FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Chuck Darrell
October 26, 2011 (612) 275-9141
Lawsuit to Redefine Marriage Exposes Need for
Marriage Protection Amendment
Marriage amendment is needed to protect Minnesota from activist judges and legislators who could redefine marriage without public approval
Minneapolis, MN – A lawsuit seeking to redefine marriage so as to impose same-sex marriage on all Minnesotans with no vote of the people was heard today in the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
“This lawsuit is exactly why we need a Marriage Protection Amendment in Minnesota,” said John Helmberger, chairman of Minnesota for Marriage. “Marriage is the union of one man and one woman and has served as the foundation of society throughout Minnesota’s history – and indeed virtually every nation since the dawn of time. The definition of marriage should only be decided by society as a whole, speaking through the electorate, not activist judges.”
The legal claims in the Minnesota lawsuit are similar to claims that have been made in other states, including states whose courts imposed same-sex marriage, such as Iowa, California and Massachusetts.
“This is what happened just across the border in Iowa where activist judges redefined marriage with no vote of the people,” continued Helmberger. “Even though voters subsequently removed three of the Iowa Supreme Court judges because of their decision, they still have not been able to vote on the marriage issue.”
Helmberger continued: “The amendment does not take away any rights; it simply puts our state’s existing and historic definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman into our constitution, outside the reach of activist judges and politicians. Gays and lesbians have the right to live as they choose, but they do not have the right to force a redefinition of marriage on all of society. The Marriage Protection Amendment will ensure that if special interest groups or activist politicians or judges want to redefine marriage, they will have to convince the people to do so.”
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