For once, we could be on the right side of history

Minnesota House of Representatives floor

 

 

 

An exciting day here in the Great Nrthwest! Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives voted in favor of a Marriage Equality bill.

The Senate will vote on Monday on a similar bill. It is expected to pass.

The governor has promised to sign it. Maybe by Tuesday. It would be effective August 1, 2013.

It is wonderful and sad at the same time.

It is wonderful in that so many people who may have been unable to marry the person they love or have the family they crave, will soon be able to do so.

It is sad in that we have had to pass a law in order to make that happen when it should have been so obviously the right thing to.

In fact, just a year ago the then Republican legislature proposed   pushed and passed legislation to place a proposed constitutional amendment banning Marriage Equality as a part of our state’s Constitution. After it passed by the legislature, that amendment was defeated by the voters last fall.

Now, just one year later, we are on the verge of passing a law for Marriage Equality.

Thanks to the push for the failed amendment, we are much closer to seeing Marriage Equality than we would have been otherwise. I think most activists had judged the time to be at least a few years out. But it looks like it is now. If it all goes through, Minnesota will be the 12th state to pass such a law.

Yesterday, with the vote imminent, I wrote to both of my legislators, asking them to support the bill. Both of them replied that they would not. I expected that. I am, of course in the same district which has elected Michele Bachmann. And then re-elected her. And then again.

In any event, if all goes as anticipated, the wedding business will be booming.  There’s gonna be a lotta weddings “round here.

 

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