If you are in Wisconsin, if you only color in ONE arrow on your ballot today, make sure it’s to vote NO on the Hate Amendment. Wisconsin can be the first state to reject one of these hateful, devisive laws. PLEASE, if you’re a Wisconsin voter, help raise your voice for inclusiveness, for fairness, for basic human decency … for the idea that we’re all in this together, and EVERYONE should have the right to find their own happiness, love and peace in their lives. After talking with his grandson, Justin’s grandpa gets it.
If you don’t know where to vote, GO HERE.
As the Wisconsin State Journal put it:
The backward proposal would mark Wisconsin as unfriendly to gays and lesbians. Employers, schools and communities would have a smaller pool of talent to draw on and to help Wisconsin thrive.
The amendment would dishonor the state’s welcoming spirit and respect for freedom. Wisconsin’s lands, homes and jobs have been open to people of differing nationalities, religions, races, sexualities and abilities for decades.
Fair-minded voters should vote no on the amendment. It’s wrong for Wisconsin.
Vote NO, and vote for a fair, just and decent Wisconsin. I’m on my way soon to do just that. I know tonight we can share a victory over the forces of intolerance, hatred and bigotry, but only if we go out and say NO.
Update [2006-11-7 20:58:46 by Madman in the Marketplace]:
CNN dot com is showing that Hate Amendments will pass easily in SC, TN & VA.
Shame on them.
Update [2006-11-7 22:42:29 by Madman in the Marketplace]:
Well, if the AP and CNN are right, Shame on US in WI too. Based on exit polls, they’re projecting a win for hate and bigotry.
If you live in Arizona, Idaho, Colorado, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, or Wisconsin, go out today and help turn back the darkness. I sincerely believe that we can begin to push back the tides of intolerance and hatred today. PLEASE go out today and tell the homophobes NO.
the No on 107 group has been extremely organized and it has been polling for defeat the past couple of weeks. I hope we here in the desert will join you in saying no to bigotry.
It’s good to hear that groups in other states have been working as hard as Fair Wisconsin has been here.
their site is down today, luckily the Nazi Parody Site lives on. heh
not a good day for your site to go down.
Finally, something we can agree on. 🙂
Fortunately here in Washington a decades-old struggle to pass an anti-discrimination law was finally resolved last year when a key State Senator changed his stance on the issue and voted for passage of the bill. One of our local for-profit initiative promoters tried to get a measure onto the ballot to repeal the law, but his organization didn’t collect enough signatures to get the repeal initiative on the ballot.
Here’s hoping the attempts to codify hate-based discrimination in the states you mention suffer a similar defeat.
we will be a better people when that day comes.
Thanks so much for all your support on gay issues Madman, to you and all who stand up to our discrimination.
We are only 10% of the population and a good portion of that number has so many self-loathing issues handed down by the majority. We can prevail if our friends, parents, siblings/relatives and co-workers stand by us, as then we are the majority who take a stand for human rights.
there is too little love in the world. How can I do anything less but to make sure that ALL of my fellow human beings have a chance to live their lives to the fullest, to have a chance at happiness? I wouldn’t want to look in the mirror if I couldn’t embrace EVERYONE as my equal.
The only thing we have to hate, is hate itself.
So did DrMc.
YEA!!!
I voted NO! (wish I could have added that exclamation point to my ballot) in South Dakota on our hate amendment – as did my husband and all of my in-laws. I also saw many yard signs up in the week prior to the election that said “We Love Our Neighbors – Vote NO on C”
Unfortunately, we will still have a gay marriage ban after today (have had one since 1996), but hopefully Amendment C will fail – preventing further restrictions.
gay marriage is against statute here, too, but hopefully we’ll keep that intolerance out of our state Constitution today.
Getting our gay and lesbian friends and neighbors their FULL rights will be a fight that may take years to win.
Early returns show 56 NO, 44 yes – so good news so far. I hope it keeps up. These results are based on about 100 out of 818 precincts reporting.
Oops – I meant to say 50/50 – so not so good so far. The 56/44 is for Refrred Law 6.
Thanks to BT’er northcountry, some of us here in Minnesota are doing what we can to support Fair Wisconsin. Even though we can’t vote there – your Minnesota brothers and sisters are with you on this one!
thanks for your help.
As you have all probably noticed, I’m not by nature an optimistic person, but I’m allowing myself to believe that WI will do the right thing.
I’ll be crushed if I’m wrong.
I’m the same way.
Which is why I have determined that I am cynical today until proven wrong. Much safer for my sanity that way.
you’re a wiser man than me today.
yes but that’s because I’m a woman 🙂
I sincerely hope your optimism is rewarded today madman, at least in WI by voting no.
oops, I think I knew that … sorry!
no worries, I figured you knew that, and even if not, it’s a wee bit fun to be mistaken for a guy sometimes.
I’m still keeping the cynic alive and well though as I watch the spin and the ‘misspeaks’ by the anchors… damn I hope I’m wrong.
with 94.7% counted, our Civil Union Destruction Initiative is going down in defeat
470,521 – 51.6% No
441,718 – 48.4% Yes
[cross the fingers]
oh, I needed a hopeful sign.
I can’t believe that it’s going to pass here. I’m so disgusted.
I didn’t read your updates, sorry to hear that it may pass, Madman. I will never understand why so many people espouse such blatant bigotry and hate. Our anti-immigrant initiatives, along with an English-only provision, passed by a 70/30 margin. I’m disgusted with those results but not much I can do about it.
fear trumps decency and compassion, again.
60% of the people who turned up to vote, in a very high turnout year, chose discrimination. Frankly, I hope that every civil arrangement and partnership faces some winger challenge so the fucking idiot straight people in this state have their mistake rubbed in their faces.
I’m so disgusted.
I am frightened for my gay daughter, her partner and thier new little girl. I’m frightened for my other beautiful gay grandaughter and her partner, too. I honestly expected them to be able to live in a safer more accepting world. And within their own small communities of friends and neighbors they are safe among each other and thier wider circles of decent, loving straight friends.
But what abut when little Ivy starts school, with her two proud Mommies in tow? What will this inocent little kid face, in a country where so many still embrace, and even legislate hatred and discrimination against gays?
What might any of them run into, if they should venture outside of thier own self created “safe spaces”, when hatred and bigotry, and the violence this breeds, are approved and encouraged by the votes of so many Americans?
I didn’t expect this outcome and it makes it hard for to celebrate this “victory”.
Intellectually I’m happy about the rejection of the war, but given the continuing appeal of fear (Hate Amendments, abortion restrictions) and envy (middle class tax cuts uber alles!) these victories taste like ashes in my mouth. Americans are rejecting the Iraq war for SELFISH reasons, in the main (we’re losing, NOOOOO!) rather than from any great demand for justice and decency. Justice and decency have little or no place in our national debate, and that fills me w/ despair.
All last night, through the Daily Show and a couple of other things I watched to take a break from the election coverage, I saw repeated commercials for Bobby. It was like a slap, a reminder on how few national voices we have now speaking up for justice and equality and humanity. The commercials made me want to cry in despair.
Yoy’re not crying alone, pal.