Gay Marriage Ban to
Prevent 'End of the World'?

On Tuesday the Minnesota Family Council said that within the next few days it would introduce a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships in the state. The group made the announcement at a press conference, accompanied by religious leaders who said that gay marriage would trigger the end of the world.

"If everyone is a gay, this world will cease to exist in 10 years," said Ikram ul-Huq, the imam and religious director of the Muslim Community Center of Bloomington, according to The Minnesota Independent.

The proposed same-sex marriage ban is in response to legislation introduced in the house and senate that would enact marriage equality in Minnesota by making the marriage laws gender-neutral. That legislation still needs to be heard and passed in committees, and soon, in order to reach the house or senate floors this session.

Political observers say that the amendment to ban same-sex marriage is unlikely to make it out of committee and appear on the ballot in 2010. Amendments were introduced and passed in the house from 2004 through 2006, but died in the senate each time. Democrats have controlled the legislature since 2006, and no action has been taken on amendments to ban same-sex marriage in the past two years.