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Though this is not a Minneapolis issue(sodomy law is a
state issue), I wanted to respond to Eva's query about
sodomy law repeal and why Neva may not be making it a
priority this session. There currently is a lawsuit
in the courts aimed at overturning the sodomy law.
Outfront and other glbt activists and groups have been
advising legislators that sodomy law repeal through
the legislature is not the highest priority since this
case is making it's way through the system and seems
likely to overturn the state sodomy law.
When I attended Outfront's lobby day at the state
capitol, domestic partnership benefits for public
employees and keeping protections for transgendered
folks in our state civil rights law where the
highlighted concerns.
Eva, as a leader among Log Cabin Republicans, it would
be good to organize outstate and suburban supporters
of glbt equality within your party. The same is true
of Stonewall DFL and my own affiliations with Lavender
Greens.
The great challenge to glbt equality lies with
building statewide support while supporting action on
those things our municipal and county bodies can do on
their own.
Neither Collin Peterson of the DFL nor Jim Ramstad, a
presumably "centrist" Republican, are cosponsors of
the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act
of 2001. This bill has broad public support in adding
sexual orientation, gender, & disability to the
federal hate crimes legislation. It would also allow
Federal agencies to support local enforcement of hate
crimes legislation with resources and personnel and
allow them to step in when a local law enforcement
agency refuses to take action against such
crimes(unfortunately still a problem in too many parts
of the U. S.).
I hope we can all work together on these broader
goals(Stonewall DFL, Log Cabin Republicans, & Lavender
Greens) within our respective parties and through
extra party cooperative support of common goals.
Thanks, David Strand
Lavender Greens of Minnesota
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