Roseville City Council Takes a Stand on Marriage Amendment

Following the recent lead of the city Human Rights Commission, the Roseville Council on Monday night voted unanimously to oppose the proposed constitutional Marriage Amendment.

The Council's vote makes Roseville the 13th city to formally oppose the proposed state constitutional amendment which would legally define marriage as only between a man and a woman, according to the group Minnesotans United for All Families.

The United Families coalition, which is lobbying against the amendment, has called the measure "hurtful." The group released the following statement about the Roseville Council's stand:

“It’s incredible to see energy all across the state in the efforts to defeat this hurtful amendment. We’re thankful for the Roseville City Council for its courageous leadership to stand up for all families in Roseville and in our state.

Each time a city, community of faith, business or organization weighs in on this debate it sparks even more conversations all across the state about what marriage means and who should have the freedom to participate in it.

"We’re seeing and feeling the energy at the Minnesota State Fair – we know that as Minnesotans have personal conversations about how this amendment hurts them and their loved ones, more and more people come to the conclusion that Voting No on November 6 is the right thing to do. We welcome Roseville’s opposition to this hurtful amendment along with the 12 other cities that have taken a stand for love and freedom.”

The Roseville Human Rights Commission in May went on record unanimously  opposing the proposed state constitutional Marriage Amendment. (To see Rosevlle Patch's full story on that vote, )

In their resolution, the commissioners contended that if the measure is approved it "would have a direct negative impact on Roseville's community."  Specifically, the commissoners asserted the Marriage Amendment would "deny equal protection of the law to certain families, decrease the sense of communtiy and will not ensure that our city government and its activities, programs and services are accessible, understandable and responsive to all."