Fight Bigotry: Vote NO on the discriminatory amendments
Defeat racist and anti-gay discrimination! Support full equality!
By Brad Sigal
MIRAc is a group that fights for the basic rights and full equality of immigrants in Minnesota. But we know that immigrants aren’t the only ones being targeted for oppression and political repression. We think it’s necessary to show solidarity and to unite with the struggle for basic rights and full equality for all people who are oppressed and excluded by the powerful in this state and this country. Divided we fall, but united we can win.
On November 6, U.S. citizens will vote in the national elections. But in Minnesota it’s not just politicians on the ballot. We’ll also be voting on two discriminatory constitutional amendments. If the majority of the voters in Minnesota vote ‘yes’, these amendments will be incorporated into the state constitution. These amendments need to be defeated. The most conservative forces in the state put forward these two amendments at the same time to try to divide us. But what’s happening is the opposite–the communities under attack and their allies are unifying.
One of the amendments would put a prohibition against gay marriage in the constitution. We believe that everyone has the right to love and marry the person they want to. Since there are benefits and privileges given by the government to married people (inheritance, hospital visitation rights, family health insurance coverage, etc.), it’s not fair to discriminate against some marriages–they should all be recognized or none should.
The amendment to create a “Voter ID” in the state is a Trojan Horse. It appears to be sensible and logical but in fact it would discriminate against African-Americans, Latinos, students, the elderly, homeless people, transgender people, and others. The data shows that these groups of people would have more barriers to obtaining the “official ID” to be able to vote. This would artificially create a more conservative voting population through exclusion of groups that tend to be more progressive. The right to vote should be expanded, not restricted.
They want to divide us, but we say NO to a politics of oppression, repression and division. We’re in solidarity with all who are under attack and we hope to win this battle by rejecting these two discriminatory amendments.
Vote NO on the voter suppression amendment & the anti-gay amendment!
Leave a comment