I’ve written before that I trust the wisdom of Wisconsin voters sufficiently to actually look forward to a referendum on a constitutional amendment essentially banning gay marriage. <\/p>\n
My question is, will enough Wisconsinites actually vote?<\/p>\n
The issue, I believe, is that people who hold what I regard as irrational views about gays generally, and about gay marriage specifically, are more motivated than people who are not concerned about it; hence supporters of an amendment are more likely to vote. (Someone who doesn’t believe it will rain, or who doesn’t mind getting wet, is less likely to carry an umbrella than someone who believes that it will rain and it will be harmful, e.g.)<\/p>\n
But I would remind people of three things:<\/p>\n
1) It’s important not to let fanatics take over governance in our state.
\n2) You need think about looking your gay family members, friends, and acquaintances in the eye and telling them “I think you’re less of a person ethically and emotional than me because you’re different.” (If you can do that, I guess you’ll vote for the amendment; not voting against it ethically amounts to voting for it.)
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3) Iraq. Yes Iraq. We’re in a horrid mess there because of the apathy and indifference of people who failed to vote against Bush, or used faulty thinking to vote for him — the same sort of faulty thinking that leads people to believe their marriage is somehow threatened by someone else’s. (Disclaimer: I don’t think Bush is the architect of that or any of his administration’s failed policies; I don’t think he’s smart enough.)<\/p>\n