Florida Agenda

ST PAUL, MINNESOTA – Jesse Ventura, the former professional wrestler, actor, and Governor of Minnesota, has added his voice to the campaign against a proposed state constitutional amendment that would define marriage in the North Star State as the union between one man and one woman.

“The constitution should not be used to oppress people,” Ventura said. “The constitution is used to protect people. Love is by far bigger than government can ever be,” he added. In a video posted last week on YouTube by Minnesotans United for All Families, Ventura and Terry, his wife of 37 years, declared their support for marriage equality, and urged Minnesotans to vote “no” in the November referendum, which poses the question, “Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as marriage in Minnesota?”

“Government should not be telling people who to fall in love with,” said Ventura, who served as governor from 1999 to 2003. “We’re supposed to be the home of the brave, land of the free.”

Noting the non-partisan nature of marriage equality, Ventura, 61, said, “This is not a Democrat issue, this is not a Republican issue,” and added, “It affects each and every one of us regardless of whatever our political persuasion is.”

A recent survey by Public Policy Polling shows the referendum to be a statistical dead heat, with 48 percent of Minnesota voters supporting the same-sex marriage ban, and 47 percent opposing it.

By JOE HARRIS

In November, voters in four states will be asked to make permanent— more or less—their jurisdictions’ treatment of marriage equality (or reasonable facsimiles thereof). Ballot initiatives in Maryland and Washington will determine whether marriage equality laws signed this year will stay on the books. In Maine, voters will decide once and for all, they presume, whether to allow gay marriage back into the Pine Tree State (where it was already signed into law—and overturned at the ballot box—in 2009). And in Minnesota, a constitutional amendment would enshrine marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

The Maine Event

AUGUSTA, MAINE – In 2009, state lawmakers enacted marriage equality, but it was overturned in the voting booth. Supporters of ballot Question 1 want to reinstate same-sex marriage. Both they and their opponents criticized the wording of the ballot question (“Do you want to allow same-sex couples to marry?”) as being too simplistic. Although Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican, has been silent about his position on the issue, in May he criticized the teachers’ union for endorsing it, and later vetoed the union’s pay bill. Polls suggest that most voters (58 percent) support the marriage equality referendum.

Freedom to Marry in the Free State?

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND – Supporters hope to pass an initiative repealing the state’s Civil Marriage Protection Act, which was enacted earlier this year in support of marriage equality. Survey data shows strong support for same-sex marriage in Maryland.

The Veep, the General, and the Gays

ST PAUL, MINNESOTA – Although gay marriage isn’t legal there, Republican lawmakers and conservative activists support a constitutional amendment to prohibit it from ever rearing its head in the North Star State. The ballot measure asks, “Shall 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?” (Republicans want you to answer, “Yes.”)

The question’s opponents include former Vice President Walter Mondale (D-MN), Fortune 500 corporation (and Minnesota-based) General Mills, Thomson Reuters, Target, and U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-MN).

Ever-Pink in the Evergreen State?

OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON- The state’s Referendum 74 would repeal the marriage equality law signed in February by Gov. Christine Gregoire, a Democrat. The referendum question asks voters to approve or reject the law, which “allows same-sex couples to marry, applies marriage laws without regard to gender, and specifies that laws using gender specific terms like husband and wife include same-sex spouses.”

The law also says that “After 2014, existing domestic partnerships are converted to marriages, except for seniors. It preserves the right of clergy or religious organizations to refuse to perform or recognize any marriage or accommodate wedding ceremonies. The bill does not affect licensing of religious organizations providing adoption, foster-care, or child placement.”

Major supporters of Washington state marriage equality include Amazon.com, Google, Microsoft, Nike, and Starbucks.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – The group which successfully banned gay marriage in California has turned its sights on a mainstay of America’s breakfast table. The National Organization for Marriage (NOM), last week accused food products titan General Mills of supporting efforts to destroy the traditional definition of marriage. Brian Brown, the president of NOM, said, “General Mills makes billions marketing cereal to parents of young children. It has now effectively declared a war on marriage with its own customers when it tells the country that it is opposed to preserving traditional marriage.”

In November, voters in Minnesota will decide on a ballot measure that would amend their state constitution to ban same sex marriage. General Mills, which is headquartered in Minneapolis, issued a statement in opposition to the ban, which said, “We do not believe the proposed constitutional amendment is in the best interests of our employees or our state economy—and as a Minnesotabased company we oppose it.”

General Mills has a brand portfolio that includes more than 100 leading U.S. brands, including Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Pillsbury, Green Giant, and Häagen-Dazs. The Fortune 500 Corporation is frequently praised for its worker- and LGBT-friendly policies, and CEO Ken Powell recently spoke at a Minnesota gay pride event.

The company’s vice president of global diversity and inclusion blogged last week, “Obviously, there are strongly held views on both sides. We acknowledge those views, including those on religious grounds. We respect and defend the right of others to disagree. But we truly value diversity and inclusion—and that makes our choice clear.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – LGBT rights activists say that public support for an amendment to the Minnesota state constitution that would ban marriage equality has shifted against the proposed measure, upon which voters will decide in November. A new poll released on Tuesday, conducted by Public Policy Polling (PPP), shows that 49 percent of North Star State voters do not favor the amendment, which would ban legal recognition for unions except those between a man and a woman. Forty-three percent of Minnesota voters support the amendment.

The survey marks a stark shift since January, when PPP’s previous survey of Minnesota voters reported 48 percent expressing support for the amendment. The newest survey also shows that 47 percent of Minnesota voters think that same sex marriage should be legal—the same percentage who said it should be illegal in January.

Currently, 32 states have laws denying marriage rights to their gay citizens.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – LGBT rights activists say that public support for an amendment to the Minnesota state constitution that would ban marriage equality has shifted against the proposed measure, upon which voters will decide in November.

A new poll released on Tuesday, conducted by Public Policy Polling (PPP), shows that 49 percent of North Star State voters do not favor the amendment, which would ban legal recognition for unions except those between a man and a woman. Forty-three percent of Minnesota voters support the amendment.

The survey marks a stark shift since January, when PPP’s previous survey of Minnesota voters reported 48 percent expressing support for the amendment.

The newest survey also shows that 47 percent of Minnesota voters think that same sex marriage should be legal—the same percentage who said it should be illegal in January. Currently, 32 states have laws denying marriage rights to their gay citizens.

COON RAPIDS, MN  – Dennis Carlson, the Superintendent of the Anoka-Hennepin School District, apologized last week to those who were offended by statements he made in 2010 concerning a series of student suicides which occurred during his tenure. Over a two year period, authorities reported the suicides of six students who attended the Anoka-Hennepin School District, the largest in Minnesota.

LGBT rights organizations, along with family members of the victims, drew a relationship between some of the suicides and episodes of bullying. In December 2010, Carlson said there was no evidence linking bullying to any of the suicides. On Feb. 21, Carlson clarified his comments in a statement posted on the district’s website. He said the remarks were “widely quoted, misquoted and stated out of context.” His statement reads in part:

”I made the original statement for two reasons. In trying to gain an understanding of the student suicides, we had dozens of conversations with staff from multiple buildings. We brought in professional help for grieving students and staff. During those conversations, we did not hear or receive evidence that bullying was the main reason for the suicide. We did hear of other causes – ongoing mental health issues, a break–up of a significant relationship, and other unique and difficult family issues. The second reason I made the statement was to encourage people to come forward if they did have evidence of bullying because we had heard the rumor that staff had witnessed it and done nothing. Four people origin-ally came forward – two ultimately would not speak to us and the other two did not have evidence of bullying in the suicides.”

Although no one can ever be absolutely certain of the specific event that leads to a student’s suicide, there can be no doubt that in many situations bullying is one of the contributing factors. Gay students are especially vulnerable to anti-gay bullying and so are other students that are unique in some way that leads to verbal attacks by students. These are often students with features or attributes that seem to make them a target. Students that have a visible disability, students that are overweight/underweight, very tall/small, gay or wearing non-conforming gender clothes, and students of color are often repeatedly targeted. I tell students as often as I can that they must speak up if we ever expect to end bullying in schools. We – the adults in school – know our role clearly is to foster an environment where students feel it’s safe to voice their concerns.
”I have learned a lot in this process, particularly from talking to some of the mothers of our students who died. If my December 2010 statement was perceived as dismissive or insensitive to victims of bullying or suicide, I deeply and sincerely apologize. I absolutely meant no disrespect to any of our students and the adults who care about them and love them.”

By Ron Bates

Born in rural Minnesota and raised on a dairy farm, I grew up  in a devout Catholic family.

While attending St. John’s Prep School in Collegeville, I confessed to a priest that I was attracted to another boy who slept across from me. The priest responded that if I ever acted on that, I would go to hell.

As a sincere Catholic teen, I did not act on my attraction but started a harmful journey of self-loathing and personal destruction. I didn’t know what “homosexual” or “gay” were, but I understood “queer” and thought it was evil and perverted.

I did not date girls in high school and dated only a couple in college. One of them became a good friend, so I did what all the rest in my family had done: I got married, the summer after graduating from college. I loved all my nieces and nephews and wanted to become a teacher and a father.

With a major in elementary education from St. Cloud State and later a master’s as a reading specialist, I taught successfully for 40 years in public education in several Minnesota towns. In a psychology class as a junior, I read that homosexuality was a “mental” illness, which reinforced my shameful self image. My marriage never worked.

The sexuality was mostly repulsive, and that was communicated indirectly to my ex-wife. That is the most unfair part.

She was one of the innocent victims in the masquerade of “I’m straight.”

For years and years, I would prostrate myself on the floor and ask God to change me. Maybe if I just prayed more, fasted more, did more “works of charity,” the male attraction would go away.

After more than 30 years of trying to “burn” the evil out of me, I finally came out at age fifty four. God finally broke through to my heart of hearts and said, “I love you just as you are. You are praying for healing, but you are not sick!”

Our God does not change. God is God always. And God was with me always. After all the self-hatred and foibles of life, God was still there waiting for me.

At that moment, the shame and guilt I had felt for years left – once and for always. If Pope Benedict had been standing right there to tell me I was “disordered,” I would have said to him, “You are wrong. God made me and loves me just as I am.”

When I got my annulment from the Catholic Church, it said that it was granted due to the husband’s “psychic” problems. I called the canon lawyer and asked if I was the new Miss Cleo. Fortunately she had a sense of humor and allowed me to change the document to say the annulment was due to homosexuality. I wanted it to say “gay by God’s design” but the bishop wouldn’t allow that.

I did research and found that a surprising number of annulments granted are due to one of the partners being gay. Wouldn’t it be better for the church to acknowledge that gay people exist and allow them to come out as teenagers so straight-marriage statistics would improve?

Maybe if “Marriage Encounter” couples handled the premarriage classes that potential matrimony candidates have to attend, many of the pitfalls of failed marriages could be avoided.

If there were an honest discussion about same-sex attraction issues, potential candidates could avoid disastrous marriages. Instead, the church uses men who have taken a vow of celibacy to conduct the classes.

Some of these men are closeted “gay” cases and/or are dysfunctional in the area of sexual development.

Why have Minnesota citizens bought into the extreme religious-right position on homosexuality?

People like U.S. Rep. and presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, whose husband still uses “reparative therapy” in his mental health clinic, have promulgated this thought. Let me quote what the American Medical Association says:

“RESOLVED, That the American Medical Association oppose any psychiatric treatment, such as reparative or conversion therapy which is based upon the assumption that homosexuality per se is a mental disorder or based upon the a prior assumption that the patient should change his/her homosexual orientation.”

Do they think the American Medical Association doesn’t know what it is talking about?

Please vote to defeat the gay marriage ban. Don’t continue to force young people into the closet of shame by telling them they have to change.

The truth is they can’t. I could be the poster child to prove that.

Ron Bates married his same-sex partner, Dan Newton, in Toronto in 2006. They live here in Wilton Manors, Florida.

Ron attends the parish of Sts. Francis and Clare, a progressive community in the Catholic tradition, where all are invited to worship. It is located at  101 NE?3rd Street in Ft. Lauderdale.

Minneapolis, MN – The much-anticipated launch of a new collaborative line between Italian designer Missoni and Target caused the megaretailer’s website to crash several times Tuesday.

“Target.com is seeing greater item demand than we do on a typical Black Friday, and the excitement for this limited-time designer collection is unprecedented,” the store said in a statement. “We are slowly bringing the site back online to ensure we can provide a positive shopping experience to our guests.”

The fervor wasn’t only online. At stores nationwide, customers eager to grab up the colorful zigzag designs began lining up hours before opening. Stores reported selling out of stock within hours as shoppers grabbed up clothing and home wares at deeply discounted prices.

Target has collaborated with other designers before, from Isaac Mizrahi to Jean Paul Gaultier, but none to this effect. The collection was scheduled to be available from September 13 through October 22 at Target stores and Target.com. It was unclear how Tuesday’s activity would affect future sales.

ST. PAUL, MN – The Minnesota House of Representatives State Fair Poll surveyed a record number of fairgoers on how they felt about a number of issues. The most dramatic finding in the survey was the question about the constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, which will be included on the ballot on Election Day 2012.

The survey’s question read: “Should the state constitution be amended to define marriage as ‘only a union of one man and one woman?’ This question will be on the November 2012 ballot.”

Some 8,300 people, or 66.5% of those surveyed, voted against the exact language that will appear on the 2012 ballot.

About 30 percent voted yes, and less than 4 percent had no opinion. A record 12,549 Minnesotans voted in this year’s straw poll.

ST. CLOUD, MN – According to WJON-AM radio in St. Cloud, Minnesota, a group of Methodist clergy has pledged to marry same-sex couples in Minnesota. According to the radio news report, about 40 Minnesota United Methodist clergy have signed a statement saying they would marry any couple who came to them, including samesex couples.

A bishop of the United Methodist Church warned that church discipline does forbid same-sex marriage and clergy who perform them could lose their conference membership or clergy credentials