How Anti-Gay Forces Helped Minnesota Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

[DonViejo]

by Rep. Karen Clark May 18, 2013 4:45 AM EDT

A bid by Republican legislators to legalize discrimination in the state constitution ended up backfiring—by emboldening equality activists, writes state Rep. Karen Clark.

This week, Minnesota became the 12th state, plus the District of Columbia, to allow same-sex couples to marry.

During the final debate on the legislation in the Minnesota House, I shared a photo with my colleagues that had been taken at the 1993 gay pride parade in Minneapolis. Pictured there were me and my partner of 24 years, Jacquelyn, standing next to my parents, Millie and Joe Clark, who were carrying a sign that read: “Our Gay Children Should Have the Same Rights as Our Heterosexual Children.”

They’d marched with the Parents and Families of Lesbians and Gays contingent to celebrate the historic passage, a month earlier, of the strongest state civil-rights protection for LGBT citizens in the country. Though my parents did not live to see it, 20 years later their message rang true and helped me to pass the Freedom to Marry Act.

It was a long, arduous, and inspiring journey that allowed Minnesota’s elected leaders to pass an equal-marriage law. The 75-59 House vote took more than three hours of discussion and debate, including the adoption of three amendments to clarify exemptions for religious organizations and numerous emotional and moving personal statements from legislators, some of whom noted that their vote may endanger their reelection. Over and over the sentiment was expressed that this was “the right thing to do.”

full article
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/18/how-anti-gay-forces-helped-minnesota-legalize-same-sex-marriage.html