Weekend Preview Plus – Memorial Day Weekend 2011

Muffins:

Memorial Day weekend is always full of interesting and fun opportunities.  This year is no exception.  I am featuring one item and one on the horizon item this week.  Why?  I am hoping you all have plenty of plans with family and friends already in the schedule.  If you don’t already have plans the best advice I can offer is to get out and go for a walk.  The Twin Cities is a wonderful place (year round) especially in the spring and summer.  It is Memorial Day weekend so the farmer’s markets are open, the bike trails are busy and the sidewalk cafes are in full swing.  Sometimes it is best to just venture forth without a specific plan and see what crosses your path. … Continue Reading

House, Senate committees pass marriage amendment

A bill that would amend the Minnesota Constitution to bar same-sex marriage passed to key committees. The Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee passed the bill on Friday, and the House Civil Law Committee passed it on Monday. In both cases, the bill passed with support of Republicans and opposition by DFLers. Here are a few clips from those meetings:

Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, called the proposed amendment an attack on a minority:

Rep. Steve Simon, DFL-St. Louis Park, asked, “How many gays does God have to create before we accept that he wants them around?”

Madeline Koch, a straight Republican, testified in opposition to an anti-gay marriage amendment.

Sen. Barb Goodwin, DFL-Columbia Heights, called out Republican legislators saying that the amendment amounts to discrimination and called it “craziness.”

Fox 9 talks to pastors on gay marriage, gets the issue wrong

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 talks about the anti-gay marriage amendment

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

Domestic Partner Registry to be considered in Red Wing, Robbinsdale

According to OutFront Minnesota, Red Wing and Robbinsdale are two communities that will be considering a domestic partner registry within the next month. The Red Wing City Council, in the southeast part of the state, is set to consider an ordinance at its May 23rd meeting. The Robbinsdale City Council, located just over the northwest border of Minneapolis, could make a decision as soon as next week. Currently, more than 1 million of the state’s 5 million residents are covered by domestic partner registries. … Continue Reading

Twin Cities Pride vs. Minneapolis Park Board, round two

For the second year, Twin Cities Pride and the Minneapolis Park Board are in a tangle over whether Pride can exclude vendors who espouse anti-LGBT views during the Twin Cities LGBT Pride Festival in Loring Park. Pride wants to establish “free speech zones” in the park for anti-gay protesters, but so far Minneapolis Parks has balked at the idea.

Last year, Twin Cities Pride filed an injunction against anti-gay activist Brian Johnson of Hayward, Wis. In 2009, Johnson was arrested by Park Police after Pride organizers asked them to leave. At the time, Johnson’s wife told local media, “We believe [homosexuality] is a sin.” … Continue Reading

In case you missed it: Outfront Minnesota’s LGBT Lobby Day

Over one thousand Minnesotans braved a chilly Thursday afternoon last week to rally for LGBT equality along with Gov. Mark Dayton, the first sitting governor to address the event which has been hosted at the Minnesota Capitol for almost a decade. In addition to Mark Dayton, many elected officials greeted the crowd including Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak, Rep. Karen Clark and Rep. Erin Murphy and John Harrington. Bluestem Prairie captured video of the event. … Continue Reading

Minneapolis City Council approves Life Time Fitness contract

Life Time Fitness came under scrutiny at the Minneapolis City Council last week because the chain of fitness centers does not offer domestic partner benefits for its employees. For several years, Life Time has had a contract with the city of Minneapolis to provide health and fitness memberships to the city’s police and firefighters, but the contract violated a city ordinance requiring vendors with contracts over $100,000 to offer their employees domestic partner benefits. On Thursday, the city council voted to grant Life Time a waiver from the requirement. … Continue Reading

Tribute to Cpl. Andrew Wilfahrt, a gay servicemember

The parents of Cpl. Andrew Wilfahrt put together this memorial in honor of his service. Wilfarht was killed in Afghanistan on Feb. 27 in Kandahar province. His parents said that his being gay was the least interesting thing about him, that he often impressed his superiors, and that he was a peaceful man. … Continue Reading

Lifetime Fitness could lose contract with Minneapolis due to discrimination

Lifetime Fitness is in hot water with the City of Minneapolis because it doesn’t offer domestic partner benefits to its employees, the Star Tribune reports. The city has a contract with the chain of fitness centers to the tune of $460,000. The problem is that all contractors with the city of Minneapolis over $100,000 are required to offer their employees domestic partner benefits. … Continue Reading