News
2006-09-08
Legal alliance
forms to combat antigay amendment in Wisconsin
Attorneys Against
the Ban, a Wisconsin-based alliance of attorneys
determined to combat a proposed amendment to the state
Attorneys Against
the Ban, a Wisconsin-based alliance of attorneys
determined to combat a proposed amendment to the state
constitution that would prohibit civil unions,
officially announced its launch Wednesday. In its
first week, AATB rallied the support of more than 100
Wisconsin attorneys, and members are confident more
attorneys will be joining their cause.
"As a lawyer and guardian of the law and our
constitution, I am outraged that this amendment would
use the constitution to remove rights and to
discriminate against citizens," said Carol Skinner, an
attorney in Hudson.
"The ban's prohibition of any 'legal status
identical or substantially similar to that of
marriage for unmarried individuals' is so broad,
it is frightening," said Betsy Abramson, a Madison
attorney. "I think that a lot of people don't realize that,
legally, this ban is about more than just gay marriage. It
could also affect civil unions and legal arrangements
between all unmarried couples."
Amy Scarr, another Madison attorney, said,
"In Ohio, batterers used an amendment similar to the
one proposed in Wisconsin to undo domestic violence
protections sought by their girlfriends. These men said
that allowing ex-girlfriends to get restraining orders
against them violated the amendment's prohibition
against any legal status like marriage. We do not want
this to happen in Wisconsin." (The Advocate)
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