topics

Thirty years ago, on Feb. 25, 1982, Republican Gov. Lee Dreyfus signed the first statewide bill in the United States to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing and public accommodations.

We Badgers take pride in being the "first gay rights state." The saga of how we won passage of the civil rights measure and how our GOP governor did not hesitate to sign it is an important and happy history lesson.

The following is a statement from Mary Kay Henry, international president of the Service Employees International Union, marking the occasion of  Women’s Equality Day on Aug. 26:

Ninety-one years ago today, American women won the right to vote in a victory that brought our country one step closer to equality.

As we dive into another supercharged political year, at least one outcome is guaranteed: a tsunami of corporate and special-interest cash will flood the political arena.

The obscene spending – and the resulting cronyism – that sullies our political process is a bipartisan problem. President Barack Obama spent $740.6 million in his 2008 presidential race, eclipsing the combined $646.7 million spent by George W. Bush and Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004. Although Obama broke new ground in successfully soliciting small individual donors, he ultimately relied heavily on megadonor bundlers, whom he handsomely rewarded.

Perhaps Gov. Scott Walker's rich out-of-state donors should read the local news before writing those millions of dollars worth of checks to his recall campaign. If it's political favors they're after, Walker could have a hard time delivering them from a prison cell.

According to recent indictments from the ongoing John Doe probe of Walker's days as Milwaukee County executive, the evidence is getting closer to his door. Within 20 feet, in fact. 

As men and women of conscience, our legislators must support Wisconsin's Senate Bill 345, the Child Victims' Act. The bill is currently in the Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce and Government Operations Committee, where it was referred after its first reading on Dec. 21, 2011. So far it has not been scheduled for a public hearing.

The bill eliminates the statute of limitations on pursuing civil damages against child sex-abuse perpetrators. Current Wisconsin law requires victims to take action no later than age 35. This bill would remove the age limit.

I read a recent opinion piece in your paper, titled “More Blood on the Right’s Hands.” Jamakaya, whom I respect and worked with at In Step Magazine, missed an important detail in her piece. The so-called “lethal threats continually issued from the right” rarely, if ever, produce results in this country. I would also bet that those she quoted were not serious about actual violence or murdering someone.

Let us take a quick look at groups who have a history of actual violence. The Weather Underground, SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) and the Black Panthers, just to name a few. None of those groups are Tea Party/Republican-based groups. The leading members of those groups were and still are liberals. Should we take a look even further back at violent groups? How do you think the KKK was formed? They were a group of Democrats who had a hit list on Republicans. Back then, most blacks happened to be Republican, therefore, made up most of that list. Since then, the KKK has morphed into what it is today. I can tell you, the vast majority of us “sane” people, despite political affiliations, want nothing to do with that group.

I am writing to thank you for the Wisconsin Gazette’s balanced, informative and accurate article on the Sept. 3 neo-Nazi rally and counter-demonstration.

As a member of Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope, I was one of the many standing in the rain in protest of those claiming to “defend white America.” I was disgusted by the posturing of the combat-booted thugs hoisting their massive swastika flags, but comforted to see how few of them turned out for the occasion. I saw a great deal of camaraderie, an astonishing degree of tolerance for the bad weather, and a large number of fairly bored-looking police in riot gear. Good heavens – we even sang several verses of “Kumbaya” at one point!

Apologists for Gov. Scott Walker are struggling to downplay the historic filing of more than one million signatures seeking his recall.

Walker's supporters contend the number is inconsequential. They say Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett received more than a million votes in 2010 but still lost the gubernatorial race to Walker. They maintain that the recall election will be an ordinary race and that Walker will win again.

Thanksgiving celebrates the Pilgrims' first mythical feast. As a pastor of a church named after the Pilgrims' colony – Plymouth – Thanksgiving conjures many images. But the most vivid this year is of a visit my partner Jay and I made to see Peter Gomes at his cottage in Plymouth, Mass.

Peter died this past year, after a long and distinguished career serving as preacher at Harvard University's Memorial Chapel. Or, as he would prefer to express it, serving as the Plummer Professor of Christian Morals.

No. 1: Unless you have been in a buried time capsule for the last 15 years, you know the Republicans will vote at all levels for candidates who, if elected, will work to harm the LGBT community. That is a no-brainer.

If you care for members of the LGBT community and/or equality of treatment for all American citizens, you must support Democratic candidates. Even if the Democrat is not friendly, he or she must vote with the party in organizational votes. It is a must do.