Three cheers for our State Senate Democrats!
December 8, 2005
They were unanimous in opposing the vindictive little gay-bashing amendment that the Republicans want to include in our constitution. The amendment passed 19-14 (one Republican who claims to support civil unions voted Yes), and now goes to the Republican-controlled Assembly, which will presumably vote Yes and put the amendment on the ballot next year.
Watchdog Milwaukee has an excellent post on the Senate happenings, and No on the Amendment has the details. The whole thing was predictable, but disappointing. Nevertheless, the Democratic caucus deserves a round of applause for their unity and their opposition. Things like this are the red meat of the culture war. Marriage equality is supposed to be the conservative wedge issue that splits the progressive vote, but not this time. It’s nice to see the good guys standing up for the courage of their convictions.
The proposed amendment reads:
Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state.
That second sentence is what makes this such a small and hateful thing. We’re not talking about marriage equality (which is unobjectionable, but for some unfathomable reason, controversial), but about civil unions. Despite the assertions of the religious right that some shadowy third party (take your pick: “The Courts” or “Liberals” or “Atheists”) is out to destroy traditional marriage, this amendment has absolutely nothing to do with the sacrament of marriage as recognized by any church or denomination. The State of Wisconsin has absolutely no interest in that. Their interest in the matter ends when you fill out the right paperwork, after which point you’re free to engage in whatever kind of ceremony you want.
This is, and always has been, about how we treat people in the state of Wisconsin. Do we allow gay and lesbian couples to have hospital visitation rights? Do we allow them to benefit from living wills? Do we allow them to share in the many civil benefits of marriage? Do we treat them with the same dignity with which we treat everyone else? That we still have to ask these questions is shameful.
Wisconsin’s constitution is the oldest one in America, outside of New England. Most states have had to go back to the drawing boards several times, but we created a good one the first time around (*), and we’ve been using it ever since. If the amendment passes, it will be the first time in over 150 years that our constitution was amended to take away rights. For the first time, people who move to Wisconsin from elsewhere in the country will have fewer rights and less freedom in their new home. That’s a sad, black mark against the good name of our state. We’re better than this.
(*) - It’s actually the second one. The first proposed constitution (voted down before statehood) was defeated because it contained such progressive ideas as allowing women to own property and letting black people vote.
December 8th, 2005 at 12:08 pm
Well said:
That’s the bottom line, isn’t it? Wisconsin isn’t one of those states, the ones that pass mean-spirited laws intended primarily to harass some minority group. At least the Democrats understand that. After what we’ve seen the past five years, I was beginning to worry about them. But they’re back, it seems, and not a moment too soon.
December 8th, 2005 at 12:19 pm
Jen: I think that’s about right. I’ve heard all sorts of vaguely implausible arguments about how marriage equality would hurt children, or destroy traditional marriage, or be un-Christian, or (pace James Dobson) bring about the end of Western civilization. Even when said arguments come from smart people, they never really add up. Something else is driving them. No matter how often they deny it, I can’t help but think that the pro-amendment folks just don’t like gay people.
It’s at bottom a civil rights issue, which is another way of saying it’s about treating everyone equally under the law, with respect and dignity.
December 8th, 2005 at 1:06 pm
I’m glad you’re sticking up for our professional Democrats. We’re so quick to snipe them and form circular firing squads, and it’s great to give them credit when they do the right thing, which, for all of our complaining, happens more often than we often admit.
So let me give my cheer for the State Senate Democrats too: Hurrah!
December 8th, 2005 at 10:55 pm
Dear Senator Risser,
I thank you for your vote, though I was disappointed that you didn’t
speak more forcefully for full marriage equality. By discussing the
political process you played along with the rest of them and ignored
what’s really at stake here: the lives of lesbian and gay couples. By
focusing so extensively on common law marriages, you again missed the
opportunity to stick up for the basic dignity of your many lesbian and
gay constituents. As the Madison Senator, I thought I could count on you
to stick up for my dignity, and I was sadly mistaken.
Moreover, even your arguments seemed haphazard, sloppy, and weak. To
take just one example, Senator Fitzgerald made outrageous claims about
the second sentence actually preserving the option of civil unions. You
clearly hadn’t done the research necessary to debate forcefully about
all the issues surrounding the amendment. Why did no one challenge
Fitzgerald’s blatant lie? Why did none of the Democrats seem even to
know the definition and history of civil unions?
While I am happy all of the Democrats voted against this amendment, I am
deeply saddened that you, my senator, hadn’t done your homework, didn’t
stand up for full marriage equality, and failed to challenge blatant
Republican lies.
I think it is time for you to pass the torch, and I encourage you to retire.
Sincerely yours,
Travis Foster
December 15th, 2005 at 10:40 am
[...] When the gay-bashing amendment passed the state Senate last week, I applauded our Democratic caucus for their unanimous opposition. It’s amazing how quickly public opinion has moved to the left on the issue. [...]
May 18th, 2006 at 3:31 pm
[...] A while back, I applauded our state Democrats for their unanimous opposition to Wisconsin’s GOP-sponsored gay-bashing amendment. Today, it’s three cheers for our national Democrats, who voted unanimously against sending the national GOP-sponsored gay-bashing amendment out of committee in the Senate. [...]
November 3rd, 2006 at 9:29 am
[...] (See also: here, here, here, here, here, and here for more on my opposition to this.) [...]