I consider myself very lucky to have grown up in Albert Lea, a community where I learned a great deal about loving and accepting others.

Since I left Albert Lea, these values have been solidified in me and have become an essential part of who I am, which includes being an advocate for the LGBT community. The rights to love and to marry whom you love are simple human rights. I do not see why anyone would want to deprive others of these rights. We should uplift and support everyone in being their true selves rather than actively trying to make them feel less human because of whom they love.

It warms my heart to imagine a world where everyone is accepted for who they truly are and whom they truly love, with judgment and hate being things of the past. This is what I believe Jesus wants. I believe that Jesus would vote no on the Minnesota marriage amendment banning same-sex marriage and wants us to love one another just as he loves us.

I hope that this community, which has taught me so much about love and acceptance, can show just that in November and vote no. This is not an issue of whether you are a Democrat or a Republican; it is an issue of love. Let us not deprive others of their human rights.

 

Leah Matheson

Minneapolis