October 25, 2012 - Minnesotans are involved in a passionate debate about marriage during 2012 election season. The two sides began squaring off more than 40 years ago. This project draws from MPR's extensive audio archive to explore the origins of this election day showdown over same-sex marriage.
July 12, 1978 - Dr. Ronald Cranford, of Hennepin County Medical Center; and Mr. John Markert, the Executive Director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, discuss the concept of brain death, and the problems in defining death. Both men have testified before the Minnesota legislature on the brain death issue, and Dr. Cranford was a consultant on the recent Stacey Ellison case in St. Paul in which the child was "brain dead" though still breathing with the help of a respirator. Cranford has been active in work to arrive at a definition of death. John Markert has opposed efforts to allow the use of brain death as a legal definition for determining when life has ended.
March 31, 1975 - MPR’s Dulcie Lawrence reports on debate of gay rights bill being discussed in Minnesota judiciary subcommittee. Lawrence presents opposing views regarding bill from John Markert, attorney from Minnesota Catholic conference, and Tim Campbell, a gay educational consultant.