The League of Women Voters Brainerd Lakes Area (LWVBLA), in collaboration with the Center for Life-Long Learning, will present a discussion on the Minnesota Marriage Amendment at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, at the Chalberg Theatre at Central Lakes College in Brainerd.
Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, will debate the amendment with the Rev. Deborah Celley. Matt Gehring, legal analyst and research department staff Member of the House of Representatives, will speak regarding the legal aspect of the amendment. Karen Christopherson, LWVBLA member, will be moderate the discussion.
Sen. Limmer, who represents District 32, served six years as a state representative before his election to the Minnesota Senate as a result of a special election in 1995. Since that year he continues to represent citizens in the Minnesota Senate from northwest Hennepin and northeast Wright counties. He is the chairman of the Minnesota Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. He is also known for his outspoken debate skills promoting socially conservative issues and preserving traditional marriage. He was the chief author of the marriage amendment that passed the Minnesota Senate in 2011.
Rev. Celley has served as the pastor of the First Congregational Church of Christ in Brainerd since August of 1998. She earned a B.A. from Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, Ill., in 1986, a M.Div. from Eden Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Mo., in 1990, and was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 1990. Before coming to Brainerd, she had served churches in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. She and her husband have two daughters.
The program is being co-presented by the League of Women Voters of the Brainerd Lakes Area and the Center for Life-Long Learning and is open to the public at no charge. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. The League of Women Voters believes that democratic government depends upon informed and active participation in government and requires that governmental bodies protect the citizen’s right to know by giving adequate notice of proposed actions, holding open meetings and making public records accessible.
The league’s board of directors passed a resolution opposing the effort to amend Minnesota’s Constitution to ban same-sex marriage at its December meeting.
For more information on the League of Women Voters of the Brainerd Lakes Area visit their Facebook page or call President Sandy Ruether at 218-562-4748.
Comments (42)
Add commentWill this debate change
Will this debate change anyone's position? What's to debate? Right is right and left is left.
Love to all - Steve.
No Steve
Wont change a thing for my wife & I. Two YES'S here & lwvbla is nonpartisan?? Yea right.
Nice, two older men discussing this topic...
It will take another generation for acceptance of gay relationships apparently. Young people have no issues with gay partners committing to one another.
Some day we will look back on this and wonder what all the hoopla was letting people who love one another be legally bound. And don't bring up marrying animals, that's a lame argument. We are talking about couples that are living and working in our community now.
Is it the word marriage? does 'civil union' bother you as well?
Gee snow
Your calling me old?? I think I'm younger than you. I just like you people to think I'm old.
How about civil unions involving three people?
Is that lame? It's already happened in Brazil. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/09/three-wa...
Polygamy in the Romney family, too.
But did it affect my marriage? No.
Wake up
The reason they want to allow gay marriage is so that all these gay union government employees can get free medical insurance as a spouse from the union negotiated benefits for spouses. In other words, the gay spouses of government employees would be covered under their family coverage that we, as taxpayers, pay for. Also, why does it seem that this gay marriage is a liberal thing. It has to be tied with buying more liberal votes somehow, or the libs wouldn't be on board with it.
There you have it...
...Southie supports polygamy. And Obama's father's and grandfather's polygamous marriages didn't hurt my marriage either, that doesn't mean I want those forms of marriage enshrined as valid.
Did anyone else notice
that snow and southie always show up in the comments simultaneously?
2 things
#1 - Why do you "sanctity of marriage" people spend so much time focusing on gay marriage and so little time on outlawing divorce?
#2 - If the real issue is "traditional marriage," why didn't my father need to pay my husband a dowry to take me off his hands? I mean, I'm still just a piece of property that was transferred from my father to my husband for the mutual benefit of both families, right?
I'll go ahead and answer for you. It's because the real issue is that you're grossed out by gay people, and if you really and truly believe that the definition of marriage has always been as simple as one man and one woman falling in love and getting married, then you should consider opening a history book once in awhile (and no, the bible doesn't count).
Well as I said the other day, I have changed my mind
on the Gay Marriage issue. While I respect other's opinions, and think people should vote according to how they honestly feel; I really don't think it is my right to deny another person the opportunity for a monogamous relationship. I was married for over 24 years before my wife passed away, and I have come to the conclusion that everyone who wants to experience a life with the person they truly love, then we as a society should give them that right. I know alot of people will use the Bible as an example of why we shouldn't, but as I read 1 Corinthians 13:4-13, I've come to the realization that love is not just a heterosexual aspect. To deny any person the right to love, whether we understand it or not, is to say that person is not human. I cannot pray to God if my judgements raise me above him.
I agree with you, pdnet.
You said it eloquently.
amy, filthy restrooms, snakes,
and roadkill gross me out too, but no one makes me sit next to them.
thank you for the thoughtful comments
I always worry about the people arguing that "traditional marriage" was upheld by the Bible and that should be the basis for society and justification for denying civil rights to families that don't "fit the norm."
Cases in point: there are two creation stories in Genesis. Most people are not aware of the second one. They can't BOTH be right if they are to be taken literally. so, Amygwyn, we CAN look to the Bible as that ancient text for a model for marriage.
The Bible sanctioned plural marriages, the rape of a woman as a pre-cursor to "taking" her hand in marriage, in the case of the death of the husband, the rape of the wife by her brother-in-law (the baby conceived was considered to be the offspring of the dead spouse so she'd have a child to care for her later in life.) There were at least 8 different family models all sanctioned in verse. Only one of those is "traditional heterosexual marriage." Why don't people who use the Bible as their justification acknowledge this?
People who quote the Bible as their source can not have it both ways -- either it is all literal or it is not. Picking and choosing verses to suit particular beliefs isn't right. It wasn't right when verses were used to justify stoning people, holy war (and land grabs), slavery, the persecution of both Africans or Jews, or the subjugation of women. All of these were promoted by Christian leaders of their time.
I only mention the Bible because it was brought up earlier.
Bottom line is that marriage is governed under civil law, not religious law. And certainly it shouldn't be relegated to one specific religious interpretation of an ancient text, when there are many interpretations possible and practiced.
Separation of Church and
Separation of Church and State. Just sayin. This shouldn't even be debated nor should the question be posed. Besides, we're how many trillions in debt? And we're talking about GAY MARRIAGE? Are you kidding me? Do you know how much money we are spending on this issue alone? And if it is passed how much MORE we will be spending and increasing the size of our government just to impose this new law?
Conservatives? Are you really conservative? Why are Conservatives the ones who are suppose to "conserve" yet are the ones most responsible for increasing the size of our government?
non-partisan?
I'm having trouble getting past the League of Women Voters
always presenting themselves as "non-partisan".
They are against the amendment and are sponsoring a
discussion? If you are non-partisan wouldn't you just
present all sides and not take a stand?
I once attended this organizaton in another town and
they too were considered partisan.
I am not in favor of gay marriage but would support a civil
union, but that won't stop the issue. Ask yourself, once
you get gay marriage - what is next? It is never ending
-- slippery slope-- there is more to come.
But what about the Debt?
Powerful Videos
I'm pretty conservative on most issues, but c'mon this is the Land of the FREE. Let people be what they want, it's not going to hurt you.
Good videos for the bigots: https://www.minnesotansforequality.com
let them get married
its not going to change the divorce rate is it?
If they are sinning, let them live in their sin. Its not your sin. You sin enough, worry about your own sins. Til you are perfect, let the gay people be. Let them be miserable like the rest of us married folk!
As for voter ID, I am not changing my stance on that. I am all for fixing a broken system and if one illegal person votes, the system is broke. And if their are thousands we really have an issue. ID's are easy to get.
Hmmmmm,
Citizen: I don't want to pay for other people's birth control or abortions.
Government: Too bad, pay up or we'll penalize you.
Citizen: I think able bodied people need to earn their own living and not live off taxpayers.
Government: Too bad, pay for them or we'll penalize you.
I could go on but it would take too long.
Merica
So,your opinion is if someone is against gay marriage they
are bigots? We can't have an opinion that is different from yours? We have values that differ from yours and that is
not a bigot. You didn't say it but your links name does.
Land of the free only if you don't pay taxes .
You can't do everything you want, the restrictions are becoming more and more. Politically correct police
are everywhere.
Someone wants to control what is sold in our grocery stores.
Guess who?
Is this a free country?
A school district in Colorado has ban Payton Manning
jerseys from being worn in school. Why?
You can't wear anything with the numbers 13, 14, 18, 31, 41, and 81. Reason? gang affiliation numbers.
Peyton's number is 18 and is not allowed in school.
'I disagree with dems' quote
"Let them be miserable like the rest of us married folk." LOL!! Good one.
16 trillion dollars in debt
16 trillion dollars in debt and were worried about gay marriage.
That's on par with going through foreclosure and being pre-occupied with what Justin Beiber wore on the red carpet yesterday.
When will you people understand that the "owners" of this country are laughing their a55es off at you???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oBo8CJxatQ
thanks tricia
glad someone seen the humor in that :)
SMDH
If you (meaning others in general) don't like someone who smokes, drinks, or whatever the case is, you just won't associate with that person. What is the difference if someone is gay and married or not. What they do does not have any effect on you as a person.
People constantly bring up benefits. SO WHAT!! I don't see anyone complaining that my wife gets medical benefits thru me. If I was married to a man, he would get the same benefits. Why would it matter if my "wife" is male or female?
The bible is against it. Again, SO WHAT!! Not everyone lives their life by the word of the bible and no one has the right to force others too. It is called free will.
Comes down to something very simple. If you don't like it, don't associate with anyone bi, gay or lesbian. I bet truth be told, they wouldn't want to associate with you either!
It's true, it say's so in the
It's true, it say's so in the Bible:
"If a man rapes a virgin and get's caught, he must pay 50 pieces of silver and then marry her" Deut 22:28-29
"If two men, a man and his countryman, are struggling together, and the wife of one comes near to deliver her husband from the hand of the one who is striking him, and puts out her hand and seizes his genitals, then you shall cut off her hand; you shall not show pity." Deuteronomy 25:11-12
"Whoever utters the name of the Lord must be put to death. The whole community must stone him, whether alien or native. If he utters the name, he must be put to death." Exodus 4:24
"When a man strikes his slave or slave girl with a stick and the slave dies on the spot, he must be punished. But he is not to be punished if the slave survives for one day or two, because the slave is his property." (Exodus 21: 20-21)
"Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother. But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also." Genesis 38:8-10
If were to follow the Bible, let's follow it to a "T" shall we?
Bible
I may be wrong, but the only remarks that I see on this
comment section about the Bible, is from writers that
appear to be voting against the amendment.
I would like to start a new
I would like to start a new Amendment which includes this quote:
"Do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet."
Timothy 2:12
Well, maybe we could save that one til the next election cycle?
Apply that to snow and southie
immediatly!
gay partners insurance
Did you know that I'm gay AND I've been paying taxes since I was 15 years old? I wonder if they've used any of my Gay money to give benefits to any straight people. Gosh I hope not. (Sic)