It worked in North Carolina - why wouldn't it work in Minnesota? After all, there was already a law forbidding same-sex marriages. Surely Minnesotans would vote overwhelmingly to codify this restriction into their constitution in November, 2012, just as North Carolina voters did in May, 2012?
Oops.
Not only did Minnesota's voters reject the proposition, but the organization created to oppose it and the tremendous effort that went into its defeat galvanized supporters of marriage equality. With Democrats retaking the legislature at the same time something most people thought wouldn't be possible for years - passing marriage equality - suddenly seemed, if not within reach, then tantalizingly close to supporters' fingertips. With a little help from Rhode Island and Delaware, favorable opinion polling and a few key legislators "coming out" in support, tantalizingly close transformed into firm grasp.
And so it is about to come to pass. The hubris of those railing against same-sex marriage has led directly to what will (almost certainly) happen today: The Minnesota Senate will pass a marriage equality bill passed last week by the Minnesota House, sending it to a Governor who will most certainly sign it.
I'm not from Minnesota. So I don't have to be "Minnesota nice." This one's for you, NOM: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
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The Minnesota Senate debate will begin at 10:00 AM Pacific Time. You can watch it and the vote live at The Uptake. or on the Star Tribune website.
Minnesota will become the 12th state and 13th jurisdiction in the United States to have enacted marriage equality. It will become the first Midwestern state to do so (Iowa's Supreme Court found that right in their constitution, the Iowa legislature did not pass any statute).
8:08 AM PT:
9:06 AM PT:
Enjoy the liveblog of the Senate debate and vote