Several hundred gay-marriage supporters held a protest at the state Capitol Monday morning to boycott a Senate hearing on the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage as a “sham.”
Action Wisconsin, a gay-rights advocacy group, held a press conference in the Assembly Parlor during the Senate committee meeting. Afterwards, protestors circled the Capitol cheering, “Don’t discriminate, don’t amend,” before convening in the rotunda for a silent protest. Participants placed masking tape over their mouths to symbolize being ignored by state legislators on the gay-marriage issue and that an amendment to ban same-sex unions would silence gay Wisconsinites.
“They call it a hearing, but they are not listening,” Action Wisconsin vice-president Tamara Packard said.
Packard accused the religious right wing and “those legislators in their pockets” of excluding gays from equal protection under the law in their effort to protect the traditional American family.
“We refuse to demean ourselves yet again by justifying our families — and our very existence — to legislators,” Packard said. “We also protest the notion that it’s a legitimate matter of public debate to write any group of citizens out of the constitution.”
The group introduced a “fidelity pledge” at the protest, asking that every legislator who supports the marriage amendment sign the pledge to demonstrate a commitment to marital fidelity.
“We can all agree that infidelity is a serious threat to marriage,” the pledge reads. “By signing the pledge, lawmakers can show that they take this real threat to marriage seriously.”
Action Wisconsin accused lawmakers who sponsor the amendment, seven of whom have been divorced or are currently undergoing divorces, of hypocrisy. In particular, Packard labeled three-time divorcee Sen. Dave Zien, R-Chippewa Falls, a co-sponsor of the bill and also a member on the committee considering the amendment, of being a “one-man marriage-wrecking crew.”
“He has no ability to speak to me on the sanctity of marriage,” Packard said.
Zien’s chief of staff, Bob Seitz, said the group is hiding behind personal attacks to hide the fact that marriage solely between a man and woman is “common sense.”
“If the only way you can defend your position [is] by personally attacking someone else, then probably your position isn’t being very well defended,” Seitz said.
Seitz claimed legislators from both parties are forced to address the issue of gay marriage because of recent court decisions.
“I don’t think the Legislature should have to spend time on this either. But I don’t think the Massachusetts Supreme Court should be mandating Wisconsin law either,” he said.
Ald. Austin King participated in the protest, saying it is essential to combat discrimination, which he believes is all too prevalent even in progressive Madison.
“They are trying to enshrine discrimination in our state’s constitution for the first time in history. It’s incredibly depressing,” King said.
UW students also took part in the protest. UW junior Eric Bruce said he believes the amendment is unconstitutional because it relies on the separate-but-equal doctrine. As a gay person, Bruce said he believes he should have the right to marriage.
“I don’t know if marriage is something I want to eventfully do, but it is something I’d like to have the option for,” he said.
