“I don’t like queer relationships,” said Moorhead resident Ken Lucier. “Do you want the city of Moorhead to be known as a queer community?” That was one of several derogatory statements made about the LGBT community just before the Moorhead City Council rejected a measure that would have created a domestic partner registry for the city.

Lucier continued, “If you want to have a man-man relationship or a woman-woman relationship you can have that. We may not want you living next to us, but you can do what you want. You have the liberty to do that.”

“I’m concerned that these nontraditional relationships, abnormal relationships… Abnormal is queer,” Lucier said.

But some people at the meeting spoke eloquently about the bill. Council member Diane Wray Williams spoke out in favor of the ordinance. “I think this is a very, very small step, a symbolic step,” said Williams. “I honor their relationships.”

Greg Lemke, an openly gay member of the council, called the argument that the measure would bring gay marriage to Moorhead “bullcrap,” adding that the city should remove signs calling Moorhead “welcoming” if the ordinance didn’t pass.

“It’s a pox on the city of Moorhead if we don’t pass this.”

The measure died in a 5 to 3 vote, with council members Luther Stueland, Nancy Otto, Dan Hunt, Brenda Elmer and Mark Hintermeyer voting against.

You can read a full account of the city council meeting at the Minnesota Independent.