FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                        Contact: Chuck Darrell
February 7, 2012                                                              (612) 275-9141

California Court Ruling Shows Importance of Minnesota’s
Marriage Protection Amendment

Minneapolis, MN – Today’s ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California that Proposition 8, a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman, is unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment simply underscores the importance of passing the amendment, according to Minnesota for Marriage (MFM), the pro-marriage coalition.

“Minnesota’s marriage laws are subject to being overturned by an activist judge because they are not part of the state constitution,” said John Helmberger, Chairman of Minnesota for Marriage (MFM). “In fact, the Minnesota Court of Appeals recently ruled that three same-sex couples challenging Minnesota’s marriage laws can pursue their case in Hennepin County effectively putting marriage on trial. Once voters put the definition of marriage into our state constitution, we will enjoy a large measure of protection from judicial activism. Federal law binding in Minnesota would prevent lower federal courts from doing what the court did in California. We need to protect marriage from judges like those in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California who think they have the right to undermine core societal institutions and engage in social reengineering.”

# # #