Remember, friends: no matter how the Marriage Amendment vote goes tomorrow, the opponents of same-sex marriage have already lost.

We see it in the slow dismantling of the DOMA. We see it in the death of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. We see it in the number of states where same-sex marriage is legal… and with a small amount of luck we’ll see a few more states added to that number tomorrow.

Where I see it is in the fierce, passionate faces of the people at the Loring Park, All God’s Children Church, and the other offices of MN United. Words fail me as I try to express my admiration and my love for these people. The volunteers and workers at these locations have had, in the last year, THOUSANDS of personal, meaningful and deep conversations with their friends and their families, and with TENS OF THOUSANDS of their fellow Minnesotans. Incredibly difficult and wrenching conversations, some of them; others, inspiring and life-affirming and bold.

And every single one of those conversations has made someone’s heart move. Maybe just a tiny bit. Maybe a lot. As our President once described it, a person’s heart needs to evolve over time, and for some hearts it takes a little longer.

For some, it will never happen. But we now know that they can be safely ignored.

Because the evolution of the Minnesotan heart has now been kick-started. It was done against our will, because we did not ask for this fight. But just because we did not ask for it does NOT mean that we were going to back down. We have stood up: gay, lesbian, transgender, bi, straight ally, we have stood up in WAVES, god damn it. And instead of fighting back with the hatred, divisiveness and animosity that were the tools of those funding the lie-filled ads that crossed the airwaves, we have fought back with our stories.

Stories about coming out. About family members who have found love. About friends whom we love dearly, and the life-long partners we embrace because they do. About those who are no longer with us, but who showed us love that was as true, as deep, and as fierce and as passionate as any the world has seen. And stories about the respect that ALL of these people deserve, the responsibilities they wish to share, and the rights and protections they have been denied for far too long.

If the people who oppose this respect, who deny and reject this love, win tomorrow: may they enjoy their brief moment, for brief it shall be. They have no idea what they have started.

They are on the wrong side of history. They always have been. And history has just been kicked in the ass. No matter what happens on Election Day, on Nov. 7 we will all still be standing together, along with thousands of new, inspired allies.

And we will win. Love will win.

So much love to all of you, my amazed admiration to some of you, my deepest thanks to everyone at MN United, especially my stern taskmaster Alysa. Let’s bring this thing home.

Vote No in MN, vote Yes in ME, MD and WA, or kiss my ass.

Since MN Archbishop Nienstedt seems to not have an issue supporting lies, Catholics in MN should feel no guilt at lying back to him when he asks if they voted “Yes”.

Money that could have been used to help those in need has instead been channeled by the Archbishop to fund ads that have been repeatedly called out for being misleading, inaccurate and grossly deceitful. His actions have led to division and acrimony within his church; even as he uses threats to silence those who disagree, he waves around the promise of hell for people who complain that their family members are damaged by his misguided conviction that HE is better at interpreting the opinion of God and the word of Jesus.

As an atheist, I am often told that there is no way I can perceive right or wrong, or understand what is moral, since I have “nothing” to guide me, no supernaturally-inspired book to serve as my moral compass. If so, the Archbishop’s actions must be astoundingly immoral, since even I, with my limited, godless and unbiblical eyes, can see how broken and wrong, harmful and deceitful they are.

So MN Catholics: feel free to lie right back at him. Tell him what he wants to hear… but Vote No at the ballot box on Tuesday.

Love.

I’m not voting for Obama “in spite of” my disappointment that he hasn’t done everything he promised in 2008: I’m voting for him because he’s worked on almost all of those promises and delivered more than I expected he could accomplish back then, considering the crazed opposition he’s faced. I’d love to give him the chance to finish the job.

I’m not voting for Romney: because he, along with the organizations and people that seem to support him the most, consistently have proposed bills or made policy statements that I oppose regarding basic healthcare, choice, women’s rights, abortion, welfare, social security, Medicare, taxes, the military, rape, the role of religion in government and law, the role of religion in our daily lives, the economy, the housing market situation, the priorities of this country, foreign policy, same-sex marriage, campaign finance, being gay, bullying, the national debt, the debt ceiling, the safety net, stem cell research, jobs, anthropogenic climate change, evolution, the Big Bang, the role of science in crafting good law, the role of science in our daily lives, pollution, First Amendment issues, Second Amendment issues, Fourteenth Amendment issues, the role of the judicial branch, the role of the executive branch, the role of the legislative branch, DOMA, the Bush tax cuts, Iraq, Iran, China, immigration, energy policy, the path to citizenship, Grover Norquist, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, social issues, the death penalty, the bailout, the role of government in disaster assistance, addressing the deficit, separation of church and state, unions, oil and energy production, drilling, national parks, sex education, AIDS education, abstinence-based education, foreign aid, Citizen’s United, voter ID, voter roll purges, alternative energy, public broadcasting, “intelligent design”, waterboarding, the war on drugs, education, child care, the morning-after pill, civil rights, equal pay for equal work, paying for education, the role of the EPA, the role of the FDA, the role of the US in the world, privacy, the ACLU, reasonable search and seizure, the composition of the Supreme Court, what religion this country was “founded on”, funding for the arts, school vouchers, “faith-based initiatives”, minimum wage, voter fraud, civil rights and pretty much everything Rick Santorum is in favor of.

Among others. I’m sure I missed a few.

So I guess I’m a “single-issue” voter.

OK, let’s see if we can unpack this logic: in a conversation about the Voter ID amendment, I noted that I am not 100% against requiring an ID to vote, WITH THE HUGE CAVEAT that the priority has to be to make sure EVERYONE has a valid ID first, and is able to get/replace one quickly, free, and easily (including on the same day they vote so we can still have same-day registration). Special focus given to people for whom it would be a hardship or costly to get one, like the elderly, disabled, and military.

It is only AFTER that whole process is completed that you should be able to make it a requirement.

The response: “Well, that would be very difficult to do, it would take a long time and would be hugely expensive.”

Yes. Yes, it would. But the point, a perfect argument about why the current proposed implementation is so terrible, seemed to go completely over the other person’s head, in spite of the fact that they themselves had made it. That they had just made a great argument against the Voter ID Amendment while attempting to defend it didn’t seem to register, when only seconds before they had pointed out that the amendment wasn’t an onerous requirement because “everyone has an ID”.

Either everyone has an ID already, or it’s practically impossible and hugely expensive to get everyone an ID. You can’t make both arguments in the same conversation.

Vote No on the MN Voter ID amendment. It’s not fully baked.

“My opinion isn’t influenced by those of the people around me”, said no one ever.

Yes, I know it’s a fashionable meme to decry the political posts and claim that we are all unique adorable independent iconoclasts who float above our friends’ and family’s opinions… but we’re not. We (myself included) are all influenced by the opinions of those around us, and that includes those opinions that are posted on Facebook and Google Plus.

And that is why we have had so many conversations in the past year discussing the marriage amendment, the voter ID amendment, and the political candidates. The fact is, your conversations and your posts DO change hearts and minds: the single greatest influence on how people vote on these issues is, in most cases, their exposure to the opinions of the friends and family members that surround them. We are tribal, communal creatures, and we LISTEN to each other.

That’s why it’s important to present these discussions and have these conversations. SO many conversations I’ve had this year have started with a comment or a post on FB or G+ or Twitter, and all of the ones I’ve had where someone has changed their mind have had a personal story behind them. Not a talking point from a TV host or a quote from a new article: a story about you, and about me.

In the last few days before the election, DO reach out to those around you and have a discussion about the reasons to vote No on the Marriage Amendment, the reasons to vote No on the Voter ID Amendment, and the reasons to vote for Barack Obama. You are a friend, you are a family member, and your voice, your experiences, the ways YOU will be hurt by the amendments and the reasons YOU have to vote are far more powerful than 30-second platitudes and misinformation put together by a focus group a thousand miles away.

Get out there, have the conversations, and get out the vote. It’s the reason we’re here.

And never tell me my voice doesn’t make a sound, because I can hear all of you loud and clear.

Love.

Today the Obama campaign issued a statement about the president’s support for the ballot campaigns to win same-sex marriage in Maine, Maryland, and Washington. The campaign has already spoken out against a ballot measure in Minnesota to prohibit same-sex marriage. It’s a historic first: no sitting President before has ever made such a clear declaration of support.

In that context, I would like to repeat the words of playwright Doug Wright, posted on Facebook today:

“I wish my moderate Republican friends would simply be honest. They all say they’re voting for Romney because of his economic policies (tenuous and ill-formed as they are), and that they disagree with him on gay rights. Fine. Then look me in the eye, speak with a level clear voice, and say, ‘My taxes and take-home pay mean more than your fundamental civil rights, the sanctity of your marriage, your right to visit an ailing spouse in the hospital, your dignity as a citizen of this country, your healthcare, your right to inherit, the mental welfare and emotional well-being of your youth, and your very personhood.’

It’s like voting for George Wallace during the Civil Rights movements, and apologizing for his racism. You’re still complicit. You’re still perpetuating anti-gay legislation and cultural homophobia. You don’t get to walk away clean, because you say you ‘disagree with your candidate on these issues.’

I would also like to remind you that if you justify your GOP vote by saying you’re “fiscally conservative but a socially liberal”, you fall under the same category as above. That phrase means “I’d really *like* for there to be a support network for people who need it and rights for those who deserve them, but only as long as I don’t have to pay for any of it.”

I called a 70-year old woman tonight in northern Minnesota, whose 86-year old gay brother is moving back from Florida to live with her. When she was 15 she wrote him a letter telling him that she knew he was gay, but that was OK and she still loved him. In spite of the fact that the rest of her family had rejected him and would have nothing to do with him. They stayed in touch throughout their whole lives, and now that he can no longer take care of himself, he’s moving back here. Back to his home, for the first time in over six decades.

She said “I just wish he could have been born 60 years later: he would have had the chance for so much more love and happiness in his life.”

She’s voting No. She made me cry.

Look me in the eye and tell me that you prefer to vote instead for a businessman who has made you a vague promise to give you a tax break. Before doing so, make sure you’re OK with not speaking to me in the future, because I require a minimum level of humanity from the people I talk to.

I made a new “NO” vote today. Don’t EVER tell me one person can’t make a difference in an election. From an email I just received:

Hi David,

We met through MN United around the South Minneapolis kickoff. You inspired me to get moving on US Citizenship and, I’m happy to report, I was sworn in yesterday.

I just wanted to thank you for being a catalyst in my process…

Booyah. And because of MN’s same-day registration, she can vote in November. THAT same-day registration, the one that helps make Minnesota the leader in voter turnout, the one that’s threatened by the Voter ID Amendment… which just gives you another reason to vote “NO” on that one too.

The best part of the whole thing? Today, Oct 19th, is the exact one-year anniversary of me becoming a U.S. citizen.

You can make a difference too. Eighteen more days to go: sign up over at MN United, come and be inspired, have some great conversations, and GET OUT THE VOTE AND VOTE NO TWICE!

Dear friends: there are 30 Days left until the election.

Thursday, October 11th is National Coming Out Day. It is the event’s 24th Anniversary, a day in which many of the people we love and support decide to have what can be the most difficult and challenging conversations of their lives with their friends and families.

In support of and in solidarity with our GLBTQ friends and family members, I am asking all of my MN friends, regardless of orientation, to join me at the Minnesotans United for All Families’ Loring Park office (1629 Hennepin Ave, across from the Basilica) to reach out to voters who are still deciding to vote NO on the marriage amendment. Join me this Thursday at 6:30pm, and every Thursday from here until the election, and help us explain to Minnesota voters why a NO vote is necessary.

Yes, these are voter conversations that can sometimes be difficult for us. But they can also be exhilarating, inspiring and joyful. And on a day like National Coming Out day, we need to recognize that these voter conversations are FAR easier for us to have than those that our LGBTQ friends around us are having, on the same day, with their own families and friends. If you feel that you can’t call a voter and have this type of conversation because it’s “too hard”, then you MUST do it to recognize and celebrate the courage of the people who will be having much scarier and harder conversations with their families this Thursday.

By then there will be less than 30 days left in the campaign, and we need to have everyone coming together to work towards victory in November. Everyone means you: I have not seen a whole lot of my friends at these events, and while I know a lot of you support defeating this amendment, your NO vote is only the bare minimum required to do so. The No votes are NOT winning right now, and our MN Constitution will be fundamentally changed to reduce and eliminate rights for loving Minnesota couples unless we take further action today.

Will you be there with me? Or better yet, go to http://mnunited.org/volunteer and sign up to make calls tonight and every Monday, or Tuesday or whatever day you can.

Let’s not make it to November 7th and regret the opportunity we wasted.

People who are depressed and don’t have healthcare can just wait until they (unsuccessfully) attempt suicide, and then they get free healthcare at the ER! YAY AMERICA!

Of course, if they’re successful, then problem solved.

The “everyone in the US has free healthcare because they can just go to the ER” argument is one of the most cold-hearted, callous, whatever-word-best-describes-the-opposite-of-empathy ones out there, and can only legally be used by a person who doesn’t know what asthma, diabetes, breast/prostate/cervical/ovarian/colon cancer, glaucoma or heart disease are.

If anyone you know (like a Presidential candidate, for example, on 60 Minutes) uses that argument, then they are shooting themselves in the foot.

Which, ironically, would be treatable at the ER.

Mitt Romney states that half of the population of the United States are parasites who think of themselves as victims who deserve everything (food, housing, healthcare, “you name it”) from the government. And as an add-on, that group of people… well, they’re Obama’s core support group. Everyone else is presumably either an independent or a Republican.

It’s very rare that the first report of “gaffes” from Mitt Romney, Barack Obama and pretty much any other politician lives up to the hype of the first breathless headlines. By the time you read the quote in context you realize that the intent has been exaggerated or overblown, the real meaning lost by taking it out of context, the subtleties removed.

But…

There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what …

 

These are people who pay no income tax. 47 percent of Americans pay no income tax. So our message of low taxes doesn’t connect… my job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.

But… I don’t see this with these recent recorded quotes from Romney at a fundraiser for the wealthiest of his supporters, published by Mother Jones. I really don’t read any subtlety or context missing here. I hear Mitt Romney expressing, in very clear language, two things:

1. The very worst opinions he has been accused of holding, but has always denied
2. The very worst opinions from what we just thought was the right-wing extremist fringe of his party

And what is particularly damning is that Romney’s campaign response to the release of these videos was not to distance himself from the comments, or claim they were taken out of context, or even to admit that he might have chosen his words or phrasing poorly. The campaign response was more of the same: we really *care* about the people who are unemployed, truly we do, even though our candidate thinks they’re freeloading moochers who deserve nothing. Oh, and he stands by the comments in the video.

Romney apparently wants to be president of a country where he believes half the population are money-grubbing parasites who take no responsibility for their lives. He expresses, quite frankly, disgust at half the population of the entire United States. They’re not achievers like him, and they deserve nothing. Not even that 11% who pay no federal taxes because they are elderly, retired and living off the Social Security income that they rightfully deserve because they already PAID for it. Not even that 28% of people who pay no federal taxes but still pay state and local and payroll taxes because they, you know, have a job.

I guess that since they don’t pay federal taxes, they wouldn’t pay any of his salary if he were to become president, so why should he care about them?

Boy, you thought Kanye West saying “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” was a crazy statement. “Mitt Romney doesn’t care about half the population of the United States” is even crazier… and it was Romney himself caught on tape saying it.

More on the reality behind the “47% don’t pay taxes” comments here and here.