Furst Draft

Updated lineup for the Dakota War Dialogues next week

Here's the latest on the Dialogues program coming up on Wednesday: Elitta Gouge, a tribal elder from the Upper Sioux Community, will also join us at the Rochester Public Library. Looking forward to hearing a lot of stories and lot of thoughts on how the war continues to reverberate through our history to the present day.

This promo runs in the print edition Saturday:

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The commemoration of the Dakota War, which began 150 years ago in August, will come to an end next month, when the final episode of the uprising is remembered: the execution on Dec. 26, 1862, of 38 Dakota prisoners in Mankato.

The Post-Bulletin will publish a special report on that event on Dec. 22, completing our look back at the Dakota uprising and its aftermath. Along with that coverage, the next Post-Bulletin Dialogues meeting will be a conversation about the uprising and how it changed our state and nation.

That event will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Rochester Public Library auditorium.

Joining P-B Managing Editor Jay Furst will be historians and others who are deeply familiar with the war and its relevance. They include Sandy Geshick, a tribal elder at the Lower Sioux Indian Community, near Redwood Falls; Elitta Gouge, of Granite Falls, former tribal council member at the Upper Sioux Community; state Rep. Dean Urdahl, of Grove City, author of historical novels based on the war and an advocate for the repeal of the congressional act that banished the Dakota people from Minnesota in 1863; Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, co-chair with Urdahl of the Minnesota Civil War Commemoration Task Force ; Olmsted District Court judge and historical writer Joe Chase; and Tom Hosier, of Rochester, president of the Wood Lake Battlefield Preservation Association.

Others from the Dakota community in the Rochester area are especially welcome to join us and help lead the discussion.

Post-Bulletin Dialogues meetings are free, informal community meetings about issues in the news.

For more details on the December Dialogues, check out the Furst Draft blog at PostBulletin.com.

Sneak peak at Thursday's column

Here's an early look at my print column for Thursday -- always glad for any proofing help before it runs!

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Tracy McCray's decision to quit writing her Talk of the Town column, which we've published for more than three years, caught me by surprise, as it likely did you. Though she said in her farewell column Monday that she's "never been good at making decisions," Tracy said she's been thinking about this one for a while -- and in part it's to allow herself more time to make decisions on how she wants to direct her time and energy.

"I can never say no, whether as a professional or as a volunteer, and I've wound up with too much," she told me this week. "I need to take my own advice and become more intentional with what I'm doing," and that means loosening the surly bonds of a few commitments, such as writing a weekly column for us.

Tracy has been involved in Rochester media for years, and as she says, volunteers for just about any organization that asks. The other night, I saw her emceeing the live auction at the annual Festival of Trees fundraiser for Hiawatha Homes, and as always, she was charming, bright and seemed totally at ease in front of hundreds of people in the audience. She's a natural at what she does.

When she left her full-time radio job in 2009, I called her right away to get her with in the P-B. Over time, that evolved into the Talk of the Town column, which became a regular part of her week (and hopefully yours) in July of that year.

Tracy says she wants to continue to write for us now and then, and here's a very public invitation, Tracy, to come on over anytime and we'll find a place for your copy and your talents here.

In the meantime, the P-B archives are a wonderful place to visit. I was just browsing through some of Tracy's columns and came across this one from late that first month she wrote for us. The headline is, "Don't let summer -- or anytime -- fly by you," and this quote maybe sums up where she's at now:

"You don’t have to cancel all your plans. Some of you thrive on a full schedule. Just consider enjoying what you are doing while you are doing it. More important, if you don’t enjoy it, it’s time to say no. Don’t worry about your schedule for tomorrow, just enjoy how good today feels. Or as a friend says, 'Be where your feet are.'"

Dialogues and other news

If you've read our reports on the Dakota War, which erupted 150 years ago this past summer and profoundly changed Minnesota history, you might want to join us at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Rochester Public Library for a conversation about the war, why it came about and how it changed our history.

I'll be joined by a half-dozen people who know all about the uprising and the aftermath, which after 150 years remains as relevant as ever. As always, this Dialogues meeting will be an informal, open-ended conversation and Q & A with the audience, and I always remember to stop at the Barlow Hy-Vee on my way to the library to pick up fresh cookies.

Also, watch for the last package of stories we'll publish this year on the Dakota uprising, this time covering the final chapter of the 1862 story, the execution of 38 Dakota prisoners in Mankato on the day after Christmas of that year. Those stories will run in the Weekend edition on Dec. 22.

Two more bits of news: For those of you who've called to tell me what you think of the comic we've been testing, "Non Sequitor," thanks for taking the time to check in. Just about all of the comments have been raves for the comic, so we'll stick with it -- we took off the "Test Comic" label this week.

And take a look at yet another new column we're introducing this week, Ryan Stotts' weekly "Day in the Life" column, which will run on Saturdays on the region cover. Ryan, who used to edit the P-B Co.'s alt-monthly Exposed and other publications, is a terrific writer and you'll like the touch he brings to these personal columns about interesting people he meets on the job.

More details on Dialogues meeting/Dakota War

Here's a quick advance on the Dec. 5 Dialogues program -- it'll be a great program:

The commemoration of the Dakota War, which began 150 years ago in August, will come to an end next month, when the final episode of the uprising is remembered: the execution on Dec. 26, 1862, of 38 Dakota prisoners in Mankato.

The Post-Bulletin will publish a special report on that event on Dec. 22, completing our look back at the Dakota uprising and its aftermath. Along with that coverage, the next Post-Bulletin Dialogues meeting will be a conversation about the uprising and how it changed our state and nation.

That event will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, in the Rochester Public Library auditorium.

Joining P-B Managing Editor Jay Furst will be historians and others who have a deep familiarity with the war and its relevance 150 years later. The panelists include Sandy Geshick, a tribal elder at the Lower Sioux Indian Community, near Morton; state Rep. Dean Urdahl of Grove City, author of historical novels based on the war and an advocate for the repeal of the congressional act that banished the Dakota people from Minnesota in 1863; Secretary of State Mark Ritchie; Olmsted District Judge and historical writer Joe Chase; and Tom Postier, of Rochester, president of the Wood Lake Battlefield Association.

Post-Bulletin Dialogues meetings are free, informal community meetings about issues in the news. The topic of the most recent Dialogues meeting, a discussion in late October on the voter ID constitutional amendment, featured Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, author of the House legislation.

For more details on the December Dialogues, check out the Furst Draft blog at PostBulletin.com.

Dialogues on Dakota War on Dec. 5

The Dialogues program for Dec. 5 is shaping up to be one of our best: A conversation about the Dakota uprising of 150 years ago, its importance in state history and continuing relevance today. This fits in well with the coverage we've been doing since August and which will continue next month with one more package of stories on the Dakota War and its denouement, the execution of 38 Dakota men in Mankato on Dec. 26, 1862.

Joining us for the Dialogues event so far:

Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie

Rep. Dean Urdahl, of Grove City, Minn., who has written books about the war and has called for Congress to repeal the 1863 act that banished the Dakota people from Minnesota.

Olmsted County District Judge and playwright Joe Chase

Tribal elder Sandy Geschick from the Lower Sioux Indian Community near Morton, and hopefully another elder from the Upper Sioux Indian Reservation.

Tom Hosier, of Rochester, historian and president of the Wood Lake Battlefield Preservation Association.

And maybe another guest or two who can talk about that foundational tragedy in Minnesota history. More details to follow, but it's at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday 12/5 in the Rochester Public Library auditorium. Hope you can join us.

 

 

 

Constitutional amendments trailing in latest PPP survey

News release regarding PPP poll -- take with a grain of salt.

PPP's final Minnesota poll of the 2012 election cycle finds Barack Obama leading comfortably, 53-45. We've conducted four surveys of the state since Labor Day and found Obama leading by a margin in the 7-10 point range on each of them.
Obama doesn't have great approval numbers in the state, with 49% of voters giving him good marks to 45% who disapprove. But voters aren't big on Romney either with 43% rating him favorably to 49% who have a negative view of him. Obama's winning thanks in particular to large margins with women (58/39) and voters under 30 (71/27).
The more interesting findings on our final Minnesota poll deal with the state's high profile amendments to ban gay marriage and require voter identification. We find both narrowly trailing. 45% of voters say they'll vote for the gay marriage ban, compared to 52% who are opposed to it. And 46% say they'll support the voter ID amendment to 51% who are opposed. Public opinion has shifted against both of these measures in the last month. In early October voters were only against the marriage ban 46/49 and they supported the voter ID question 51/43.
The marriage amendment is trailing because of a massive generational divide. Seniors support it by a 57/40 margin but every other age group opposes it, including a 36/62 margin against it among voters under 30. Republicans support it (79%) and Democrats oppose it (76%) in almost equal numbers, but independents tip the balance by opposing it 41/55.
The reason the voter ID amendment now appears to be in serious trouble is that Democrats (82%) are just as opposed to it as Republicans (82%) are supportive of it. We've found Republicans strongly supportive of the concept all year, but Democrats have moved sharply against it from 36% support in June to now just 14%. And independents have shifted over the last five months from being very much in favor (58/35) to evenly divided (49/49).
The Minnesota Senate race is no contest, with Amy Klobuchar leading Kurt Bills 62-32. She's one of the most popular Senators in the country with a 60/26 approval spread, and Bills still has only 50% name recognition even with just 48 hours remaining before the election.
This analysis is also available on our website:
 
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/11/obama-up-8-in-minnesota-amendments-may-be-going-down.html
 
A press release and full crosstabs are attached-
 
Thanks,
 
Tom
 
Tom Jensen
Director, Public Policy Polling
919-744-6312/tomj@publicpolicypolling.com

'Minnesota can again lead the country on a civil rights issue'

Considering the Catholic church's full-court press for the marriage amendment, this is a courageous statement by faculty members at St. John's University and the College of St. Benedict, in Collegeville.

The archbishop is going to be very, very unhappy.

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Following is the text of a full-page ad that faculty at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University (central Minnesota) published Friday, October 26, 2012 in the schools’ newspaper, The Record. One hundred and forty-three faculty signed the statement which calls the proposed Minnesota 'marriage amendment' an "unjust attack on gay and lesbian people." Vincent M. Smiles, Professor of Theology, Andy Holey, Professor of Computer Science, and Michael Livingston, Professor of Psychology, are the principal authors/signers of the statement.

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A Statement in Opposition to the

Minnesota Marriage Amendment

We, the undersigned, are members of the teaching faculty and staff of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. We regard the proposed Minnesota Marriage Amendment on the November 6 ballot as an unjust attack on gay and lesbian people and at variance with our community’s best traditions and values.

We speak only for ourselves – not for any departments or institutions. We respect the neutral position on the amendment that the administrations of our two colleges have taken. They rightly encourage careful study of the issue, and so do we. We also respect the right of our students and other citizens to make their own informed choices on how to vote.
We speak as educators who have studied numerous aspects of same-sex marriage. The backers of the proposed amendment claim that a “No” vote will damage marriage, violate religious liberty, endanger children and generally lead to moral decline in society. We dispute such claims.

Current Minnesota law does not provide for same-sex marriage, and a “No” vote on the proposed amendment would not make same-sex marriage legal. A “No” vote would simply allow for a thoughtful public conversation about when and how to guarantee equal protection of the law to same-sex couples. A “Yes” vote will permanently make them second-class citizens. We believe this is wrong.

The proposed amendment is inconsistent with the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which states: “No state…shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Similarly, Minnesota’s constitution guarantees that “No member of this state shall be disenfranchised or deprived of any of the rights or privileges secured to any citizen thereof.” Though Minnesota law does not currently provide for same-sex marriage, the Minnesota Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in housing and employment on the basis of sexual orientation. Passage of the proposed Marriage Amendment would be an ominous move in the opposite direction.

Both the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and the Minnesota Constitution guarantee religious liberty and separation of church and state. Laws permitting same-sex marriage would violate no one’s religious liberty. All churches would be free to perform or not perform marriages according to their own beliefs.

Differences in race or class were once taken as insurmountable obstacles to marriage, but today most people recognize that mutual love and respect are the foundations of married love. In 1967 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down laws prohibiting interracial marriage because such laws denied “equal protection of the laws” to interracial couples. We believe that laws banning same-sex marriage are essentially no different from laws that once banned interracial marriages.

Though the Catholic Bishops of Minnesota are calling on Catholics to vote “Yes,” there is, in fact, significant disagreement in the Catholic Church on same-sex marriage. Numerous theologians believe that the Bible cannot properly be invoked in support of a ban on same-sex marriage. Catholic faith defends the sanctity of individual conscience, and Catholics are not obligated to vote “Yes” on this amendment. Moreover, Catholic teaching alone cannot form the basis of civil law in a republic of many faiths and traditions.

According to the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), Catholic theologians must take into account “new sciences and theories,” so that “morality may keep pace with scientific knowledge.” (1) It is in light of this guidance that many theologians have allowed insights of psychology and sociology to inform their theology, and they have concluded that homosexuality is natural, and that same-sex unions are compatible with Catholic faith. Indeed, theologians long ago argued that pastors might appropriately bless same-sex unions. (2)

Quality empirical research has shown that children raised by same-sex couples have similar outcomes to children raised by heterosexual couples. The research has consistently demonstrated that children’s well-being is most directly related to the quality of parenting, not the gender or sexual orientation of the parents. (3) Research has also shown that discriminatory laws and attitudes are harmful to same-sex families and their children. So, while advocates for passing the Marriage Amendment claim it is needed to protect families and children, it would likely have the opposite impact on many families.

In states of the USA and in countries around the world where same-sex unions and marriages are legal marriage has not been destroyed. Men and women continue to marry and (sadly) to be divorced at approximately the same rate as in states and countries where same-sex unions and marriages are not permitted. There is no evidence in these places that same-sex unions and marriages have caused any moral decline in society.

Gay men and lesbians have long been suffering the sting of discrimination. Suicide among homosexual teenagers occurs at an alarming rate. The good news is that more and more people are recognizing that homosexuality is like left-handedness–in the minority, but perfectly natural. As in the days of the civil rights movement for African Americans, Minnesota can again lead the country on a civil rights issue, this time by being the first state to reject this kind of discriminatory amendment. We urge the citizens of Minnesota to do so.

Signers:
Vincent Smiles, Theology
Andy Holey, Computer Science
Michael Livingston, Psychology
John Merkle, Theology
Tony Cunningham, Philosophy
Lisa Platt, Psychology
Lindsay Anderson, Nursing
Mike Ross, Chemistry
Janet Grochowski, Education
Rodger Narloch, Psychology
Henry Jakubowski, Chemistry
Janelle Hinchley, First Year Seminar & Gender Studies
James Poff, Biology
Phil Chu, Biology
Gordon Brown, Biology
Parker Wheatley, Economics
Carol Brash, Fine Arts
Karyl Daughters, Communication
Gladys White, Hispanic Studies
Ernest Diedrich, Economics
Bruce Campbell, Hispanic Studies
Ozzie Mayers, English
Stephen Stelzner, Psychology
Derek Larson, History & Environmental Studies
Brian Campbell, Music
Pam Bacon, Psychology
Linda Tennison, Psychology
Carol Jansky, Biology
Clayton Gearhart, Physics (emeritus)
Jonathon Carlson, Library
Ingrid Smiles, CSB Campus Ministry
David Wuolu, Library
Wendy Klepetar, Global Business Leadership
Benjamin Faber, Psychology
William Lamberts, Biology
Scott Richardson, Modern and Classical Languagues
Samuel Johnson, Fine Arts
Bruce Thornton, Music
Jessica O’Reilly, Sociology
Jessica Harkins, English
Sigrid Hedman-Dennis, Nursing
Thomas Sibley, Mathematics
Matt Callahan, English
Patricia Bolanos, Hispanic Studies & Gender Studies
Kathleen Costello, First Year Seminar
Erica Stonestreet, Philosophy
Allison Spenader, Education
Kelly Kraemer, Peace Studies
Jennifer Galovich, Mathematics
Bret Benesh, Mathematics
Matthew Harkins, English
Yuko Shibata, Modern and Classical Languages & Asian Studies
Luann Reif, Nursing
Maureen McCarter, Modern and Classical Languages
Janna LaFountaine, Exercise Science and Sports Studies
Carrie Braun, Nursing
Marcus Webster, Biology
Cynthia Curran, History
James Schnepf, Computer Science
Martha Tomhave Blauvelt, Gender Studies
Tess Kasling, Library
Karen Erickson, Modern and Classical Languages
David Malone, Library
Elizabeth Wurdak, Biology
Gary Prevost, Political Science
Juliann Heller, Theology
Susan Riley, History
Christi Siver, Political Science
Kathy Twohy, Nursing
Patricia Kennedy, Theology
Robert Hesse, Mathematics
Andrea Shaker, Fine Arts
John Miller, Computer Science
Elaine Rutherford, Fine Arts
Sarah Schaaf, Hispanic Studies
Manuel Campos, Biology
Luke Mancuso, English
Madhu Mitra, English
Charles Wright, Philosphy
Angela Erickson-Grussing, Hispanic Studies
David Mitchell, Biology
Jillian Hiscock, Admissions
Richard Bohannon, Environmental Studies
John Olson, Economics
Jacqueline Corral, Admissions
Joy Ruis, Office for Education Abroad
Sarah Pruett, ESC Coordinator
Eleonora Bertranou, Hispanic Studies
Jillian RIgg McKenzie, Admissions
Brooke Horejsi, Fine Arts Programing
Christina Shouse Tourino, English
Molly Ewing, Library
Edmund Sass, Education
Kaarin S. Johnston, Theater
Jeffrey Anderson, Peace Studies
Patricia Kent, Music
Tania Gomez, Hispanic Studies
Kathleen Parker, Library
Cindy Malone, English
Corey Shouse Tourino, Hispanic Studies
Shane Miller, Communication
Jean Keller, Philosophy
Rachelle Larson, Nursing
Nicholas Jones, Chemistry
Mark Mortrude, Education
Wendy Sterba, Modern and Classical Languages
Jean Ochu, Accounting and Finance
David Bennetts, History
Shannon Essler Petty, Education
Leigh Dillard, Theater
Diane Veale-Jones, Environmental Studies
Nelsy Echarvez-Solano, Hispanic Studies
Timothy Robinson, Philosophy
Matt Lindstrom, Political Science
Elena Sanchez Mora, Hispanic Studies
Jean Lavigne, Environmental Studies
Michael Opitz, English
Gregory Walker, Music
Jennifer Schaefer, Biology
Megan Vetsch, Fine Arts Programing
Angeline Dufner, English (Emeritus)
Joe Rogers, Global Education
Kenneth Jones, History
Janet Neuwirth, Nursing
Anna Mercedes, Theology
Bridget Sitzer, Admissions
Allan Bouley, Theology (Emeritus)
Michael Roske, Abby Woodworking
Peggy Roske, CSB/SJU Archives
Philip Kronebusch, Political Science
Peggy Retka, Office for Education Abroad
Kevin Knodl, Fine Arts Programing
Manju Parikh, Political Science
J. Scott Johnson, Political Science
Elisabeth Wengler, History
Roy Ketchum, Hispanic Studies
Stephen Wagner, Philosophy
Beth Pettitt, Biology
Lisa Drontle, Music
Julie Davis, History
Todd Johnson, Physics
Robert Kachelski, Psychology
Gregory Schroeder, History