Another small business stands up for equality: pacifier
Recently, one of my colleagues snapped this picture and emailed it to me:
Of course, I was excited to jump online and recognize pacifier for standing up for equality. As I was getting ready to write this post, I searched for their Facebook page so that I could link to it here, and what I saw shocked me:
Not only is this business taking a visible stand for equality in their stores, they also offered to donate all proceeds of sales during the above weekend to Minnesotans United for All Families. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is!
- Patronize the business online or in store. Let the owners know that you appreciate their support of equality for all Minnesotans
- Like the business on Facebook. As of today, the business has over 4,500 likes. Let’s show them some more love!
- Send the owners a personal note of thanks.
- Reblog this post or share a link on Facebook to build awareness and support for this local business.
What amendment supporters have to say…
Recently, I saw a couple friends on Facebook post that they were “blocked” from the Minnesota for Marriage Facebook page. Curious, I decided to take a look at the page to see what all the talk was about. What I found breaks my heart.
Below, I’ve posted just a handful of the hundreds of posts from the Minnesota for Marriage page.
Warning: If you are easily offended, you may wish to stop reading at this point.
The first post I captured was created by Laura Catherine Cummings. Cummings was responding to a poster that refuted claims made by Minnesota for Marriage in their recent television ad. Cummings shares that if people vote no, “the Government will force us to teach and accept that masturbation/sodomy between gays is equal to if not better than the procreative conjugal union between a married man and woman.”
I’m not sure what’s more disheartening, the fact that she believes this, or the fact that 8 others have already liked her comment. Cummings’ concerns are easily refuted by looking at any other state – or nation – that has legalized gay marriage (eg, Iowa). Nothing has changed. Not only that, but Minnesota isn’t even voting to legalize gay marriage! Marriage is already defined as one man, one woman in the state of Minnesota. This amendment would just make it super-duper clear to committed gay and lesbian couples that they have no hope of celebrating their love in Minnesota.
The second post is from Alex Mezeritski. Unfortunately, we can’t be fully certain what he is trying to say as his statement is fairly incoherent. It seems that he has concerns with a same-sex couple adopting children with his use of quotes around the word “family.”
I’d encourage Mr. Mezeritski to watch this wonderful video featuring Zach Wahls if he has any doubt that a non-traditional family can successfully raise children. As for Mezeritski’s claims about school curriculums changing, multiple organizations have already refuted these claims as being false. A NO vote on this mean-spirited amendment has zero impact on school curriculum as same-sex marriage would still not be legal in Minnesota. And even in those states where it is legal (Iowa), nothing has changed.
The third post is from Jill Cyr. I can’t even tell you how sickening this makes me:
I’ve posted about these absurd claims before. In my Note to Jessie, I share the definition of marriage: A binding and legal contract. It doesn’t take someone with a doctoral degree to realize that a sheep will never be able to enter into a binding and legal contract. As for kids, family members, toasters or any other comparison people like Cyr make, it’s all about creating a distraction. Defeating this amendment doesn’t change the definition of marriage, nor does it somehow make it legal to marry your kitchen appliances. It simply keeps discrimination out of the Minnesota state constitution. That’s it. Marriage will still be defined as one man, one woman. But the other side knows they can’t win their fight just standing on that alone; they introduce these sick comparisons and make these ignorant statements.
The last post I’ll share is from Melissa Henke. Henke sums up her feelings simply:
You see, for many amendment supporters, love doesn’t matter. In Henke’s case, she doesn’t want to have to be “exposed” to a loving and committed relationship if both individuals are of the same sex. Well, here’s the thing: Even if this amendment passes, gay and lesbian couples don’t disappear. They will still be here in Minnesota. They will still fall in love. They will still raise families. And Henke’s children will be “exposed” to gay and lesbian peers, teachers, cousins, aunts, uncles, neighbors… Well, you get the idea. Defeating this amendment doesn’t introduce children to gay people any more than happens today. However, if this amendment were to pass, people like Henke and her children, would now have a group of classmates to tease and bully because voters in the state of Minnesota will have said: “Your kind is less than and you don’t deserve the same rights.”
As I mentioned, these are just a couple of posts from the Minnesota for Marriage page. If you’re still wondering who is voting for this mean-spirited amendment, now you know. And there are hundreds of posts and thousands of “likes” on the Minnesota for Marriage page that prove these folks aren’t just outliers. These are real Minnesotans who believe that I deserve to be treated differently because who I fall in love with.
And that’s why I’m telling my story.
Take Action: Vote No on November 6
This week, Minnesotans United shared a new “Vote No” graphic and encouraged all Minnesotans standing for equality to update their Profile picture.
This image adds to the collection of nearly 20 different Vote No images I posted this weekend that are profile-ready.
Happy Halloween
It’s hard to believe, we’re saying goodbye to Halloween 2012. I couldn’t let the day go by without at least a couple of Vote No nods!
First, a message that warmed my heart this chilly Halloween night that was posted on the Minnesotans United Facebook page:
Our first trick or treater was a little Where’s Waldo. Maybe 4 or 5 years old. Get his candy, starts to walk away, turns around and marches up to me, “The best part about your house is your sign. Thanks for Voting No.” His two moms smile at me.
And THAT would be why I AM Voting No.
And then what would Halloween be without a couple of carved pumpkins? Trust me, take their advice in 6 days and Vote No!
Image source: Caramelized OpiNIONS
Social media images
Over the past couple of months, I’ve shared a bunch of Facebook cover graphics for you to display on your profile. This one is simple and contrasts quite nicely with your profile picture.
Of course, you can always go with the classic orange Vote No Facebook cover image. Or if you’d prefer, you can go with one of four different Let Your Friends kNOw Facebook timeline graphics.
And if you really want to deck out your profile, be sure to check out yesterday’s post where I shared nearly 20 different images that you can use for your Facebook profile image!
Facebook Profile Images
You’ve donated money, you’ve volunteered your time and you’ve talked to your friends and family. Now, with days to go until the election, take a minute to update your Facebook profile image with one of the graphics below.
Share a link to this page on your profile and ask friends and family to update their Facebook page on or before November 1 to show their opposition to this mean-spirited marriage amendment. In the final week, let’s rally and make sure Facebook knows that Minnesota WILL vote no on November 6th!
If you have an additional image you’d like to share, please email it to me and I’ll add it to this page!
Note: The graphics found on this page and website have been accessed from public sources; this site makes no claim of ownership to any of the above images.
Facebook profile graphic: I would personally be harmed
Here’s another graphic for those that are looking to replace your Facebook profile picture in the last two weeks before the election.
Let your friends kNOw that this mean-spirited amendment impacts you, your family and/or your loved ones.
With so little time left, please take action now!
Facebook app lets you tell friends why you’re voting NO
I just discovered the brand-new Facebook app from Minnesotans United for All Families that allows you to tell your friends why you’re voting NO. It’s a neat app that allows you to select from about a dozen different reasons on why voting NO is important to you. Once you select the reason, you can share that reason with friends and even download a new profile graphic for your Facebook account.
Feel free to swipe the above image for your own profile picture or go to the App to create your own!
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Tweets
- Check out what a visitor to the site asked me to pass along to Father Mike Tegeder. RT if you agree. #minnesota #voteno
http://t.co/4iqhrFX211/09/2012 - #Minnesota nice? Yeah, we #voteno twice! Congratulations to to Minnesota for standing on the right side of history!11/07/2012
- #Minnesota #marriageamendment 78% reporting. #voteno at 50%; yes side has 49%. It's going to be a while before we call this one...11/07/2012
- #Minnesota #marriageamendment 47% reporting. Spread narrows. #voteno side still at 49%; yes side has increased their support to 47%.11/07/2012
- Check out what a visitor to the site asked me to pass along to Father Mike Tegeder. RT if you agree. #minnesota #voteno
