People sit in a rooms in the Sate Capitol in Madison, Wis., to listen to the debate to ban same sex-marriage Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2005. Hundreds of people went the Capitol to argue if the Wisconsin Constitution should be amended to ban gay marriage. (AP Photo/The Capital Times, David Sandell)

State Voters Will Decide On Definition of Marriage

The state Senate and Assembly want to change the Wisconsin Constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. Lawmakers want the document to ban same-sex marriages. The change is called an “amendment.”

Voters must approve the amendment. They will vote yes or no in November.

The proposed amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution is:

 “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.”

Amendment is an emotional issue

The issue is an emotional one. Many people feel strongly about it.

Some think an amendment will lead to discrimination. They say gays and lesbians should have the same rights as all people.

A marriage between a man and woman gives spouses the rights to health insurance, property rights when one spouse dies, the power to make decisions about end of life issues and the care of dependent children. 

Same-sex couples risk losing property and even parental rights to children from the union.  Often, only married couples get work benefits like health insurance.

Elizabeth Feagles has had a same-sex partner for eight years. She spoke at a hearing for the same-sex marriage bill last fall.

“If I were to go to the Middle East and marry Osama bin Laden, the state would provide health coverage for him - no questions asked,” Feagles said.

Many disagree with same-sex marriages

Many disagree with same-sex marriage. State Rep. Mark Gundrum introduced the Assembly bill calling for the constitution change that makes marriage legal only between a man and a woman.

Gundrum said only a man and a woman should get married.

“That’s what it always has been since the dawn of time,” he said.

Some say same-sex marriage is immoral.

Gundrum said voters should decide the issue. Otherwise, he worries the courts will decide it for them.

Bill could be a political ploy

Opponents say amendment supporters just want to get more voters that are Republican to the polls. Republicans are more likely to support a same-sex marriage ban. Having the issue on the ballot should increase Republican turnout.  Many Republican seats in Congress are up for re-election.

Voters will also select a governor in November. Republicans are trying to win back the governor’s seat. A Democrat, Jim Doyle, has been governor since 2002.

A Doyle spokesperson said it is “unfortunate” Republicans are using this issue to try to drive up voter turnout.

“The governor is focused on what families in Wisconsin are focused on,” Melanie Fonder said. She said those issues are health care, energy costs, education, and gas prices.

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel