Here is the full text
of Senator Dan Hall's speech on the Senate floor 5-13-13:
There’s a lot of celebrating going on today but there’s also a
lot of grieving going on today. Grieving because there are many people in the
state who do not believe this is the right thing to do. I sometimes call this
the divine tension. Our constitution has protections for religious freedom—not
to protect the government from religion.
I have six key points I’d like to state.
First off, marriage exists to bring a man and a woman together
as husband and wife, to be the father and mother to any children their union
produces.
Second, marriage is based on truth that men and women are
complementary. The biological fact that reproduction depends on a man and a
woman, the reality that children need both a father and a mother—which one
would you not have wanted. Marriage is society’s least restrictive means of
assuring the well-being of children. Marital breakdown weakens civil society.
Government recognizes marriage because it benefits society in a
way that no other relationship does. Government can treat people equally and
with respect and respect their liberty without redefining marriage. Redefining
marriage would further distance marriage from the needs of children and deny
the importance of mothers and fathers. It weakens monogamy, exclusivity and
permanency, the norms to which marriage in our society [inaudible] and it will
threaten religious liberty.
I know that, Madam President, you do not allow us to pray in the
name of Jesus or the holy spirit while we’re up there, but I ask that the holy
spirit be with all of us today in this capitol around Minnesota during this vote. Today we may
be changing the course of freedom for our children and our grandchildren in Minnesota. We may be forced to not just
listen to someone else’s view—but to accept and then legislate and next, I
believe, we will be forced to believe what we don’t.
I have been accused of attacking same-sex marriage because I
disagree with the lifestyle. When has disagreeing become an attack? When has
taking a stand against something you believe in become a personal attack?
Freedom can only be free if we keep our moral compass. If we resolve to
strengthen marriage instead of dismantling it. Without strong morals, that
which we believe is right or wrong, we lose our freedoms.
Redefining marriage, which has many restrictions—you can’t get
married if you’re under 18 without parents’ permission; only two people can get
married, not three, not more—is opening that Pandora’s box. If you think
marriage, the way it is now, is discriminating, why not add another group?
That’s what we’ve done, we’re still discriminating, if that’s what you believe,
unless we open it up to all.
But they’ll call me a bigot, they’ll call me a hater, they’ll spit
in my face, like they did a friend of mine last Thursday. There are things in
life, members, that are worth standing up for, even to be persecuted for.
Many have said to me, ‘Sen. Hall, you don’t understand. You’re
married, live in a nice suburb, you’ve got kids, live in a nice house, two-car
garage, you’re well educated.’
Most of you don’t know I grew up in the southeast projects, 71
Saint Marys [Avenue] by the U of M. Many of my relatives were addicts,
criminals, two sent to prison, more than one child molester. Those that my
mother tried to keep us away from were relatives. My mother raised four
children in the projects but had an alcoholic husband that she divorced when I
was six years old.
Two years later, she married another, my stepfather who
also was a drunk. When he was home, we tried not to be. When I was 12 my mother
told him, “You either get on your knees and accept Jesus and have him take over
your life and stop drinking or there’s the door, don’t ever come back.’ He did
that that day, our life changed, that was a turning point in my history. My
father did this 48 years ago today. He’s now in a nursing home, my mother still
lives on Lake Nokomis.
But the change of history is like what we’re doing today.
It will forever change the fate of family.
I have family members on both sides of this issue. All of us are
not perfect and all of us carry baggage from the past and our families. All
have sinned, all have faults, I certainly do. I sin every day. This is not
about that. It’s about what’s good for children. The children here in Minnesota. It’s about making the right
choice for children’s future. The question is: Are homosexual marriages good
for children? Are we as members in this chamber going to change the course of
history? As to what the adults, we the caretakers, the public policy holders,
leaders of Minnesota—what we think is right for
children.
Back to marriage. Marriage is about giving, not taking. It’s
about being willing to serve another, giving your affection to no other and,
spiritually, marriage is about two becoming one in God’s eyes. A civil union is
having a contract to protect yourself from the other that may take advantage of
you and legally securing the government and civil benefits that have been
reserved for marriage. There are consequences to everything. There will be
unintended and, I believe, intended consequences.
Members, God has written his word on your hearts: Don’t
legislate what you think personally is wrong. Choose life and life abundantly.
Dismantling marriage will bring hurt, shame, confrontation and more
indoctrination. Forcing others to give you your rights will never end well. It
won’t give you the recognition you desire. That which is right can easily be
seen by all. Let me say that again: That which is right can easily be seen by
all.
Is this easy for you? Most people know this is not right. You
asked for this job, members, when you ran for office. Leading is not easy. Are
you still looking for an excuse to vote for it? I’m not giving you that today.
I’m here to affirm true beliefs that come from your relationship to your
creator.
Do you really want what Europe has? They’re on the verge of
civil disaster. Some have said, ‘But don’t you want to be on the right side of
history?’ The truth is I’m more concerned about being on the right side of
eternity.
In conclusion, let me say this: My desire today is to bring more
peace, more justice to all of Minnesota. I propose that we vote “No” on
this bill and that we propose a more loving document that will more clearly and
more distinctly allow the freedom that both communities would desire.
Don’t fool yourself today and think voting yes on this bill ends
the conversation. The great people of Minnesota deserve better than this. This
document will bring civil disobedience.
This document will split our schools, our churches, our towns,
our counties, our state. It will hurt businesses and confuse children. More
than any single issue has ever done since the civil war.
This bill needs to be crafted in such a way that it will not push
civil rights back 50 years but bring our communities together. Please think
about the devastating repercussions this vote will have on our communities. We
must not pass this bill but, rather, we must take one more time to craft a
truly bipartisan bill that respects the values of all Minnesotans and where no
one feels they’re being shoved into an unwanted world, no one feels their
religious liberties are being taken away.
Members, today you must choose who you will serve. May God help
us.
Senator Hall represents parts of Bloomington and Burnsville in the Minnesota State Senate , District 63
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