The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Your View

October 23, 2012

Your View: Proposed amendments the most important issues

By Mick McGuire, Montgomery

— Recently, I was asked what I thought were the most important issues in this fall’s election. Without hesitation, my response was the two proposed amendments to our state’s constitution.

Both represent the failure of our legislature; both propose severe measures to solve problems that don’t even exist; and one seeks to forever enshrine discrimination in our state’s most fundamental document.

Passing laws by repeatedly amending the state constitution is simply the worst possible way of governing. The amendment process is too often used as a tool by which desperate and incompetent legislatures manipulate the system to enact extreme and divisive legislation. They have failed to pass these measures into law by ordinary means, and are now attempting this end-run maneuver to have them written into our constitution.

This is simply a failure by our legislature to govern.

In particular, the marriage amendment on this year’s ballot is a travesty. It is, in my opinion, the worst constitutional amendment to be brought before voters in my lifetime. It is nothing more than an attempt to discriminate against our own citizens, to forever limit the rights of our neighbors, our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters —  because of the erroneous religious belief of some that, “my lifestyle is more right in God’s eyes than yours.”

I grew up believing that the purpose of our constitution was to protect individual and property rights for all Minnesotans. To now amend our constitution to forever favor the rights of some over the rights of others goes against the fabric of this great state that I thought I knew so well. If the amendment passes, its supporters may win a battle, but they will eventually lose the war.

 

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Your View
  • mfp yezzimug ACA benefits ignored by writer Bob Jentges’ May 8 My View strikes me as being like a football coach trying to frighten players into quitting when the game has barely begun. His wholly negative piece reads like a catalog of scare tactics. The Affordable Care Act is complicated beca

    May 21, 2013 1 Photo

  • Apology in abuse case was not accepted I am the mother of the victim in the Miguel Beltran child abuse case. I would like to clarify one thing in regards to the recent article that was printed. Miguel claims that he apologized for what he did, and that I accepted his apology. That is not

    May 21, 2013

  • Highway cleanup crews priceless at 100 degrees As I was driving home from work in the late afternoon on the first 100 degree spring day, I saw, proudly wearing their bright, neon green safety vests and picking up garbage in the ditches, were the Adopt a Highway volunteer crews. When I honked my h

    May 19, 2013

  • mfp dekruifmug DFL budget leaves out reform The 2013 Minnesota Legislature started facing a projected budget shortfall of $635 million and by state mandate must balance the budget. The new DFL controlled government has a "fix" for this shortfall; raising taxes and fees for all Minnesotans by a

    May 18, 2013 1 Photo

  • Bell of Honor sign of respect for heroes Recently, I had the opportunity to go to the North Mankato Funeral Home for David Sandmeyer's military visitation. It was a very moving experience. Sandmeyer was the young man who was a 21-year-old Marine from Mankato. He was stationed in North Carol

    May 18, 2013

  • MSU falls while coach Hoffner will win again Attention MSU Alumni You and I have just learned of the decision that the Minnesota State University leadership, i.e. Dr. Davenport, Mr. Kevin Buisman (and probably others) have made concerning Todd Hoffner, the former MSU Football Coach. This firing

    May 17, 2013

  • Minnesota deserves lawmakers with a clue Our senators, Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken were part of a group to vote for and pass Obamacare. You know the overwhelming law that the Democratic leadership (Reid and Pelosi) said you'll have to pass it to find out what's in it. Exactly what they did

    May 17, 2013

  • Laws of life essays were inspiring essays inspired What a pleasure it was to read the Laws of Life essays in the May 5 edition. It is this kind of reporting that makes The Free Press our hometown newspaper. And congratulations to Shane Price and Fahad Qureshi. Your writings were a good read. Bruce Bi

    May 16, 2013

  • Remodeled building serves St. John's well Last weekend my wife and I were in the Mankato area for an extended family event. While in Mankato we participated in a Eucharist celebration at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Last Sunday happened to be the one-year anniversary of the remodeli

    May 15, 2013

  • Marketplace Fairness Act not about fairness The Marketplace Fairness Act is not about fairness. It is about revenue and regulatory capture by Internet giants. It is said that Internet retailers have an advantage in that they don't have to collect sales tax. That may be an advantage, but it do

    May 14, 2013