Don't lie to children: at MN capitol, NOM leader Brian Brown lies to (and about) adults instead

Surrounded by hundreds of supporters at the Minnesota state capitol holding signs bearing the slogan "Don't lie to children," National Organization Brian Brown chose instead to lie to adults.

In Traditional marriage supporters rally faithful, Star Tribune staff writer Baird Helgeson reports:

The group trying to block same-sex marriage in Minnesota vowed a tenacious battle Thursday, saying their opponents’ push to rewrite the state’s marriage laws is at odds with the beliefs of most Minnesotans.

“We will not stop fighting for the truth,” said Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage.

Brown was a featured speaker at a Capitol rally that drew about 1,000 residents who oppose same-sex marriage, many carrying signs saying, “Don’t lie to children.”

Brown’s group was the top contributor to Minnesota for Marriage, which failed to persuade Minnesotans to cement the state’s current ban of same-sex marriage into the state Constitution.

Brown said the other side insisted during the campaign that the amendment was not necessary because it wouldn’t change anything. Now same-sex marriage advocates are trying to change the law.

“Minnesotans were sold a false bill of goods,” Brown said.

Well, no. As Minnesotans United for All Families director Richard Carlbom pointed out to Helgeson in the article, those seeking to extend the blessings of marriage did no such thing.

Rather, Minnesotans United made the positive case for marriage freedom. Take this moving television ad, incorporating former state representative John Kriesel's passionate floor speech for the right of all to marry during the debate to put the amendment on the ballot:

Corporal Andrew Wilfarht. He gave his life in Afghanistan protecting our freedoms. He was gay. I cannot look at this picture and say, ‘Corporal, you were good enough to fight for your country and give your life, but you were not good enough to marry the person you love. I'm pleading with you: vote no.

Or this online video featuring former state representative Duane Benson, a Republican and former Minnesota State Senator, Executive Director of the Minnesota Business Partnership and professional football player. In the video below, Benson acknowledges that a "No" vote means that marriage restriction wouldn't be enshrined in the constitution, but he adds that not doing so is important because the conversation about extending the freedom to marry to same-gender couples needs to move forward.

There's plenty more to check out at the group's Youtube channel. Did Brown imagine the television ads and online video pieces suddenly vanished after the defeat of the amendment?

Another truth? However much marriage restrictions advocates lie to themselves, Gay marriage has votes to clear Minn. House hurdle, the AP's Patrick Condon reports.

Back to Brown's foolish fib. It wasn't just Minnesotans United making the case to vote no so that the discussion about marriage equality could go forward. Here's the radio ad from Minnesotans for Equality, featuring one of the highest-profile marriage equality spokesters, Vikings punter Chris Kluwe:

Brown claiming to fight for "truth"? Perhaps we'll next see Tom Petters show up and make the case for "business ethics" as a substitute for state and local regulation of industrial sand mining operations.

This isn't the first time Brown has made this absurd claim. He told Minnesota Public Radio on February 26:

"The campaign was won by simply telling lies," Brown said. "One of the lies was that there was no threat of same-sex marriage, that's now coming home to roost."

If Bluestem didn't know that Brown lives in Virginia, we'd wonder what planet he's from, because he seems to have missed what the conversation was last year in Minnesota.

Photo: Brown's supporters yesterday at the capitol, via Capitol Chatter.

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