MN state senator blasted on Twitter for anti-same sex marriage remark

A Minnesota state senator incited criticism from within his own party Monday after insinuating on Twitter that opponents of a state amendment against same sex marriage weren't patriotic.

According to City Pages, the blowback against Dan Hall (R) came after he posted a picture of two homes with signs opposing the Minnesota Marriage Amendment and asking, "Why is it you never see an American flag where you see a Vote No for the Mn #Marriage Amendment sign?"

Hall is running for reelection out of the state's newly-created 56th district, against Democratic candidate Leon Thurman, who has gone on the record against the amendment, calling it an unconditional limit on "freedom and liberty."

"While that's not my bag, live and let live," Thurman told Sun This Week earlier this year. "Marriage is a legal concept; it isn't just a religious one. You have to buy a marriage license from the state, and the word is in statutes."

The amendment, scheduled to be on the November state ballot, seeks to define marriage under the state constitution as only being valid if it's between a man and a woman. It does allow for same-sex civil unions.

The day before, Hall had posted a picture of a home with an American flag painted over the garage, writing "What's my first clue their [sic] #Republican."

And in this case, it was numerous fellow Republicans who called Hall out over his rush to judgment. Fellow Republican lawmaker John Kriesel, who had supported gay marriage, wrote back, "I have a flag in my yard," while some Republican voters replied telling him they planned to vote against the proposal.

"As a Dakota County Republican whose [sic] voting no, I'm kind of offended by the insinuation that I'm not patriotic," one wrote.

Later in the day, critics got the same tweet in response, which seems to take a grammar cue from a fellow Minnesotan, musician Prince.

"Everyone seems touchy when I give them my observation," the response read. "U [sic] read into it what U want, but no one is calling anyone unpatriotic."

Hall's conservative views extend beyond the discussion regarding gay marriage: last year, the Minnesota Independentreported on Hall's remarks on the state senate floor supporting the elimination of desegregation programs.

"I watched Minneapolis get destroyed, so I not only didn't want my kids in the school system," he said. "I took them out of Minneapolis because they ruined our neighborhoods with integration and [de]segregation."

Hall's remarks regarding integration, posted on YouTube on April 1, 2011, can be seen below.