Statement from WISELI regarding the marriage amendment

Dear WISELI affiliates,

We are writing today because we feel compelled to acknowledge the profound disappointment and pain felt by many members of our community – of all sexual orientations – as a result of Wisconsin’s failure to defeat the Marriage and Civil Unions amendment. We know that many of you personally supported the “No” vote, worked hard to overturn this amendment, and fervently hoped that Wisconsin would live up to its progressive tradition.

The outcome of Tuesday’s election is hurtful and damaging to many individuals and families in our state and our community, and we hope that the city of Madison, the University, and the many campus and community organizations dedicated to embracing diversity will redouble their efforts to foster equity and to create and sustain climates that are welcoming and supportive of all members of our community.

WISELI would like to affirm in the strongest terms possible our support for all those who stood against the amendment, and most especially, our support for our LBGTQ students, staff, and faculty, as they attempt to cope with the vote.

We hope that all members of our community will be somewhat comforted by the fact that 69% of Dane County voters overwhelmingly rejected the amendment and that Madison, Dane County, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison will continue to provide the state with powerful examples of acceptance, respect, and support for the many and varied individuals and families we know as our friends, neighbors, colleagues, and students.

We close with some relevant quotes from Thomas Jefferson and hope that our legislators and voters return to this vision of democracy:

“Bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will, to be rightful, must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal laws must protect, and to violate would be oppression.”

—Thomas Jefferson: 1st Inaugural, 1801.

“The majority, oppressing an individual, is guilty of a crime, abuses its strength, and by acting on the law of the strongest breaks up the foundations of society.”

—Thomas Jefferson to Pierre Samuel Dupont de Nemours, 1816.

“We are sensible of the duty and expediencey of submitting our opinions to the will of the majority, and can wait with patience till they get right if they happen to be at any time wrong.”

—Thomas Jefferson to John Breckenridge, 1800.