Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk stars
in a new video supporting Minnesota's proposed gay marriage ban.
In the video for the Minnesota Catholic
Conference, Birk suggests he supports the ban because marriage
equality would hurt children.
“They say if we stand up and talk
about the national definition of marriage that we are somehow being
mean … or bullies,” Birk, 36, says in the 3-minute-30-second
video. “Supporting the basic rights of children and the authentic
rights of people with same-sex attraction are not mutually exclusive
and we must resist the forces that are telling us otherwise.”
“If we allow genderless marriage to
be made law, the implication is that the contributions of part of our
community – either men or women – are somehow insignificant and
less valuable,” he adds. (The video is embedded on this page.
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Birk, a St. Paul native, played a
decade for the Minnesota Vikings. He is the latest NFL player to
weigh in on the issue. Minnesota
Vikings punter Chris Kluwe and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon
Ayanbadejo have both spoken up in support of marriage rights for
gay couples.
On November 6, Minnesota voters will
decide whether to approve a constitutional amendment which would
define marriage as a heterosexual union, while Marylanders will
decide whether to uphold a marriage equality law approved by
lawmakers.