Interesting article in the Star Tribune that speaks to the fact that both sides of the amendment fight are courting Minnesota’s Muslim population. According to the article, this may be a first:

John Green, a political science professor at the University of Akron who studies politics and religion, says Minnesota is the first state he’s aware of — out of 31 that have voted — where groups both for and against the proposed marriage amendment are assertively courting Muslims.

The reasoning Green provides is that Muslims are becoming “more and more active” and are “on people’s radar screens as folks that might vote…”

The Star Tribune shares quotes from Muslim leaders and also highlights that the “state’s highest-profile Muslim” Keith Ellison is a vocal opponent to the amendment.

The latter part of the article is interesting. Titled, “An awkward alliance” the author speaks to the fact that the same folks who introduced this amendment to the legislature are the same people that are working to introduce legislation against Muslims. If a Muslim votes for this amendment, they are essentially saying that it’s ok to limit the rights of Minnesotans via the state constitution. As I’ve said many times before, this becomes a very slippery slope – one that Muslims in America are already finding themselves on.

As “dakmarknet” points out in the comments of the article:

All muslims in the state should be aware that you most likely were granted rights to be citizens. These rights were affirmed by our constitution. Without these rights you would not have been given citizenship. If the people who support this amendment had the ability to deny you rights to citizenship, they certainly would. Before you check yes on that ballot, be warned that doing so denies rights to other MN citizens, plain and simple. Why would you support the same people who would use their power to deny you citizenship.

Check out the article in its entirety on the Star Tribune.