The political awakening of Minnesota’s Somali community poses a conundrum for the DFL party. While Somali-Americans overwhelmingly vote Democratic, many appear to disagree with the party when it comes to gay rights.

That tension was on display Sunday, as the party considered a dispute between a Somali city council candidate and the openly gay incumbent he’s running against.

At the meeting, the party’s Constitution, Bylaws and Rules Committee upheld the party’s endorsement of Abdi Warsame, who’s running for a seat on the Minneapolis City Council.

That seat is currently held by Robert Lilligren, who’s been on the council nearly a dozen years. But Lilligren lost the DFL endorsement this year to Warsame after hundreds of Somali-Americans turned out at precinct caucuses in April, and came back to the party’s convention, giving Warsame overwhelming support.

The MPR article also verifies what I discovered when researching the Marriage Amendment results from Cedar-Riverside:

Last year, Minneapolis voted overwhelmingly to reject a proposed constitutional amendment that would have banned same sex-marriage. Only 22 percent of the city voted for the amendment. But in the newly redrawn sixth ward, 47 percent of voters supported the amendment. In the most heavily Somali precincts, up to 65 percent voted yes.

Mr. Warsame, however, has to kiss the ass of compromise with the DFL in order to be included in the “political process”:

Warsame says he supports gay rights and understands what it means to be persecuted, “Especially coming from a community that’s poor, that’s black and that’s Muslim. We’ve been discriminated against more than anybody. So for us to make Robert or anybody else’s race, or ethnicity, or sexual orientation an issue, would have been counter-productive for what we want to do, and what I want to do and the message that I had for the community,” said Warsame.

If enough Somalis get into Minneapolis politics, they won’t have to kiss the ass of compromise with the DFL on social issues. They will own a big part of the Minneapolis DFL. The white progs and their queer friends will then have to decide whether their dream of a warm, fuzzy, multicultural racial utopia was a really good idea after all – or if race trumps queer.

This story made me laugh. The white progs in the DFL deserve it. With the hierarchy of prog victim status hitting the DFL multicultists square in the face, this will be fun to watch.

The right of every man to worship [G-d] according to the dictates of his own conscience shall never be infringed…nor shall any control of or interference with the rights of conscience be permitted…

Article I, Section 16, Constitution of Minnesota

If you do not obey this law, it’s going to get f**king ugly.

You have been so advised, be guided accordingly.

Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) CEO Bernie Farber took an active role in the recent challenge – initiated by a request from  Kulanu Toronto – to Rabbi Mendel Kaplan’s chaplaincy role with York Regional Police (YRP), a police spokesperson revealed. After an almost-six-month investigation into claims that Rabbi Kaplan, the popular spiritual leader of Chabad Flamingo, had expressed homophobic sentiments, and therefore, was unsuitable for the position…

If Temple Israel of Minneapolis and Temple of Aaron in St. Paul had their way, we’d be under the jurisdiction of the Diversity Mutawa or the paramilitary wing of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, or – forward to 2013, a Bureau of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

 [Kulanu Executive Director Justine] Apple said when the investigation began that CJC and Federation were very supportive of her attempt to get YRP to reconsider Rabbi Kaplan’s competence as chaplain. Even after the investigation concluded, Xtra!, Canada’s Gay and Lesbian News, reported: “Like Apple, Farber questions whether Kaplan is the most appropriate choice to represent YRP. ‘That’s what has to be answered,’ Farber stated.”

A Jewish communal group questioning whether a Jew is…too Jewish.

The Chabad (read: Orthodox) Rabbi defended himself.

“The allegation that Mr. Farber, CEO of an organization that purports to represent the entire Jewish community, sought to condemn an orthodox rabbi for upholding Torah values is shocking, deeply offensive and totally unacceptable,” Rabbi Kaplan commented.

Next, the dishonesty from the nihilst accuser:

Following the rabbi’s vindication at the end of the investigation, Apple said she would welcome the opportunity to discuss the matter with him.  Speaking to the Tribune, she acknowledged that she had made no attempt to have a meeting with Rabbi Kaplan before sending the letter to YRP challenging the rabbi’s suitability for the chaplaincy.

What’s to discuss?

[JDL Canada leader]Meir] Weinstein told the Tribune that Farber was “livid” that Rabbi Kaplan had disagreed with him about marching at the parade. “He told me he didn’t think that the rabbi was the right person for the chaplaincy.” Weinstein led JDL in the pride march with Kulanu.  “It wasn’t Rabbi Kaplan’s position not to attend the pride parade,” he said. “It’s the Torah position, and I agree with the Torah position. I went because I think it’s extremely important to confront the antisemites. “It was my first time at that event. It certainly isn’t the place to bring kids.

“None of the rabbis think that individuals, gay or straight, should be discriminated against or treated disrespectfully. But the pride parade is something different, with gay strippers flaunting their bodies. What does that have to do with fighting for their rights?” Weinstein plans to continue the fight against the anti-Israel organizers, although he isn’t sure yet whether he’ll attend the parade again, considering the “abominable stuff that goes on there.”

Turns out the Chabad Rabbi was correct.

It’s not “homophobia” is the fear is legitimate.

What would Marcia Zimmerman say? Victor Rosenthal? Our local JCRC?

Not much, I think.

If in-state tuition for illegal immigrants passes the Minnesota legislature and is signed into law, will my cousin, a United States citizen from New Jersey, be able to get in-state college tuition if he violates immigration law?