you as my Mayor, and to call you a friend 🙂
Also, I want to give Christopher Straub a shout-out. He was sporting his beautiful tshirt last night, and if you would like to order one you can go to his webiste and order. He is giving half the proceeds back to MN United For All Families.
