I want to thank Senator Dean Johnson for his courageous stand against the religious right's attempt to thrust the gay marriage debate to the forefront of all other issues the public has to deal with today.
Republicans can paint any horrible picture they want of him. I choose to look at the truth of the matter, which is that Minnesotans will never realize how lucky they are to be able to go through the week without a barrage of gay marriage advertisements as Election Day approaches.
Gay marriage is already outlawed in Minnesota, and it has been backed up by a Supreme Court ruling.
If a "gay marriage ban" was indeed on the ballot, our current political environment of he-said, she-said mudslinging would be far worse and impossible for the average person to stomach.
Politics today is bad enough with the National Republican Party running a scorched-earth policy against Democrats nationwide. Their venomous, twisted attacks on hard-working, local legislators such as Aaron Peterson from Madison in western Minnesota highlight the mandate sent down from George W. Bush's right hand man, Karl Rove, to use baseless, personal attacks instead of talking about the issues important to voters.
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Remember, if you repeat a lie long enough and often enough, people tend to believe it as truth. The lies and innuendos that run through the rumor mills about Senator Johnson and Representative Peterson, as two examples, should bring shame to any decent person who keeps that rumor mill going.
Public, are you smart enough to recognize the Republicans' sad, desperate attempt to hold onto power?
Randy O. Olson
Sunburg
