Koch scandal raises charges of hypocrisy over anti-gay marriage amendment
Source: Koch's campaign website
Source: Koch's campaign website
“We were a model for the nation in protecting kids from classroom homosexual propaganda,” said Lori Thompson, a parent in the Anoka-Hennepin School District. Thompson made her remarks at the district’s school board meeting where the board is considering scrapping a policy that prohibits discussion of LGBT issues in most situations, and replacing it with a policy that limits teachers ability to discuss controversial issues. Anti-gay activists came out in force, including an “ex-lesbian”, to protest the move while members of the community supportive of LGBT students were concerned that those students might be labelled “controversial” by the new policy. … Continue Reading
The Human Rights Campaign released its annual ratings of fortune 500 companies and their policies regarding LGBT employees. Fourteen Minnesota-based companies scored a perfect 100 percent on the list, while one, CHS Inc., scored a zero.
The businesses that scored a 100 percent were 3M, Ameriprise Financial, Best Buy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Cargill, Dorsey and Whitney, Faegre and Benson, General Mills, Medtronic, Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi LLP, Supervalu, U.S. Bancorp, and UnitedHealth. … Continue Reading
(Photo: WIkimedia/Diego Grez)
Minnesota Public Radio has created a series of videos of average Minnesotans talking about the upcoming vote on the anti-gay marriage amendment as part of its Public Insight Network. The videos provide a glimpse of the motivations people have for voting for or against the amendment.
Several themes are readily apparent in the videos. Some folks who are planning to vote yes on the amendment are doing so for religious reasons. Those who are planning on voting no are people who know LGBT people personally either as close friends or family. Though some are planning to vote yes, several also feel that same-sex couples should have the same rights even if it is not called “marriage.” … Continue Reading
Conservative Christian politico and religious right gadfly Allen Quist announced last week that he is challenging Rep. Tim Walz in 2012 for the First Congressional District. The differences between the two on LGBT issues is stark — Walz supports LGBT equality, Quist once compared the LGBT community to the Ku Klux Klan.
Walz, who represents the southern part of Minnesota, has called for the repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and challenged the constitutionality of that act. He’s supported the Employment Nondiscrimination Act and spoke out in support of repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. … Continue Reading
Gov. Mark Dayton signed an executive order on Tuesday to create a state task force to prevent bullying in the state’s public schools. The task force will evaluate the state’s current anti-bullying policy — which is only 37 words — and recommend changes by August 2012. … Continue Reading
Arnold Waukazo was convicted of second degree murder last week in the stabbing death of Krissy Bates. Bates was a transgender woman living in downtown Minneapolis who was killed in January of this year.
OutFront Minnesota shares some information from the trial:
Waukazo waived his right to a jury trial and Hennepin County District Judge Allen Oleisky presented the verdict today.
Defense counsel had argued to downgrade charges from First Degree, Pre-Meditated Murder to Manslaughter as a result of “heat of passion” and self defense. Waukazo and Bates had been involved in a relationship prior to Bates’ death. The prosecution repeatedly argued that the aggressive and deliberate attack which resulted in Bates’ death at the hands of Waukazo, in fact, the antithesis of self-defense and a passionate response.
“This is cold blooded murder,” states Mike Freeman, Hennepin County Attorney, in his summation. “This was a premeditated planned committed action… he killed her and left her to die.”
According to trial testimony, Bates had recently begun dating Waukazo and told friends that he was “the one.” On the evening of January 6, 2011, after an argument in Bates’ Minneapolis apartment, Waukazo initially strangled Bates to the point of unconsciousness. According to his taped confession, when she moved, he made the deliberate decision to end her life. He reached for a small switchblade on a nearby table and proceeded to stab her multiple times causing significant, fatal injuries. Waukazo left the apartment, leaving her to be found five days later by the apartment manager.
“We know that the person she called the love of her life killed her in a brutal senseless act of transphobic, intimate partner violence,” says OutFront Minnesota Anti-Violence Program Director Rebecca Waggoner. “And we are committed to making sure Krissy is remembered, and that her death will remind us all of the work yet to be done to create a safe community where all are respected and able to be themselves.”
According to OutFront Minnesota executive director Monica Meyer, “Regardless of whether the violence that affects our community comes at the hands of an intimate partner or a total stranger, it’s a reminder that safety is one of the primary concerns of LGBT people Our public policy work is in no small part guided by our commitment to creating a Minnesota where LGBT people are valued members of families and communities where others would not think of compromising their safety.”
Fox 9 News hosted a debate on Tuesday between Pastor Brad Brandon, who frequently speaks out against homosexuality on his radio show, the Word or Truth, and openly gay Pastor Pastor Oby Ballinger, part of OutFront Minnesota’s faith steering committee. But Fox anchor Marni Hughes got the facts wrong in introducing the pastors. She said that the marriage amendment would allow Minnesotans to vote “for or against gay marriage,” as community activist Jake Reitan points out is not true. … Continue Reading
Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, sat down with Capitol Conversations on Wednesday to talk about Senate Republicans’ plan to include a ban on same-sex marriage on the ballot in 2012. Marty was the author last year of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Minnesota. “They are trying to marginalize one group of people,” he said. “I think that this is outrageous and that they still haven’t moved past this. It’s very divisive legislation.” He added, “They are on the other side of this issue.”
“I think that two people who love each other and want to form a family, government shouldn’t tell them they can’t do that,” he said. Marty, whose father is a Lutheran pastor, added, “It’s because of my faith that I support same-sex unions.” … Continue Reading
If the vote on the marriage amendment were held today, it would narrowly fail according to a poll by SurveyUSA on behalf of KSTP. 47 percent plan to vote for the amendment, 39 percent would vote against it and 10 percent would skip the question which is effectively a “no” …
Here’s what you may have missed this week in LGBT: Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis touted the $650,000 it gave to support the anti-gay marriage amendment, promising that none of it came from funds earmarked by parishioners. The Uptake notes that the Catholic Church is …
Members of Minnesota’s Jewish community come out strong against the anti-gay marriage amendment, Anti-gay marriage amendment Bet Shalom Congregation is organizing to oppose the anti-gay marriage amendment: “This Sunday, from 2:00 -4:00 pm, Bet Shalom Congregation in Minnetonka will be holding an informative and engaging forum on the anti-family Minnesota …
Here’s what’s happening around the state this week: Rep. Karen Clark says she introduced the bill to repeal the anti-gay marriage amendment because she’s heard from legislators who have had second thoughts about their vote for the amendment last spring. [Politics in Minnesota] Minnesotans United, the coalition opposing the amendment, …
Last week’s election of Susan Allen to the Minnesota House of Representatives means that the LGBT community in Minnesota will have another voice at the Capitol. Allen won the seat that was vacated by Jeff Hayden who won a special election to the Minnesota Senate. She will join LGBT-identified legislators …
The teachers union at Minnesota’s largest school district voted on Monday night to oppose the “controversial topics policy,” a policy put forward to replace the district’s “neutrality policy” that limits discussions of LGBT issues in the district’s schools. The new controversial topics policy is confusing, teachers say, and could continue …
The Progressive Catholic Voice has the goods: It is my expectation that all the priests and deacons in this Archdiocese will support this venture and cooperate with us in the important efforts that lie ahead. The gravity of this struggle, and the radical consequences of inaction propels me to place …
The Duluth City Council became the first city to pass a resolution opposing a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would ban same-sex couples from marrying that will be on the ballot in 2012. The council passed the resolution on Monday by a vote of 6 to 2 with …
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