Leading the way on the Iron Range, the city council of Mountain Iron became the 11th city to vote to publicly oppose the proposed constitutional amendment that would limit the freedom to marry for committed, same-sex couples in Minnesota and the first to join the coalition comprising Minnesotans United for All Families, the official campaign to defeat the freedom-limiting amendment.
The council voted 3-to-1 to adopt the resolution, which states the proposed amendment is “contrary to the purpose of our State Constitution to protect the rights, privileges and freedom of conscience of all citizens” by excluding same-sex couples from the freedom to marry. The resolution urges Mountain Iron residents to vote no in November.
The resolution also made the city council of Mountain Iron an official coalition partner of Minnesotans United for All Families. Mountain Iron is the first city council to join the broad coalition of more than 500 organizations, community and business leaders, faith, labor, progressive and nonpartisan organizations, communities of color, as well as current and former elected officials.
Tony Zupancich, the councilor who brought forward the resolution released the following statement:
“Chris and I are so very proud to be a part of the community of Mt Iron and the Iron Range. We have good, caring and loving people in this town. It is truly an honor to represent them as one of their city councilmen. What we the people of Mt Iron accomplished this evening is a testament of what we stand for: Inclusion, equal rights, diversity, freedom, progress. We the people of Mt Iron will not support any amendment that will limit freedom and equal rights of any citizen of our community or of Minnesota all because of one’s social makeup, race, sexual orientation or economic status.”
Minnesotans United for All Families released the following statement:
“We are proud to welcome the city council of Mountain Iron to our growing coalition. The momentum building across the state to defeat this hurtful freedom-limiting amendment has never been stronger. As more and more Minnesotans speak out, we continue sparking conversations all across the state that marriage is about love, commitment and responsibility, and that no one would want to be told it’s illegal to marry the person you love. We thank the city council for its leadership on the Iron Range, and are grateful for the 11 cities that now have publicly stated their opposition to limiting the freedom to marry in Minnesota.”
Mountain Iron is the 11th city to take a vote opposing the amendment. A full list of all cities publicly opposing the amendment can be found here. A full list of all 515 coalition partners can be found here.
Minnesotans United for All Families is the official campaign working to defeat the proposed constitutional amendment that would limit the freedom to marry in Minnesota. The broad coalition includes organizations, community and business leaders, faith, labor, progressive and nonpartisan organizations, communities of color, as well as current and former elected officials.
