Minnesota For Marriage Releases New Marriage Minute Video: “How would redefining marriage impact your own marriage?”

Click play on the image above to view the video and then share it with all your friends, neighbors, family members and colleagues.

The Minnesota Marriage Minute is an ongoing dialogue with Minnesota voters hosted by veteran news anchor Kalley Yanta. The educational videos are designed to provide you with important information about the marriage amendment, why it’s necessary and what it will accomplish. The videos are in a question and answer format and are released on a weekly basis.

The Marriage Minute series is a great resource for understanding the proposed Marriage Protection Amendment and equipping you to speak about the amendment. Please share this important educational resource with family, friends and neighbors. It’s critically important that all our supporters be as informed as possible about the amendment, and this series of videos is a quick and easy way for you and your friends to learn about what is at stake in this election.

Click play on the image above to view this week’s Minnesota Marriage Minute video and then share it with everyone you can!

Minnesota For Marriage Releases Minnesota Marriage Minute Video: “Isn’t Marriage Just About Loving and Committed Relationships?”

Today is Valentine’s Day, and what better time to answer the question, “Isn’t marriage just about loving and committed relationships?”

Click play on the image above to view the video and then share it with all your friends, neighbors, family members and colleagues.

The Minnesota Marriage Minute is an ongoing dialogue with Minnesota voters hosted by veteran news anchor Kalley Yanta. The educational videos are designed to provide you with important information about the marriage amendment, why it’s necessary and what it will accomplish. The videos are in a question and answer format and are released on a weekly basis.

The Marriage Minute series is a great resource for understanding the proposed Marriage Protection Amendment and equipping you to speak about the amendment. Please share this important educational resource with family, friends and neighbors. It’s critically important that all our supporters be as informed as possible about the amendment, and this series of videos is a quick and easy way for you and your friends to learn about what is at stake in this election.

Click play on the image above to view this week’s episode of Minnesota Marriage Minute and then share it with everyone you can!

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.”

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This week’s video answers the question, “Is the Marriage Protection Amendment Anti-Gay?”

Click play on the video above to view the video and then share it with all your friends, neighbors, family members and colleagues.

The Minnesota Marriage Minute is an ongoing dialogue with Minnesota voters hosted by veteran news anchor Kalley Yanta. The educational videos are designed to provide you with important information about the marriage amendment, why it’s necessary and what it will accomplish. The videos are in a question and answer format and will be released on a weekly basis.
The Marriage Minute series is a great resource for understanding the proposed Marriage Protection Amendment and equipping you to speak about the amendment. Please share this important educational resource with family, friends and neighbors. It’s critically important that all our supporters be as informed as possible about the amendment, and this series of videos is a quick and easy way for you and your friends to learn about what is at stake in this election.

Click play on the video above to view this week’s Minnesota Marriage Minute and then share it with everyone you can!

Minnesota For Marriage (MFM) off to a fast start, raises $830,000 and recruits over 10,000 new supporters in 2011

Minneapolis, MN – Today, Minnesota for Marriage (MFM,) a broad-based coalition of groups working to pass the Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment in November, disclosed it raised $830,000 in cash donations. Additionally, the MFM coalition today reported they have recruited over 10,000 volunteers in 2011.

“We are very pleased with our fundraising and recruiting efforts to date,” said John Helmberger, Minnesota for Marriage Chairman.  “We have demonstrated substantial and broad-based support for preserving marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Not only have we generated a great deal of financial support for the campaign, we have generated incredible, broad-based citizen support by recruiting over 10,000 volunteers for our campaign. We’re off to a great start.”

In addition to the $830,000 MFM reported receiving, the Minnesota Catholic Conference, Minnesota Family Council and National Organization for Marriage separately reported donations to their political funds.

“We have always expected to be outspent by our opponents,” Helmberger said. “This has been the case in most of the recent state marriage campaigns including in California and Maine. Our objective is to make sure we raise enough money to communicate our messages, and we’re certainly on track to do that. We’re in a good position going forward and have built a solid foundation of financial and organizational support.”

Minnesota for Marriage has complied with the guidance for ballot question committees provided by the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board despite its belief that the new rules created to regulate ballot campaigns exceed the Board’s legal authority.

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Prepared and paid for by Minnesota for Marriage, 2355 Fairview Ave N, Box 301, Roseville, MN 55113, in support of the Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment 612-367-4588 www.MinnesotaForMarriage.com

Click play on the image above to view this week’s video which answers the question, “What is the common good of marriage?” After watching the video, be sure to share it with all of your friends, neighbors, family members and colleagues.

The Minnesota Marriage Minute is an ongoing dialogue with Minnesota voters hosted by veteran news anchor Kalley Yanta. The educational videos are designed to provide you with important information about the marriage amendment, why it’s necessary and what it will accomplish. The videos are in a question and answer format and are released on a weekly basis.

The Marriage Minute series is a great resource for understanding the proposed Marriage Protection Amendment, and equipping you to speak about the amendment. Please share this important educational resource with family, friends and neighbors. It’s critically important that all of our supporters be as informed as possible about the amendment. This series of videos is a quick and easy way for you and your friends to learn about what is at stake in this election.

Click play on the image above to view this week’sMinnesota Marriage Minute video, and then share it with everyone you can!

Last week we examined the specifics of the proposed Marriage Protection Amendment, how it got on the ballot and why it’s necessary it be enacted.  This week’s video answers the question, “Why is marriage worth preserving?”

Click play on the image above to view the video and then share it with all your friends, neighbors, family members and colleagues.

The Minnesota Marriage Minute is an ongoing dialogue with Minnesota voters hosted by veteran news anchor Kalley Yanta. The educational videos are designed to provide you with important information about the marriage amendment, why it’s necessary and what it will accomplish. The videos are in a question and answer format and will be released on a weekly basis.

The Marriage Minute series is a great resource for understanding the proposed Marriage Protection Amendment and equipping you to speak about the amendment. Please share this important educational resource with family, friends and neighbors. It’s critically important that all our supporters be as informed as possible about the amendment, and this series of videos is a quick and easy way for you and your friends to learn about what is at stake in this election.

Click play on the image above to view the fourth episode of Minnesota Marriage Minute and then share it with everyone you can!

Appeals Court Ruling Allowing Lawsuit Seeking to Impose Same-Sex Marriage Highlights Need for Marriage Protection Amendment
“Marriage goes on trial in Hennepin County.” – Jason Adkins

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Court of Appeals today ruled that three same-sex couples may continue their case in Hennepin County seeking to invalidate Minnesota’s definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman and impose same-sex marriage on the State. The Court ruled that a trial-court dismissal of the case was improper and that the same-sex couples can proceed to challenge the constitutionality of Minnesota’s longstanding definition of marriage as between a man and a woman.

“This is exactly the type of case that has resulted in same-sex marriage being imposed in other states and highlights the need to enact the Marriage Protection Amendment next November,” said Jason Adkins, Executive Director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference and vice chairman of Minnesota for Marriage. “Marriage will now go on trial in Hennepin County and Minnesota citizens will be at the mercy of a judge to maintain our centuries-long definition of marriage.”

Ruling in the case of Benson vs. Alverson, the Court of Appeals decreed that three same-sex couples who had sued the state seeking to marry could present the merits of their argument to the trial court. The trial judge had previously dismissed the case on the grounds that a 1971 Minnesota Supreme Court ruling (Baker v Nelson) found that defining marriage as only between one man and one woman is not unconstitutional.  Adkins participated in the Benson case as counsel to amicus curiae Minnesota Catholic Conference, Greater Minnesota Association of Evangelicals and Chabad Lubavitch—Upper Midwest Merkos.

“The court surprisingly concluded that there was a possibility that Minnesota law did not have a reasonable basis for limiting marriage to the union of one man and one woman,” Adkins continued. “Even some opponents of traditional marriage admit that there are at least rational justifications for it.”

The rational-basis test is an incredibly low legal standard to meet and many cases challenging statutes are dismissed because it is plain that there is some legitimate basis for the law.

“The fact that three judges of our court of appeals concluded that there might not be even one reasonable basis for limiting marriage to one man and one woman should be a wake-up call to Minnesotans who believe that our marriage laws are safe.  The only way for Minnesotans to ensure that an activist judge doesn’t decide to redefine marriage is to put our historic definition of marriage in our state constitution, beyond the reach of state judges and politicians,” said Adkins.

“Without the Marriage Protection Amendment, marriage will always be just one court ruling away from being redefined. Every day we’re vulnerable to lawsuits seeking to change marriage by transforming it into a system of love licenses, or eliminating it altogether.  We urge Minnesotans to support the amendment to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman.”

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Minneapolis, MN – Today, Minnesota for Marriage (MFM) called on a group of out-of-touch lawmakers to stop playing politics with the Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment and respect the people’s right to vote on this issue, just as 30 other states have been able to do.

MFM was referring to a bill that was introduced by a small group of Minnesota legislators that would block a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

“Sixty percent of Minnesota voters support the Legislature’s decision to give them the right to vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment. This small group of legislators is trying to block a vote of the people, not just the amendment,” said John Helmberger, MFM Chairman.

Chief author of the bill Rep. Karen Clark said to one news outlet that the amendment is “not in step with most of Minnesota,” yet both MFM polling and other polls indicate that the majority of Minnesotans support a marriage protection amendment, as have voters in 30 other states.

“This is a settled issue. The Marriage Protection Amendment rightfully belongs to the people. It’s unfortunate that some lawmakers want to play politics with it.  The people of Minnesota will exercise their sovereign right to vote on this issue, just as voters in 30 other states have been allowed to do,” said Helmberger.

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Last week we released the second episode of Minnesota Marriage Minute addressing the Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment and explaining why the amendment was being pursued now. This week’s video answers the question, “Is there a clear and present threat to marriage in Minnesota?

Click the Play option on the video above to view the third episode of the Marriage Minute video and then share it with all your friends, neighbors, family members and colleagues.

The Minnesota Marriage Minute is an ongoing dialogue with Minnesota voters hosted by veteran news anchor Kalley Yanta. The educational videos are designed to provide you with important information about the marriage amendment, why it’s necessary and what it will accomplish. The videos are in a question and answer format and will be released on a weekly basis.

The Marriage Minute series is a great resource for understanding the proposed Marriage Protection Amendment and equipping you to speak about the amendment. Please share this important educational resource with family, friends and neighbors. It’s critically important that all of our supporters be as informed as possible about the amendment, and this series of videos is a quick and easy way for you and your friends to learn about what is at stake in this election.

Click the Play option on the video above to view the third episode of Minnesota Marriage Minute and then share it with everyone you can!