Good Poll Numbers in Wisconsin July 10, 2006
Posted by newsfittopost in amendments, lgbt Issues, marriage equality.trackback
Good news out of Wisconsin. The latest poll shows 48.5 percent of Wisconsin residents support a proposed anti-marriage equality amendment with 47.8 percent of opposed. Those are excellent numbers with four months left before the ballot measure goes up for a vote.
I was somewhat skeptical of Fair Wisconsin‘s messaging around the amendment. They argue the amendment
“goes too far” by banning both marriage and civil unions. To me, the message seemed to imply that the ban would be okay if it only prevented marriage equality. However, these latest poll numbers show that their campaign is working, and working well. It would not be surprising if the more moderate message may eventually be used in other ballot campaigns across the country. I still don’t like what the message implies, but Fair Wisconsin seems to know their audience.
Wisconsin may be the first anti-marriage equality amendment to fail in a popular vote at the ballot box. Fair Wisconsin are just beginning an ad campaign and the television ad looks effective. If you have relatives or friends in Wisconsin, tell them to speak out against the amendment and to make sure they show up to the ballot box in November.
Download the Fair Wisconsin ad.
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As a Wisconsinite, I agree with you about the message. It makes me feel a little uneasy. (And it does seem that Fair Wisconsin uses “far reaching” and “extreme” more often than “goes too far” lately.)
But I’ve grown very willing to embrace a compromise message regardless. We’re not going to win one of these until we welcome folks who oppose gay marriage onto our side. It’s perhaps an uncomfortable alliance, but these are also the people — embracing tradition yet also fair minded — who five or ten years from now will be supporting marriage equality.
Those of us on the left (and especially those living in places like NYC and other urban areas) forget what a radical change gay marriage in fact is. We need to be patient and give people more time. That, I’ve come to think, is key to victory.
Fair Wisconsin’s running a simply incredible campaign. I encourage everyone to keep track of their super smart outreach at their blog:
http://noontheamendment.blogspot.com
Thanks for looking in on us!