Social Issues

The debate over gay marriage is intensifying. President Bush supports a constitutional amendment banning same-sex unions. The issue is also brewing in at least 35 legislatures, including Minnesota. The backlash is surprising to one Minnesota couple who recently married in San Francisco.

There's a lot of debate about human embryos these days. The University of Minnesota says it will expand its stem cell research to include donated human embryos. But not many people are willing to donate embryos.

Minnesota's graduation rate is among the top five in the country. However, the graduation rates for the state's minority students are much lower. A new study shows just over half of Minnesota's African American students and barely more than a third American Indian high schoolers get a diploma after four years. The study shows similarly discouraging rates for the entire country. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.

A group of Ethiopian refugees is calling for an international investigation into recent violence against their tribe back in Africa. The Anuak people live in the Gambella region of western Ethiopia. It's known for its fertile soil and rich deposits of gold and oil. Anuak in Minnesota say since late last year more than 400 members of the tribe have been murdered. They blame the Ethiopian government.

Jumping into a volatile election-year debate on same-sex weddings, President Bush on Tuesday backed a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage - a move he said was needed to stop judges from changing the definition of the "most enduring human institution."

Her stories have been called tough and unsentimental. ZZ Packer's characters try to undo trouble of their own making, and in the process they show how racism wends through a supposedly colorblind society.

Marriage and what it means is being debated more in light of the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling that said marriage should not be denied same sex couples. The meaning of marriage in political and social terms on the next Midmorning.

Minnesota's homeownership rate is among the highest in the nation. However, people of color in Minnesota are less likely than whites to own a home. The largest homeownership gap exists between white and black Minnesotans. The gap alarms housing and civil rights activists who say homeownership is the best way to end generations of poverty.

Minnesota residents talk a lot about the great quality of life they have. The state has enjoyed a national reputation for good schools and supportive children's programs. But that image has taken a hit lately. Funding for low income daycare has been chopped. Lawmakers will struggle again this year to make up a deficit that could total $500 million. It's a situation that may leave some families, scrambling to pay the daycare bill.

A poll out this week says most Minnesotans oppose same-sex marriage, but most don't support an amendment to the state constitution prohibiting gay marriage. An in-depth look at the arguments surrounding the gay marriage debate from the Commonwealth Club of California.