City Councils of Maplewood, Crystal and Robbinsdale All Publicly Oppose Freedom-Limiting Marriage Amendment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kate Brickman, Press Secretary
Phone Number: 612-460-1219
June 20, 2012 – Saint Paul, MN – In the last week, three new suburban Minnesota city councils have publicly come out in opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment that seeks to permanently limit the freedom to marry for committed same-sex couples.
On Monday, June 11, the Maplewood City Council voted 3 to 2 to oppose the proposed marriage amendment in Minnesota. The resolution – originally brought forward by Council Member Llanas – said in part that the “proposed amendment would be would be contrary to the purpose of our State Constitution to protect the rights, privileges and freedom of conscience of all citizens” and urged Minnesotans to vote no in November.
The next day, following the decision of the Maplewood City Council to oppose the amendment, the Crystal City Council also voted to publicly oppose the amendment by a 6 to 1 margin. This vote came after an April 23 recommendation from the Crystal Human Rights Commission to pass the resolution, which states that the city joins “a broad coalition of organizations, community and business leaders; faith, labor and non-partisan organizations; communities of color; and current and former elected officials… in opposition to the proposed ‘Recognition of Marriage’ constitutional amendment.”
And just last evening, June 19, the Robbinsdale City Council passed a similar resolution urging a ‘no’ vote on the proposed marriage amendment. Three members of the Robbinsdale City Council voted in favor of the resolution, and two abstained. Maplewood, Crystal and Robbinsdale have become the eighth, ninth and tenth city councils, respectively, to publicly oppose this harmful amendment and urge their citizens and all Minnesotans to vote no in November. Minnesotans United for All Families – the official campaign spearheading the efforts to defeat this amendment – released the following statement today in response:
“The momentum against this hurtful, freedom-limiting amendment has never been stronger. It is with pride that we welcome Maplewood, Crystal and Robbinsdale to the growing list of cities, businesses, religious organizations, communities of faith, school boards, labor and nonprofit organizations, and current and former elected officials all working together to make it clear that this amendment is wrong for Minnesota, wrong for our future and wrong for thousands of Minnesota families. Neutrality on this question is simply not in the best interest of cities or businesses in our state, and we are grateful that 10 Minnesota cities have taken the opportunity to support all families by opposing this amendment.
“We applaud the courageous stance of the city council members of Maplewood, Crystal and Robbinsdale, and look forward to working with them to defeat this hurtful, freedom-limiting amendment.”
A full list of cities formally opposing this amendment can be found here.
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