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Ethan Roberts

Plymouth, Minnesota
Commenter for
47 weeks 13 min

Recent Comments

Posted on 03/13/13 at 06:05 pm in response to Marriage bill advances after emotional day of hearings

As pointed out by conservative, Republican law professor Dale Carpenter the authors of these bills took great pains to specifically and correctly include protections for religious institutions who choose not to marry same sex couples. If enacted, marriage equality would simply mean that those faiths which choose to marry gay couples will have their decisions respected by the state. Same applies, of course, for those couples who choose to be married outside any faith.

In essence,...

Posted on 03/13/13 at 06:08 pm in response to Marriage bill advances after emotional day of hearings

The same logic and precedent applies today to clergy who refuse to marry inter-faith or even inter-denominational couples. It is correctly the right of each clergy member to decide for themselves who they will and will not marry. All marriage equality will mean in the context of religious freedom is that clergy who choose to marry gay couples will have their decision respected under the civil law.

Posted on 03/14/13 at 01:03 pm in response to Marriage bill advances after emotional day of hearings

In the landmark 1971 decision of Lemon v. Kurtzman, the Supreme Court held that the establishment clause means far more than simply a prohibition of establishing a "national religion."

To wit, the three prongs of the "Lemon Test" are:

1.The government's action must have a secular legislative purpose;

2.The government's action must not have the primary effect of either advancing or inhibiting religion;

3.The government's action must not result in an "excessive...

Posted on 06/25/12 at 02:45 pm in response to Minnesota may see different kind of marriage ads from 31 earlier states

Excellent coverage as always, Beth. As two of the ordinary Minnesotans featured in the Project 515 spot, my wife and I of almost 13 years were proud to do our part to stand-up for the right of everyone to marry. There are so many different reasons to Vote No, but for us we simply cannot understand how writing hurtful discrimination into our Minnesota Constitution will benefit anyone, while we know of the many ways that it will make life harder for our gay friends and family. For those...