Marriage activists encounter threats, flying bottles, armed opponent in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS, September 18, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) – A team of young Catholic men encountered everything from enthusiastic support to threats of violence and opponents bearing side arms as they toured the state of Minnesota to oppose the redefinition of marriage.
Volunteers from the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP)recently completed a 10-day trip of the state, where voters in November will decide on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
A video shot by TFP shows passersby of various faiths honking their support - or threatening violence - as members held signs that read “God’s marriage = 1 man + 1 woman” and “Honk for traditional marriage.”
More than one driver threw a bottle at the TFP activists as they peacefully held their signs or prayed the rosary. One person yelled, “Hail Satan!” out his drivers window as he sped past. Another stopped to say, “You are the exact reason that religion makes you stupid.”
One young man denounced TFP members as cogs in a “Communist” and “Nazi” organization before threatening to “bust their f—-ing teeth in.”
A handful of counter-protesters – one of whom wore a handgun in a side holster – held vulgar signs.
A young man who opposed their message of celibacy or traditional marriage admitted candidly, “I love lying, vulgarity, everything.”
Despite the limited if explosive opposition, the constitutional amendment is expected to pass, setting Minnesota up to join more than 30 other states that have voted to defend marriage. A recent SurveyUSA/KSTP showed the measure passing by a margin of 50-43. Every region of the state including the Twin Cities favors the amendment. The poll shows young people aged 18-49 support the traditional marriage amendment 48 percent to 42 percent, as do vast majorities of Republicans and independents. Eight percent of voters were undecided. Only a poll from Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm, shows the amendment too close to call.
Minnesota-based megafirms such as retail giant Target and the Thomson Reuters news service support redefining marriage.
Two additional TFP teams toured the states of Maryland, Maine, and Rhode Island. Maryland and Maine are each facing a ballot initiative to redefine marriage.
