'RQ·W /RVH 6OHHS 2YHU ,W *HW 7HVWHG ,W·V )UHH $W QR FRVW WR \RX ZH SURYLGH U -/ ÌiÃÌ} >` ÌÀi>ÌiÌ vÀ i° U i«>ÌÌÃ E 6>VV>ÌÃ vÀ }>Þ À LÃiÝÕ> i° U i«>ÌÌÃ 6>VV>ÌÃ vÀ ÃÌÀ>} Ì i >` Üi° U ÞÕÃ À >i >ÃÃV>Ìi` 6 ÌiÃÌ} >` VÕÃi}° +RXUV 0RQGD\V 7XHVGD\V SP SP :DQQD SOD\ 'RFWRU" 1XUVH" 0D\EH 3KOHERWRPLVW" :H DUH ORRNLQJ IRU OLFHQVHG PHGLFDO VWDII YROXQWHHUV WR DGPLQLVWHU YDFFLQDWLRQV EORRG GUDZV DQG ZRUN LQ RXU 67' FOLQLF (DVW %UDG\ 6W 0LOZ FRQWDFWXV#EHVWGRUJ GREEN BAY COUNCIL POSTPONES RESOLUTION TO JOIN DP SUIT by Bruce McKay At a council meeting in October, Sortwell in - Green Bay - Just 24 hours after the polls had sisted that City Hall needed to contribute attorneys closed on Election Day, the first fruit of Wisconsin's to battle what he sees as an ongoing moral war. steer to the political right blossomed at Green Bay "The people of Green Bay want marriage to only City Hall. The City Council voted to indefinitely consist of one man and one woman. This is a di - postpone a proposed resolution to join a lawsuit rection violation of what the people want." He told against Wisconsin's Domestic Partners laws. the Council that he'd spoken with the plaintiffs and The alderman who wanted the council to en - that they'd welcome the free legal aid. dorse a lawsuit to overturn the state's DP benefits The staff attorney for the council told Sortwell said the election results had changed his mind. that his proposal made no sense. Allison Swan - Shae Sortwell said that, in light of the state election son, the city's number-two lawyer, told Sortwell and results, he wanted the council to ignore his pro - the council that Friend of Court briefs are normally posal. "We have a whole lot of new people in state filed only in appellate cases. "There are complex government at all levels." issues in this case and you don't know how it's David Fowles, pictured here with Green Bay's newspaper had run an editorial on going to play out." supportive Alderman Ned Dorf Election Eve that said joining the lawsuit filed by Swanson said that although the lawsuit filed by Wisconsin Family Action was inappropriate for the ber. That's when a long-time city employee ap - Wisconsin Family Action has targeted the state's city. A day later, voters decided to withdraw De - proached the Council's Personnel Committee ask - Medical Leave Act--a law that loosely defines 'do - mocrats from control in the Assembly, Senate and ing for health insurance coverage for the man he mestic partners'--it seems to be ultimately aimed at Governor's Office. It was against this backdrop that loves and lives with. the the state's official Domestic Partners Registry. the Council voted 9-to-2 bypass further discussion David Fowles got a cold shoulder from the com - Those two laws, said Swanson, "are not neces - of Sortwell's resolution and table it indefinitely. mittee when he asked them to add his registered sarily synonymous with each other." Intervening As soon as the vote was finished several dozen domestic partner to City Hall's definition of family now, she said, could have unintended conse - domestic rights supporters left the council cham - for insurance purposes. Fowles request was offi - quences for the city. bers. Disappointed that they lost a chance to cially 'filed' on a unanimous vote. And, although She also told Sortwell that she doubted the City speak on the issue, some vented their frustration Fowle's request had been deep-sixed, the fact that of Green Bay had any legal basis to file a brief. to TV reporters who had followed them out into the he had come out to the city fathers and asked for "The city has no administration of the Domestic hallway. Among them was a Jenny Sykes- equal benefits for his man-mate prompted Alder - Partners Registry. It's done at the county level." Schwenk, a Sunday School teacher at Green man Sortwell to light a political backfire. Alderman Dorff made his opposition clear. "I Bay's gay-friendly Union Congregational Church. Sortwell, elected last spring on a razor-thin mar - don't want to see us take the attorney time," Dorf She had planned to read a letter from its pastors to gin with Tea Party backing, had drafted a resolution said. "The Wisconsin Supreme Court has already the council. to direct the City Attorney to file a Friend of Court denied the overturn of Domestic Partners. And, The church's letter urged the council to provide brief in the lawsuit filed in Madison by Wisconsin the Family Medical Leave Act is only about pro - DP benefits to the city's 950-odd employees. And, Family Action. WFA is the virulently anti-gay or - viding care to sick and dying loved ones." it implored them not to join forces with Wisconsin ganization that spearheaded the campaign to pass Just as the council was about to decide Family Action, an organization the pastors wrote Wisconsin's constitutional amendment that limits Sortwell's request to table his resolution, Alder have "clear connections to radical Christian fun - marriage to hetero-couples only. Ironically, it's Amy Kocha asked for a roll call vote. As it was, damentalism." Doing so, said Pastors Chuck Mize headed by Julaine Appling and her longtime do - only she and Doff voted against Sortwell's reso - and Peggy Feyen, "would be highly improper." mestic partner Diane Westphal who--according to lution--in the hope that the idea to join forces with The issue of DP benefits for Green Bay's mu - public records--share a house they purchased Wisconsin Family would be openly discussed nicipal workforce initially surfaced in mid-Septem - jointly in Watertown. and voted down. BECOME A CCF HOLIDAY ANGEL important organization ask Outwords Books to “round up” an equal amount AT OUTWORDS BOOKS! or more as an additional tax deductible amount to go towards the Cream City Milwaukee - Make your holiday shopping count for something impor - Foundation Give-Back Program. tant this year when you shop at Outwords Books, Outwords Bookstore owner, Carl Szatmar says, “Out - Gifts & Coffee and you participate in their Cream words Books, Gifts & Coffee continues to offer the City Foundation Give-Back Program. largest selection of LGBT books, magazines, cards, Beginning Friday, November 19 and continuing music, movies, gifts and more in the Milwaukee and through Thanksgiving, Outwords Books will donate Greater Wisconsin area. Now there's another great rea - 5% of your purchase total to CCF. There is absolutely son to shop at Outwords this holiday season – The no cost to participate! Cream City Foundation Give-Back Program.” You can show your support for our LGBT Com - Some restrictions do apply. For further information munity just by doing your Holiday Shopping locally and about the The Cream City Foundation Give-Back Pro - at no cost to you. However, if you are feeling generous gram, please call (414) 963-9089 or find them online and wanting to show additional support for this very @ www.outwordsbooks.com FAIR WISCONSIN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KATIE BELANGER TALKS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD POST ELECTIONS On Tuesday, November 2, Wiscon - tively advance equality shifts in focus to the sin voters went to the polls to deter - local level, where we were successful in mine the fate of our state and our blocking an anti-gay resolution just last country. week . We now live in a very different Fair Wisconsin, our local partner organ - Wisconsin. izations and our members turned out in A state with a long-progressive tradi - force to the Green Bay City Council meet - tion, a state that took remarkable steps in ing on Wednesday, November 3 , when Al - 2009 to advance equality for the LGBT derman Shae Sortwell was advancing a community, now has a government led by resolution to join Wisconsin Family Action’s the very people who sought to ban mar - lawsuit challenging the domestic partner - riage equality and civil unions in 2006. ship registry. But as we take stock of the new political In an act of bullying and retribution, realities in our state, we must determine how, Sortwell’s resolution emerged following a not if, we can continue to move forward. request made for domestic partner health The change in our government has cer - care coverage by David Fowles, a City of tainly put us on the defense. As Senator Green Bay Department of Public Works Glenn Grothman and Rep. Mark Gottlieb employee. outlined on Wisconsin Eye on November Fair Wisconsin refuses to allow Sortwell 3, one of their top priorities when the Re - and others like him to bully brave LGBT peo - publicans take over in January is to dis - ple who dare to stand up for basic protections. mantle the domestic partner health care coverage for state employees. Ultimately, the City Council voted to postpone the measure indefinitely, I do not question either party’s intention to do what they think is best for resulting in a victory for the LGBT community, for equality and for the more our state. I do, however, believe that there is a fundamental lack of under - than 100 people who joined us on Wednesday evening to stand up against standing about why these types of protections are important to our state. It’s Sortwell and his actions. not about a price tag — it’s about creating a stronger state for every Wis - But our work is not over.