The Capitol often is filled with advocates, but Thursday's gathering was different.
There were songs, signs, noise. So much noise. Waves of noise as those supporting same-sex marriage hopefully — joyfully — gathered to rally for an event many thought never would happen.
Even Rep. Karen Clark, DFL-Minneapolis, the author of the House bill, was nearly numb after she passed through the cheering crowd and into the House chamber where the vote is to take place later today.
A number of her fellow DFLers hugged Clark as she moved to her desk.
“I didn’t ever expect this,’’ said Clark, who is a lesbian. “I’m just happy to be alive.’’
As she began her speech, introducing the bill, roars could be heard from outside the chamber.
“Vote yes! Vote yes! Vote yes!”
Most of those supporting same-sex marriage were wearing orange T-shirts; a smaller number, those in opposition, wore pink.
Opposing sides mingle peaceably
They disagreed mightily but mingled peaceably.
For example, when Melissa Curran-Moore of St. Louis Park in her orange shirt, saw a woman in pink alone, some distance from the rope that separated the public from legislators, she invited the woman to come stand next to her.
“She was squished in the back row,’’ said Curran-Moore. “I truly believe that everybody’s point of view should be heard and everybody should be treated with love.’’
So at Curran-Moore’s invitation, Mary Glover of Plymouth moved to the front of the huge crowd. She thanked Curran-Moore for her kindness. But her opinion on the subject remain rock solid.
“I don’t have anything against anybody,’’ Glover said. “But it’s not about love. It’s about marriage and a man and a woman. I felt I had to be here and stand for what I believe.’’
Legislators on both sides of the issue couldn’t help but feel, and be moved, by the energy that filled the building.
Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, stood a few hundred feet from the door to the House chamber where the roars of the crowd were loudest. Limmer, recall, was a leader in the GOP move to put on the ballot the marriage amendment, which would have constitutionally restricted marriage to a man and a woman.
That didn’t mean Limmer couldn’t feel the buzz in the building.
“It’s exciting,’’ said Limmer. “I see people here with their children. I see people of all colors, people on both sides of the issue. I see people participating. How can you not be moved by that?’’
Defeated marriage amendment led to this
As she entered the chamber, Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, said, “We wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for that amendment [the defeated marriage amendment]. That changed everything.’’
Limmer, though, expressed no regrets that he had been a leader on the amendment.
“I have no regrets,’’ he said. “In time, we would have been at this point anyway.’’
Limmer, with historic change going on all around him, said he’s never had doubts about his opposition to same sex marriage.
“Somewhere around this building,’’ he said, “there’s a slogan, ‘Nothing is politically correct if it’s morally wrong.’ I believe there will be serious consequences that have barely been discussed. I think there will be consequences to businesses, to what our clergy can say and do.’’
A few people in pink shirts stopped to shake Limmer’s hand and thank him for his position. Limmer smiled.
“All of this [the emotional crowd outside the House chamber] will come to us [the Senate side] next,’’ he said.
Limmer hasn’t given up hope that same-sex marriage will be derailed.
“There’s an old saying, ‘God can move the heart of a king,’ ’’ he said. “I still have hope.’’
But clearly, change was moving rapidly on this day.
DFL handshakes, GOP silence
DFLers came out of their caucus meeting around noon and smiled hugely as they threaded through a roaring crowd. There were handshakes and slaps on the back as they filed to the chamber.
Meantime, Republican House members moved more quietly through a side passage into the chamber. Their caucus had taken no official position on same-sex marriage.
Many, who often are verbose, were strangely quiet on this day.
Rep. Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, was House majority leader when the GOP was in charge. He said he had “nothing to say” on this day.
Rep. Mary Liz Holberg, R-Lakeville, said she had no feeling that she might be standing on the “wrong’’ side of history.
The Legislature was faced with this vote for two reasons: “The DFL is in charge, and people believed those ads," she said.
The ads she referred to were the television commercials opposing the marriage amendment. The message in many of those ads was that “nothing would change’’ regarding marriage if people voted against the amendment.
A “no’’ vote to same-sex marriage might be politically difficult for some Republican legislators, Holberg said.
“But we tell our freshmen to use sandpaper when they shower to toughen up their skin,’’ Holberg said. “There are votes you take that won’t make everyone happy. At times like that, you have to rely on support from those who support you.’’
Awaiting historic vote
The debate was about to begin. The roars dimmed as people settled in to wait for the historic vote.
Rep. Diane Loeffler, DFL-Minneapolis, talked about the emotions that most legislators likely were feeling.
“Every day, we take votes that make history in small ways,’’ she said. “Today it’s a vote that will affect many in a very big way.’’