At a rally organized by opponents of a
proposed gay marriage bill, Minnesota State Rep. Tim Faust told the
crowd that he's undecided on the issue.
The measure has cleared House and
Senate committees and awaits floor votes in both chambers.
About 3 dozen people attended the rally
held in the parking lot of Tobie's restaurant in Hickley. It was the
first of 10 planned rallies over two weekends by the group Minnesota
for Marriage.
Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family
keynoted the event.
“The support that is out there
supposedly growing for same-sex marriage is razor thin, because it is
built on soundbites,” Stanton told the crowd.
Faust, a Democrat who represents the
area, said he would “always give you the opportunity to convince me
that you're right,” then added: “I also will give the other side
the opportunity to convince me that they're right too.”
On Thursday, Faust told the Star
Tribune that nearly all the arguments against such unions are
based on religious beliefs but that many religious leaders are in
support.
“Then the question becomes, do we
have the right to impose our religious belief on others?” he
rhetorically asked. “If the reason we are arguing we shouldn't be
doing this is because of religious beliefs, it's pretty hard to make
that argument.”
Opponents lobbying to defeat the
marriage bill are counting on lawmakers such as Faust, Democrats who
may sympathize with supporters but whose districts voted for a
constitutional amendment last year which sought to define marriage as
a heterosexual union. A yes vote for such lawmakers would put them
at odds with their constituents.