The sky is falling, the sky is falling. Oh. That’s right. It’s not falling. This is a joke, obviously, but is like many of the arguments used by anti-marriage equality groups to defeat the marriage equality law on the ballot last year.

I know it’s not been long since its institution, but things have not changed much since Aug 1, 2013. Life is still the same for the rest of us and very different for our lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender friends. I applaud our legislature for putting it on the ballot last year, though they thought the result would be different. Many were afraid of what would happen. Rest assured, nothing negative has happened or will happen.

We can celebrate that we provided better equality for Minnesotans. We all must live by the same laws, and we should all be covered by the same laws. LGBT persons can now sit with their loved ones at the hospital, have the same inheritance laws and tax laws, marry and divorce, and other various laws that heterosexual couples enjoy. Those who voted for the law last year don’t be weary. Your loss at the ballot box brought additional rights to our fellow citizens. This is a good thing, and I pray that we continue to move forward in our state, and make the American dream available to all.

 

Patti Kimble

Emmons