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Originally published (June 26, 2011) in the Chronicle of Higher Education on the Brainstorm Blog upon New York state's passage of the bill making gay marriage legal.

Meanwhile, back in flyover land…

Our state legislature has been taken over by the crazies. Most of the damage has been averted by an adult governor, but nevertheless they have managed to come up with ways to get around his good sense and veto. Putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot only takes a simple majority, which they have. They do not, thank God, have enough votes to override the governor's veto. However, the constitutional amendment route can still be used to damaging effect. Case in point, they have passed a bill to put what is effectively an anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment on the ballot for 2012.

Their bet is that homophobia will overcome good sense in Minnesota. Events in New York make me hopeful that they will lose this bet. Minnesotans seem to be finally realizing that gay marriage is not a threat and is essentially a matter of human rights. Even the younger Republicans…

Thank you, New York.

So there is no doubt: My personal opinion. I do not speak for University of Minnesota