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608-848 -2333
Next Meeting - January 15, 2006Topic: History of "Coming Out"Here "coming out" stories from different generations of gay and lesbian people. This topic should help all of us get a better understanding of the process and learn what it was like to "come out" at different times in the last 50-60 years. |
"Do you think marriages between homosexuals should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?" N=492, MoE ± 5 (Form A)
Yes |
No |
Unsure |
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| 4/29-5/1/2005 | 39 |
56 |
5 |
| 3/18-20/2005 | 28 |
68 |
4 |
| 7/19-21/2004 | 32 |
62 |
6 |
| 3/5-7/2004 | 33 |
61 |
6 |
| 2/16-17/2004 | 32 |
64 |
4 |
| 2/6-8/2004 | 36 |
59 |
5 |
| 12/2003 | 31 |
65 |
4 |
| 10/2003 | 35 |
61 |
4 |
| 6/2003 | 39 |
55 |
6 |
| 1/2000 | 34 |
62 |
4 |
| 2/1999 | 35 |
62 |
3 |
| 2/1996 | 27 |
68 |
5 |
Although we still await the Wisconsin Assembly vote on the civil unions and marriage ban, we are already seriously planning for a win at the ballot box in 2006. Action Wisconsin and the Milwaukee-based Center Advocates have teamed up to hire an experienced campaign manager with strong connections across Wisconsin to lead the statewide campaign.
We're thrilled to introduce you to Mike Tate, the "No on the Amendment"
campaign manager.
...........
What is your hometown?
I grew up in Whitefish Bay, a suburb of Milwaukee.
What kind of campaign experience do you bring to this effort to
defeat the amendment?
Most recently, I oversaw one of the largest grassroots voter mobilization
efforts in Wisconsin political history as deputy director of America Coming
Together. Prior to that, I was the state director for Governor Howard Dean's
presidential campaign. And in 2002 I worked as the state field director for
Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk's gubernatorial bid and as a regional
political organizer for AFSCME Council 40 in the general election. I've also
worked for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and am a former national vice-president
of the College Democrats of America.
<continued next column>
Why is this issue important to you?
I believe this is the civil rights issue of my time.
Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by American history and
politics. I wish I could have been alive in 1776 to be there for the birth
of our nation, or in the 1960s to fight against segregation, but I am here
now, and this is the major social issue of my generation. I'm ready to fight
the fight.
I firmly believe that electoral politics is the quickest way to make change and further social justice, and that's what we will be doing in this campaign. We will defeat this constitutional ban on civil unions and marriage in Wisconsin, and we will pave the way for other states to do the same.
What do you think are the biggest obstacles we have
to overcome to defeat the amendment?
Wisconsin can and will be the first state to defeat one of these amendments,
but we have our work cut out for us. We need to get out and talk to thousands
of voters in every nook and cranny of this state. We need to get out and
talk to farmers, Republicans, libertarian-minded people, the elderly, students,
parents, minority groups, businesses, and labor unions.
All of these people will listen and respond positively to us once they understand the impact of this amendment on real families in their communities and once they hear about the far-reaching consequences of this amendment. All of this will take an awful lot of money-- which is probably our biggest obstacle.
How can we overcome these obstacles?
Action Wisconsin and Center Advocates have been fighting against
the constitutional ban on civil unions and marriage long before I entered
the picture. Thanks to their hard work, we have started to overcome some
of our obstacles.
Already in place is a fantastic Speakers Network used to train people to speak publicly about the amendment. We have trained over 600 people around the state and we're not stopping any time soon. Over the next year we will use the Speakers Network and our field staff and volunteers to reach out to hundreds of thousands of people throughout Wisconsin. We will also continue phone and door-to-door canvassing, getting out to events, and using the website to identify and educate voters.
But, like I said, all of this will take money. One Speakers Training costs about $500. Opening a field office outside of Madison or Milwaukee will cost roughly $10,000. And producing just one 30-second television ad will cost $30,000. We're fortunate to have a great base of folks donating to our organization, but we will have to do major fundraising over the next year. The campaign to defeat the ban in Wisconsin will be second in size only to the governor's race.
Why do you believe Wisconsin will be the first state
to defeat one of these amendments at the ballot box?
The number one thing we have on our side is time. All of the other
states that have lost at the ballot had only a few months to scramble to
put their campaign together. Action Wisconsin and Center Advocates have
been working on this for two years, and we have 11 months to go. Every minute
we work, we win votes. We just need one more vote than the other side, and
I know our staff and allies throughout the state are more than ready to
work hard and win that vote.
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Madison, Wisconsin |
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