HRC Blog

The following post is from HRC Staff Counsel, Aaron Welo: Minnesota Republicans yesterday introduced an amendment to the state constitution that would ban same-sex marriage in the state. The proposed amendment, introduced in three identical Senate bills with 12 total cosponsors, asks “[s]hall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?” State Senator Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove) appears to be taking the lead on this effort by cosponsoring each of the three bills and speaking at yesterday’s press conference. The proposed amendment would constitutionally ban marriage equality in the state, which is already illegal under existing state law. Rather than focusing on improving the state economy, or finding a solution to the state’s $5 billion budget deficit, state Republicans are attempting to distract from their failure to address the real issues by attempting to harm LGBT families.

With many state legislatures facing adjournment dates in the next few weeks, anti-equality lawmakers around the country are ramping up attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Harmful legislation has already passed in a few states and is advancing in others.

Supporters of marriage equality went door-to-door last week in Port Jefferson, Long Island. These one-on-one conversations at doors take time but are absolutely necessary to get a real sense of how people feel. Long Islanders, like other New Yorkers, are not shy about sharing their opinions about anything. And they solidly support marriage equality.

The following post comes from HRC New Yorkers for Marriage Equality intern Michael Kamen : The next generation of Long Island voters are letting their state senators know that their voice counts too! On Tuesday, the Gay-Straight Alliance at Ward Melville High School in East Setauket met with the Human Rights Campaign to find out how they can start a student movement for marriage equality. After a lesson on New York State politics, the students mobilized into action and began to call and write letters to their elected officials. Among other events, the group plans on setting up a bake sale during lunch periods and asking their peers to fill out marriage equality postcards.

With Spring Break over, our organizers in New York are not stopping. In fact, we’re doing a whirlwind tour of Long Island’s college campuses. From SUNY Stony Brook to Nassau Community College, college students island-wide are making their voices heard. HRC’s New Yorkers for Marriage Equality intern, Ashley Fortado, sent in this picture of her on campus at SUNY Old Westbury. She got an overwhelming response. She also ran into the advisor of the campus Gay Straight Alliance and asked her to come to their meeting this week. It was so successful that Ashley and a handful of volunteers will continue to work on Old Westbury’s campus to make sure Senator Jack Martins’ hears from students he represents.