Minnesota Lawmakers Debate Gay Marriage

Heated debate even as sentiment shifts

Minnesota legislators who are determined to legalize same-sex marriage opened up the newest battleground over the issue Wednesday.

"This is a day that Minnesotans should be very proud of," said Sen. Scott Dibble, a Minneapolis DFLer who is a chief sponsor of a bill introduced Wednesday that would legalize same-sex marriage. "Our challenge in coming weeks is that we really have this discussion with renewed energy, about why marriage matters, why family matters."

With legislative supporters vowing to press hard on the issue, opponents say the other side is dangerously out of sync with Minnesotans' values.

"It's a huge mistake to believe the lie that the results of the November election was a mandate to legalize gay marriage," said John Helmberger, chairman of Minnesota for Marriage, which is leading the opposition to the proposal. Minnesotans defeated an attempt to constitutionally ban same-sex unions, but many of the state's less populated areas voted solidly in favor of the ban.