Minnesota Democrats opened their 2012
state convention on Saturday with an appeal against a proposed gay
marriage ban.
The Minnesota DFL included a rainbow
flag in addition to the customary American, Minnesota state and
POW/MIA flags in its presentation of the colors, the Star-Tribune
reported.
Voters in November will decide on the
amendment which would define marriage as a heterosexual union in the
Minnesota Constitution. The resolution which put the question on the
ballot was widely supported by Republican lawmakers.
“Maybe the GOP should stop focusing
on gay marriage and concentrate on their own marriages first,” said
DFL Chairman Ken Martin, a reference to former Senate Majority Leader
Amy Koch, who resigned
her leadership post after it was revealed that she was involved
in an extramarital affair with staffer Michael Brodkorb.
U.S. Rep Tim Walz, the first elected
official to address the convention crowd, said of the amendment:
“It's anti-Minnesota. It's immoral and we will defeat it this
November.”
State Democrats also endorsed U.S.
Senator Amy Klobuchar for a second term. She accepted the
endorsement with a pledge to fight for what's right.