Reader’s view: Vote down discrimination under Marriage Amendment

We, the members of the city of Duluth Human Rights Commission, must adamantly oppose the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, which would constitutionally define marriage as between one man and one woman.

Passage of this constitutional amendment effectively would disenfranchise a part of the state population. It is the duty of the Human Rights Commission to prevent and take up issues of inequity in the city of Duluth. We must speak out against this amendment as discriminating against sexual orientation. Unlike a law banning same-sex marriage, a constitutional amendment is permanent. We cannot stand by while the rights of Minnesota citizens are restricted, and we encourage others to stand up against the Marriage Amendment.

The Duluth City Council recently became the first city in the state to approve a resolution opposed to the proposed amendment. As a commission, we applaud councilors’ efforts to take a stand to prevent state-sanctioned intolerance.

Let us as a community decide that the law should recognize all families and not restrict the equal opportunity to marry. We recommend all to learn more about the issue and to support advocacy groups like Minnesota United for All Families (mnunited.org) and the local Duluth United for All Families (duluth.unitedforall

families.com).

It is up to us to get up and vote down the state constitutional amendment this November in order to preserve the rights for all Minnesota citizens. Please join us human rights commissioners in opposition to the Marriage Amendment.

Scott Yeazle

Duluth

The writer is chairman of the Duluth Human Rights Commission.

Margie Nelson

Duluth

The writer is vice chairwoman of the Duluth Human Rights Commission.

This letter also was signed by Duluth Human Rights Commissioners Scot Bol, Sheryl Boman, Rebecca Domagala, Allegra Henderson, Robert Kaner, Cruz Mendoza, Michele Naar-Obed, Cindy Strange, Brian Thorbjornsen, and Em Westerlund.

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