How to Kick Wisconsin Right-Wing Butt

On the eve of the Wisconsin Assembly's vote to put a  Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on this fall's ballot, I am more worked up about next fall's elections than anything else, and that includes following the proceedings of the Scott Jensen trial. Right now I am convinced that the proposed Constitutional amendment to deny gay rights and liberties is the most pressing issue for Wisconsin in the next eight months.

Democrats lose elections not because they support gay rights, but because Republicans convince centrist voters that gay rights are the most important issue on the Democratic party agenda. Democrats can support gay rights and oppose the neo-Nazi, fanatical right-wing proposals to deny civil liberties and civil rights to gays as long as they make sure it is just one item in a properly balanced agenda.

I am having a hard time minding my own advice. 

Today I figured out why I feel so strongly about the Assembly action on this heinous Constitutional amendment. 

But let me put it in the positive. 

This issue is bigger than gay rights.  When I look at this vote it tells me where virtually all of the legislators are on each of these fundamental principles:

• Progressive taxation with the notion that the rich should pay  proportionally more taxes than the poor.
• A belief in public education and a commitment to make it work.
• A belief in capitalism, but a feeling that there is something wrong when Wal-Mart is the biggest retailer in the world and it tells it employees to go the public trough to get subsidized health care.
• An appreciation for the benefits of technology as it improves the human condition, but a concern that it should not be used to control behaviors and intimidate expression of ideas, no matter how unpopular.
• A commitment long after a war is fought to ensure that every veteran gets the best medical treatment and is not forced to deprive a family in order to buy essential medications.
• A realization that economic justice is requirement for all Americans of every color.
• The maturity to use honest mistakes by public employees as a means to learn and improve, not for vindictive selfish purposes.
• The humanity to look at the losses incurred by hurricane Katrina and measure it not just in dollars but in the loss of life, the loss of opportunity, and the loss of heritage.
• The intelligence to never again vote for a special district whether it be for the Milwaukee Brewers, or the Milwaukee Airport.
• The confidence to heed Gaylord Nelson: "Wisconsin can always get a new Senator, I cannot get a new conscience."

Gay rights are important, but more important is our perception of our State and ourselves. Gay rights are part of a larger mosaic that we all share. When we convince our neighbors of that, we win more than the rights of gays to enjoy the liberties and dignity that every Wisconsinite should share.

Comments

[Chris Dols]

86% of Mississippi voters passed that state's gay marriage ban when it shared the ballot with the '04 presidential race. While a good chuck of that 86% are surely hard bigots that will never change their mind, an even bigger chunk has never heard a defense of gay rights. Who's to blame for that? Maybe if John Kerry and the rest of the so-called "opposition" party actually supported gay marriage - let alone publicly advocated for it - our task in Wisconsin would be a little easier today. Instead Kerry and Edwards tacked right and supported the previous ban in Missouri.

"Hold your nose and vote for Kerry" has left us with years of work undoing what his campaign did: legitimized the war in Iraq and the attack on Gay Marriage among other things.

[Eva Young]

What's interesting is the two identified PACs pushing this in Minnesota both claim not to be "homosexual hate groups"....

http://www.mnmarriage.com/About_Us.htm

Minnesota Citizens in Defense of Marriage (MCDM) is a nonpartisan grassroots group of Minnesotans working to pass a state constitutional amendment bill defining marriage as "the union of one man and one woman, with no other relationship being recognized as marriage or its legal equivalent".

MCDM is not a homosexual hate group -- we subscribe to the belief that all human beings are created in the image of God and are entitled to the respect they deserve as members of our society. However, this does not mean that we need to agree with those who would seek to redefine the institution of marriage.

EY: But go listen to their ads targeting 11 democrats and 1 Republican state senator in Minnesota:

http://www.gangof12.com/

That belies what they are saying.

Chris Dols is correct on John Kerry. When Kerry debated Bush, he said "there is no difference between the President and myself on the issue of gay marriage".

So I guess I'd like to know the difference between the Minnesota Citizens in Defense of Marriage or the Wisconsin Marriage Defenders and Fred Phelps of God Hates Fags.

http://www.godhatesfags.com

[Eva Young]

PS: Democrats lose elections not because they support gay rights, but because Republicans convince centrist voters that gay rights are the most important issue on the Democratic party agenda. Democrats can support gay rights and oppose the neo-Nazi, fanatical right-wing proposals to deny civil liberties and civil rights to gays as long as they make sure it is just one item in a properly balanced agenda.

EY: When voters are convinced that Republicans are a bit too obsessed with gays, this works against the Republican party.

Part of the problem is that Democrats treat gays as an automatic teller machine, and the Republicans try to marginalize gays for political gain. There are some exceptions, but in my view gays were ill-served by both parties in the 2004 elections.

[Paul]

Chris: you hit it right on the head and your point applies to the last thirty years of decline of progressive politics in this country: too many people have not heard the progressive message. When Democrats started losing elections as Reagan ascended with right-wing talk radio and cable ministers in the 1980's, the Dems choose to withdraw both geographically as well as progressive message. We have to fight in every precinct, every district.