Minnesotans United

I'm honestly shocked that I picked "exercising your public voice" as my first blog post topic.  My friends can tell you that I'm usually the last one to comment on high-profile topics.  I don't like debate, and I don't like the possibility of offending people with my opinion.  However, when it comes to the hot topic of same-sex marriage, I am willing to open up a bit.  I understand that everyone is completely entitled to their views, but I truly have a hard time understanding why there are Minnesotans who don't support same-sex marriage.  This issue is especially relevant today, when the Minnesota Senate is voting on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.  This afternoon's debate can be viewed on a live stream here.

So why do I support same-sex marriage?  Because I believe that all human beings should be granted the same freedom to marry.  The personal and religious views of random publics should not dictate whether two men or two women get married.  I, along with many supporters of this movement, believe that the decision to get married belongs to the two people in a relationship.  It should not be dictated by a church or any other group.

A lot of my updates on the Minnesota fight for same-sex marriage come from Facebook pages like Minnesotans United for All Families.  During the past few days leading up to the Senate vote, the organization has urged its followers to email their state senators with encouragement to vote "yes" on the bill.  By following their directions, people like me were able to find their senator and send them a message.  MN4AllFamilies even composed an email that could be sent as-is or personalized.  Here is the text they suggested:

This is a truly historic time for our state, and as your constituent I urge you to support the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in the Senate on Monday.

I was thrilled to see the bipartisan vote in the Minnesota House on Thursday! Now, you have the chance to help make Minnesota the next state to allow same-sex couples the freedom to marry. The future of thousands of families in our state lies in your hands.  

Same-sex couples and their families have waited too long to be treated equally by their government. You have an incredible opportunity to make a state a more free and fair place today, and I hope you'll take advantage of it. 

Please, vote YES and support the basic freedom to marry for same-sex couples. 

For me, the third paragraph says it all.  "Treated equally" and "more free and fair place" are key phrases that define what we should be striving for.  I want my gay and lesbian friends to have the same rights to marriage as I do.  Their relationships are no less important than heterosexual relationships and deserve to be celebrated and acknowledged by the government.  Meanwhile, I am glued to my computer, awaiting news of today's vote. Make me proud, Minnesota!  #timeformarriage 
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In case there is any doubt about my stance on this topic, here is a picture of the pumpkin I carved last Halloween--I was encouraging friends to vote NO on the constitutional amendment of Minnesota's definition of marriage:

Colorado Drive Part II: Ugh.

Coming into Omaha, and then Lincoln, there's actually some life to this state... or so it seems... Get out of Lincoln, and you finally find yourself in a proverbial Hell. If you've never driven through Nebraska, just don't. Do what you can to avoid it. Please. There's all kinds of flat and road and nothing and more nothing. For a full five hours. Hopefully you can find a gas station to fill up - just don't get the regular unleaded, because it might just mess up your engine due to the lower-than-normal octane rating.

Then comes a bridge... and a sign... Colorado! Seriously, when you cross the state line, the road seems to brighten, the landscape becomes a little less flat, and the native plants turn from complete randomness to a beautiful bouquet of sage and wildflowers. The skies open up, and before long, the mountains start to appear.

It's worth the drive, methinks. Just bring someone else with you to drive through Nebraska so you can sleep through it.

Colorado Drive Part I: Pre Nebraska

Last week I moved my wife out to Colorado since she had accepted a new job out there. I'm following her once we sell the house - but unfortunately we need to get our things out there. This entails 13 hours or so of driving.

Waking up at 4am, we get on the road. The drive is actually kind of nice through southern Minnesota - everything is green from the recent rain we've had, and there's actually a little bit of topography. I feel like I've driven this so many times before, but it's still worth it.

Then you hit Iowa. I always hated Iowa. Farms and cows, followed by more cows, a farm or two, a city, then more cow farms. At least this time, there are quite a few more wind generators dotting the landscape. More of those, says this observer.

Ugh. Then comes Nebraska.