Lately I've been to a lot of strategizing and planning meetings on defeating next November's "marriage amendment" – the ballot initiative which will basically ask Minnesotans to enshrine discrimination into the State Constitution by banning civil marriage rights for same-sex couples.
Despite the fact that, as the cartoon above reminds us, same-sex couples still have setbacks to overcome before marriage equality is achieved, I have to say that at all the meetings I've attended, there's been an inspiring sense of hope that Minnesota may well be the first state to defeat this type of ballot initiative. Wouldn't that be something!? But we can't be complacent! There's still much organizing and educating and rallying to be done.
Local Catholics, I'm pleased to report, are in the thick of such justice-making activity – and have been for quite some time! (See, for instance, here, here, here and here.) Catholics for Marriage Equality MN is about to launch its new website – one that will contain all sorts of timely and useful information, resources and action steps. We're also preparing to premiere at the Riverview Theater our "video series" – one that involves five short "vignettes" of LGBT Catholics and their loved ones sharing stories of faith, marriage and family. They are incredibly powerful testimonies – destined to change hearts and minds for sure!
The series will eventually be posted on a special YouTube channel and distributed as a DVD. Parish contacts are currently being identified and signed-up to help get the word out about the DVD and its accompanying discussion guide to Catholics throughout the state.
Other organizations have been very busy too. Minnesotans United for All Families, for instance, was recently at the State Fair, distributing all kinds of literature – including, I'm happy to report, information about Catholics for Marriage Equality MN (which is not surprising given that we are a member organization of this coalition).
Meanwhile, OutFront MN is set to launch a faith-based effort to bring marriage equality to Minnesota. Catholics for Marriage Equality MN will be part of this effort. OutFront MN is also planning a series of community action trainings throughout the state. Following is how OutFront describes these trainings, and a list of places at which they'll be taking place.
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Community Action Trainings
Minnesota can be the first state in the country to defeat an anti-marriage amendment!
We're going to do it the Minnesota way: the largest grassroots campaign this state has ever seen. That's why OutFront Minnesota and Minnesotans United for all Families are teaming up to put on more than a dozen trainings in every corner of the state more than a year before the first votes are cast!
That's where you come in! Whether this is the first time you've ever cared about politics or you're a seasoned organizer we're ready to help you get to work.
You can expect to come out of the training with the skills, tools and confidence to talk to your family, friends coworkers and neighbors about the anti-marriage amendment.
Moorhead
Saturday, September 17 at 10am–12pm
Location: First Congregational UCC
North Metro Suburbs
Tuesday, September 20 at 6–8pm
Location: TBD
Duluth
Saturday, September 24 at 10am–12pm
Location: TBD
Saint Paul
Tuesday, September 27 at 6–8pm
Location: TBD
Rochester
Thursday, September 29 at 6–8pm
Location: TBD
Mankato
Saturday, October 1 at 10am–12pm
Location: TBD
South Metro Suburbs
Tuesday, October 4 at 6–8pm
Location: TBD
Alexandria
Thursday, October 6 at 6–8pm
Location: TBD
Bemidji
Saturday, October 8 at 10am–12pm
Location: TBD
Saint Cloud
Tuesday, October 11 at 6–8pm
Location: SCSU
Marshall
Saturday, October 15 at 10am–12pm
Location: TBD
Minneapolis
Sunday, October 16 at 10am–12pm
Location: TBD
Saturday, September 17 at 10am–12pm
Location: First Congregational UCC
North Metro Suburbs
Tuesday, September 20 at 6–8pm
Location: TBD
Duluth
Saturday, September 24 at 10am–12pm
Location: TBD
Saint Paul
Tuesday, September 27 at 6–8pm
Location: TBD
Rochester
Thursday, September 29 at 6–8pm
Location: TBD
Mankato
Saturday, October 1 at 10am–12pm
Location: TBD
South Metro Suburbs
Tuesday, October 4 at 6–8pm
Location: TBD
Alexandria
Thursday, October 6 at 6–8pm
Location: TBD
Bemidji
Saturday, October 8 at 10am–12pm
Location: TBD
Saint Cloud
Tuesday, October 11 at 6–8pm
Location: SCSU
Marshall
Saturday, October 15 at 10am–12pm
Location: TBD
Minneapolis
Sunday, October 16 at 10am–12pm
Location: TBD
See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
Javen Swanson: Don't Get Disappointed, Get Organized
In the Struggle for Marriage Equality, MN Catholics are Making a Difference by Changing Hearts and Minds
Sharing the Good News of Marriage Equality at the Basilica Block Party
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