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Depending on FriendsThe LGBT Community needs your help - [12-JAN-2005] by Chris Ott, Executive Director, Action Wisconsin Dear Friends, Happy New Year! I hope being back to work is not so grim after what was, hopefully, fun times over Christmas and New Years. This is one of the longer emails you'll be getting from me this year, unless I take to writing messages about beach balls across the ocean and French gym teachers again (which is not so likely). I will have to send a funny one of some sort though, because this one is pretty serious, and I am a fan of balance. Please read over this message and do what you can. It's something that scares me to the point of avoidance and irks me to the extremes of annoyance. This issue should not be the focus of our legislators or our voters at this time, but by allowing it slip under the radar, it silently steals our civil liberties. I, and the LGBT community as a whole, depend on you and your friends, neighbors and co-workers. Wisconsin is one of many states this year at risk of passing an anti-LGBT constitutional amendment. Don't buy all the garbage about this amendment being a response to "activist courts." This was an issue long before Massachusetts and, from what I have read of the GOP lit, this "activist courts" crap is really just out there to make an excuse for something that just isn't right. If this amendment makes it through legislature, it will be voted on statewide in a referendum, possibly as soon as April 5. There are more details on that later in this email, but I want to ask you to: 1) be an ally to our community; because if this goes to referendum, the LGBT community cannot avoid defeat without the support of our straight-identified allies, and 2) reach out to your elected reps and let them know that you would like them to vote against this amendment, which could keep it from ever even going to referendum. I realize that we may all have different feelings about gay marriage, but I ask you to realize that the amendment being proposed in Wisconsin discriminates against more than just marriage - domestic partnerships, civil unions, and even same-sex DP benefits like health insurance, offered by many local companies and organizations. Another problem with this amendment is that it's passage could lead to other forms of legal, but unjust discrimination against LGBT families in Wisconsin, or any other minority group chosen as a target in the future. Our state and national constitutions should guarantee Americans equality, not discriminate. The following is a little more info on what is happening and what you can do. Lawmakers returned to the state Capitol this week, and the next three months will be critical in stopping the proposed constitutional ban on civil unions and marriage in Wisconsin. If legislators pass the constitutional amendment again before March, they could put it on the ballot as soon as April 5. Starting this week, Action Wisconsin will be sending regular updates about what's unfolding in the Legislature and what you can do to help stop the amendment. Today, I'm writing with a general update on where things stand and a reminder about our upcoming Lobby Day to Stop the Ban. Our first task in 2005 is to defeat or delay the amendment in the Legislature. Election results from other parts of the country on Nov. 2 were disappointing, but it's important to remember that 15 states defeated these amendments in their legislatures. The conventional wisdom says that it will be impossible to do that in Wisconsin, but we're not buying it. We don't have illusions that this will be easy, but if states like Minnesota can stop their amendments -- and even more conservative states like Idaho -- then so can Wisconsin. We need your help in giving this our best shot. Even amendment supporters have misgivings about how far this measure goes, and we need to convince them to act on those misgivings. If we can persuade five state Senators to switch their votes, we can stop this amendment. Nothing sends a stronger message than visiting your legislators in person at their office in Madison. Humanizing this issue through ongoing face-to-face conversations and sharing personal stories is our most powerful tool in fighting the amendment. If you haven't signed up yet, please consider taking the day off to attend the Lobby Day to Stop the Ban in Madison on Thursday, Jan. 27. To see the Lobby Day schedule and to register online, visit: http://www.actionwisconsin.org/lobbydayreg/ If severe weather makes travel too difficult on Jan. 27, the snow date will be Tues., Feb. 15. Visit our website the night of Jan. 26 or early the morning of Jan. 27 for an update if the weather is questionable. Whether at the Capitol, at the ballot box, or in the courts, we must stop this divisive, reckless measure. Please make time to lobby your lawmakers on Jan. 27, and involve everyone else you can. We will send you an alert when the amendment is officially reintroduced in the Legislature. Chris Ott Support our work online: |