Minnesota House Votes For Marriage Equality

                                                                                                                         photo credit: David Joles, Minnesota Star Tribune

The Minnesota House made history Thursday, voting 75-59 to legalize same-sex marriage after three hours of heartfelt speeches from members on both sides of the issue.

The Senate is expected to OK the bill soon, and Gov. Mark Dayton has pledged to sign it into law.

In a closing statement just before the House vote, the bill’s author, Rep. Karen Clark, DFL-Minneapolis, acknowledged that many opponents believe the change will “redefine marriage.’’ But Clark rightly pointed out that extending the right to same-sex couples “strengthens the meaning’’ of marriage by making it more inclusive. Minnesota Star Tribune, May 9, 2013.

House Majority Leader Erin Murphy
hugs Rep. Steve Simon who spoke on
the house floor in defense of
 marriage equality

It's been a good week for supporters of marriage equality in the United States. Yesterday, Minnesota became the third state in a week - and the twelfth in the country - to pass legislation affirming the right of all adult citizens to marry their partners. The other two states that moved forward with progressive marriage equality legislation this week were Rhode Island and Delaware.

Minnesotans should be proud to be in such good company. It speaks volumes about our sense of fairness to be among the pioneering states on this important equal-rights issue. editorial staff at MN Star Tribune, May 9, 2013.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Full story here.

Here's to you Minnesota! Mazel tov!

                                                                                                                         photo credit: Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune

Day Of Silence

To mark this Day of Silence,  Cyndi Lauper's anthem True Colors

True Colors

You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh, I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small

But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors
Are beautiful like a rainbow

Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy
Can't remember when
I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there

And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
Your true colors
Are beautiful like a rainbow

(Can't remember when I last saw you laughing)

If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there

And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors
True colors are shining through

I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors
Are beautiful like a rainbow

Songwriters: Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly