As Bluestem pointed out last weekend in Draz missed Winona Daily News coverage of campaign against marriage amendment, Minnesota state representative Steve Drazkowski's latest newspaper column to his constituents, DFL puts gay marriage above balanced budget, suggests that the Mazeppa lawmaker never bothered to follow last year's conversation about marriage freedom when he writes:
These are the same folks who spent the last election cycle promising residents that if they voted ‘no’ on the Marriage Amendment, nothing would change in state law. Now these individuals are not only going back on their word, they are focused on approving this “divisive social issue” before they set a budget.
Well, no. First the budget will come up for a vote, then marriage freedom. Second, the message last year on the part of anti-amendment opponents was "Don't Limit the Freedom to Marry."
Indeed, the message from amendment supporters now backing Dibble and Clark's marriage freedom bills is so consistent, they're using an ad from last year's debate. The only changes? The sponsor and the closing message.
Last year's version (which was the first television ad to air in Minnesota from either side):
At the time the earlier ad was released on August 16, 2012, Towleroad reported in Freedom To Marry Debuts 'Grandparents' TV Ad In Minnesota: VIDEO:
With election day rapidly approaching, the national group Freedom To Marry today debuted its first television ad.
Called "Grandparents" and airing in Minnesota, where voters will decide on an amendment banning marriage equality come November, the 30-second spot features a Duluth couple called Yvonne and Fred Peterson.
Peterson, a veteran who says he's fought for "the basic freedoms for all people," explains that the past 53-years with his wife are the happiest of his life and that gay and lesbian couples deserve the same joy.
While they weren't always so understanding — Yvonne admits she used to be against equality — they realize the world has changed and that society must too.
Here's the new version, wherein only the sponsor and closing title has changed. For now, embedding has been disabled at that account, so Bluestem is being pretty naughty, and hace uploaded it so we can make our point:
In a press release about the "new" ad, Minnesotans United states:
The first ad, “Grandparents,” features Yvonne & Fred Peterson sharing the story of their marriage of 59 years, and their own personal journey towards recognizing that all people deserve the freedom to marry the person they love. “Grandparents” was released (on August 16, 2012) during the 2012 marriage amendment debate, highlighting the continuity of what Minnesotans have been talking about all along: Marriage is about the love, commitment and responsibility that two people share.
Yes, it's literally the same message.
Sadly, it's not just Draz who's confused. As we pointed out in early March in Don't lie to children: at MN capitol, NOM leader Brian Brown lies to (and about) adults instead:
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.
Check out that post, which reviews a bevy of other pro-marriage freedom, anti-marriage amendment video.
And there's a second ad, "Weddings" (Bluestem can't make a compelling case for swiping that one, so you're just going to have to go over there and watch it. The statement notes:
The second ad, “Weddings,” features Lynn & Dane Youngblom of Duluth, Minnesota, who share their hope that their son, Kyle, might one day have the freedom to marry in Minnesota just like his siblings. “I wouldn’t want anyone to tell me it’s illegal to marry the person I love,” Lynn concludes.
“From the moment those who oppose the freedom to marry launched their efforts in 2011, our focus has been on reminding Minnesotans why they got married,” said Richard Carlbom, Minnesotans United Campaign Manager. “When two people fall in love, the next natural step is to exercise their fundamental freedom to marry the person they love. Now, after two years of discussion, these ads reflect what we’ve heard from Minnesotans – they want to treat others the way they themselves would want to be treated and don’t want to limit freedom.”
The educational six-figure cable TV ad buy will run statewide beginning on Monday, March 25.
If you support marriage freedom, consider taking a day off to head to the capitol on Thursday, April 18 at noon for the Lobby Day. Sign up here with OutFront or here on Facebook.
Photo: Yvonne and Fred haven't changed. Minnesota Public Radio noted that the couple have a gay grandson.
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