At a Valentine's Day rally in
Minnesota, state Senator Scott Dibble pledged to introduce a bill
legalizing gay marriage in the next week.
Dibble made his promise during a rally
at the state Capitol in St. Paul which drew an estimated 1,000
supporters.
“I'm asking you to be brave again,”
Dibble is quoted as saying by the Pioneer
Press. “It is time for a conversation and [to] build a
relationship with your legislator. Show them how much this matters.”
The push for marriage equality resumed
Thursday in Minnesota after Democrats regained control of the
Legislature and voters rejected a proposed constitutional amendment
which sought to define marriage as a heterosexual union.
“It's important that they be treated
equally,” said
Mabel Galvin, who attended the rally in support of her gay son.
Opponents have said that supporters are
confusing opposition to a ban for an endorsement of marriage
equality.
“What actually the voters said was
let's keep the status quo on our marriage law; that's what we want,”
said Autumn Leva, spokeswoman for Minnesota for Marriage. “A vote
on a marriage amendment to the constitution is very different than
actually voting to define our marriage laws.”
Minnesota for Marriage will hold a
rally at the Capitol urging lawmakers to oppose the law on March 7.