Hand slap

I commend the State Senate for working at warp speed to pass 'meaningful' legislation such as concealed carry and a ban on gay marriage and all civil unions! It's good to know that when the really important work of state government needs to be addressed (strengthening the base; creating more divide, distrust and disdain), we can count our elected officials. One question for the Republican leadership: when will health care, education, job growth and economy legislation show up on the radar screen?

Both pieces of legislation now move to the State Assembly, where (unfortunately) both are expected to pass. How will Representatives Underheim and Owens vote? Well, if past votes can be used to predict the future, Rep. Owens will support both and Rep. Underheim will support concealed carry but oppose the ban.

I'm one who tries to always give credit where credit is due, so I thank Rep. Underheim for opposing the ban! He's correct, a constitution is intended to protects rights, not take them away. I hope he will stand on the Assembly floor and speak out against such discriminatory legislation.

On a related note, people who know Rep. Underheim know he tends, from time to time, to take things too personally. I have one such example.

I recently sent an email to Rep. Underheim and Sen. Roessler urging them to oppose the ban on gay marriage and all civil unions. Admittedly, I used a canned email and online form provided by Action Wisconsin. Here is the text:

Dear [Decision Maker],
I am a constituent and a voter. I urge you to vote No on the proposed constitutional ban on civil unions and marriage for lesbian and gay couples.

The denial of marriage hurts loving and committed lesbian and gay couples who live in every part of Wisconsin. These couples have taken on the many responsibilities of marriage, yet they are denied the critical legal protections that marriage provides. The proposed amendment will make that denial of marriage permanent.

This amendment goes beyond banning marriage for gay couples. It will also ban civil unions and threaten any legal protections for unmarried couples.

Mainstream Christian leaders and institutions in Wisconsin, including three synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, three Presbyterian bodies, and the Wisconsin United Methodist Conference, oppose the amendment because they believe it is unjust.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

I did not include in the email a personal note to Rep. Underheim thanking him for previously opposing the ban and encouraging him to again oppose it. He must have taken offense. Here is his email response to me:

Thank you for your recent email regarding a constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage in Wisconsin. It is a great disappointment to me that you seem not to know that I've opposed and voted against this amendment the last time it was brought before the legislature. Since I was one of only two Republicans who did so, I thought it probable you would know this.

Normally when someone agrees with your point of view, the tendency is to thank them and encourage them to continue to support their point of view. But to answer your question directly, I intend to oppose a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage, again.

Gregg

I should have edited the email to include a thank you to Rep. Underheim for opposing the ban (and expressed disappointment in Sen. Roessler for supporting it). Regardless, condescending emails is not the way to garner appreciative constituents. After 17+ years in office, he should know that by now.

-Bryan