The Importance of Being Both Pro-LGBT and Anti-War

It was incredibly disappointing to read in this week's Isthmus that one reason the Dane County Board voted 20-12 against an anti-war fall referendum was concerns voiced by Fair Wisconsin:

Five liberal County Board members voted against the referendum [on September 7]. Supv. Carousel Bayrd, one of the referendum's original sponsors, switched her vote to help Fair Wisconsin. She says the group, which is working against the proposed state amendment to ban gay marriage and civil unions, was "concerned there was too much on the ballot," because "we keep adding and adding referendums". ...

Mike Tate of Fair Wisconsin says he did not lobby against adding the anti-war referendum. But when asked, he told supervisors that voters could be confused by too many refrendums. "In a perfect world, I would rather not have other stuff on the ballot," he says.

Confused? Tate must not think much of Dane County voters. California residents routinely deal with multiple referenda; they'll vote on at least 13 ballot propositions come November.

Of course, it's vitally important that Wisconsin rejects the hateful and illogical amendment -- which, we all know, is really on the ballot to increase right-wing voter turnout for the gubernatorial and other races. But the "my issue first" thinking that some in Fair Wisconsin appear to have only serves to divide what needs to be a broad, multi-issue progressive movement.