Here’s a rundown of LGBT news in Minnesota from the last week:

The Good
Americans for Equal Rights adds Minnesota to its states to watch on marriage equality:

The Reitan family, longtime advocates for the LGBT community and their son, Jacob, was featured in the New York Times‘ “In 40-Year Marriage, Gay Son’s Struggle Was a Unifier.”

Minnesota Monthly released its list of the 75 most influential Minnesotans. Among then were anti-bullying advocate Tammy Aaberg, Vikings punter and outspoken LGBT ally Chris Kluwe, Minnesotans United campaign manager
Richard Carlbom, Minneapolis’ first LGBT police chief Janee Harteau and SEIU Local 26 president Javier Morillio‐Alicea.

Minneapolis makes the list of the top 13 travel destinations in the world, the only location in the continental US.

The Bad
The issue of marriage equality is lighting up editorial pages all over the state. Here’s one North Dakotan who seems to know what’s best for Minnesotans:

The debate in the weeks prior to the election indeed were very divisive and very polarizing. The arguments essentially boiled down to a generational gap. Younger people these days appear to be more willing to accept issues such as people of the same sex wanting to be married, while the older generations appear to want to continue with more traditional values.

As far as I am concerned, God’s way is my way. I cannot in all due conscience support gay marriage.

Here in North Dakota, a protection of marriage amendment to the North Dakota Constitution was proposed by the Legislature in 2003. During the general election on Nov. 2, 2004, the amendment was adopted by the voters with nearly 74 percent of the vote. This outcome was not at all surprising as North Dakota tends to be a much more ultraconservative state, while Minnesota is a much more liberal-leaning state.
Clarence F. “Rick” Olson is a regular contributor to The Forum’s commentary and opinion pages

The former deputy campaign manager for Minnesota for Marriage, Andy Parrish, is picking a fight with prominent pastor John Piper because Piper didn’t speak out in favor of the amendment to ban same-sex marriage last fall. Ironically, Parrish spent a lot of time complaining that opponents of the amendment were bullies.

Anti-gay columnist Katherine Kersten claims in her column that anti-bullying advocates are really just bullies who hate conservatives.

The campaign for antibullying legislation is driven not by a dramatic escalation in bullying but by a crusade to use the power of the state to shape your 10-year-old’s attitudes and beliefs about sexuality and family structure. The drive is being led by OutFront Minnesota — the state’s most prominent LGBT group, whose legal director was a member of the governor’s task force and whose executive director also directs the “Safe Schools for All Coalition.”

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The activists gathering at the State Capitol march under the banner of tolerance. Yet many seek to use state power to impose their own beliefs on others — including parents who exercise their rights of conscience by choosing private schools that teach Christian, Jewish or Muslim beliefs on sexuality.

Yesterday’s champions of tolerance, it seems, are becoming the bullies of today.