The Student Government Association decided at a forum meeting Monday to encourage vote “no” by students on the upcoming Minnesota marriage amendment. After watching other Minnesota colleges such as St. Olaf, the University of Minnesota and Augsburg College express their support for the “Vote No” movement, Concordia SGA President Meg Henrickson wanted Concordia to jump on board.
“By supporting a vote “no,” we are allowing the conversation about gay marriage to continue, rather than be silenced,” Henrickson said. “We want to show that Concordia’s student government supports discussion about varying viewpoints and education about gay marriage rights.”
The amendment would define marriage as existing solely between a man and a woman in Minnesota’s constitution. Henrickson and junior class representative Levi Bachmeier crafted the statement in response to this amendment based on feedback from tabling in the atruim and then brought it to the rest of SGA for a vote in the Monday meeting that was called a week earlier.
“It was important for us to make a statement now so that we can foster the critical thinking about this piece of legislation, and it is this kind of thinking that should be expected in a liberal arts environment,” Henrickson said.
Henrickson hopes that this statement encourages a more informed discussion about the marriage amendment among the Concordia community.
Below is a copy of the resolution.
Concordia Student Government Association
Resolution P12F-001
Created: September 10, 2012
Passed: September 17, 2012
Authors: President Meg Henrickson and Representative Levi Bachmeier
Concerning: Student sentiment regarding the upcoming marriage amendment vote.
Whereas, Many citizens, colleges, and businesses continue to speak out on their position of the marriage amendment; and
Whereas, The upcoming election eliminates rather than continues discussion on a defining social issue on campus, in the state of Minnesota, and around the country; and
Whereas, Concordia College as an institution values a strong liberal arts education that strengthens the ability to critically think; therefore be it
DECIDED: That the Concordia Student Government Association believes in continuing the marriage equality discussion and as a result encourages a vote “no” on the proposed marriage amendment taking place on November 6; and be it further
DECIDED: That the Concordia Student Government Association neither endorses nor condemns gay marriage.
This press release was submitted by members of SGA and edited by The Concordian.
This article was contributed to The Concordian by an outside writer. Questions and comments on this article should be directed to concord@cord.edu.
I’m glad to see SGA has taken a stance. It’s so important to keep dialogue open.
In the interest of “continuing the discussion”…
It’s sad that the SGA would come up with this statement; even worse, that the ELCA has shown such total disregard for God’s Word; but worst of all, that the ELCA is mimicking the false prophets of Jeremiah’s day. Read through the book of Jeremiah, and see for yourself. Page back to Isaiah and see what God thinks of people telling lies in God’s name.
It’s not pretty. Jerusalem was destroyed, its inhabitants reduced to familial cannibalism. (Read the book of Lamentations for Jeremiah’s song of mourning over Jerusalem. Don’t skip 2:14 – “The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The oracles they gave you were false and misleading.”)
How much worse are we, when we know (or pretend to know) the Bible’s history and warnings – and we shut our ears to the truth? God is no less serious about his word today. God still hates people who fail to expose sin.
When the Bible speaks clearly – as it has on the topic of homosexuality – the discussion ends.