During a midday
ceremony at City Hall, the mayor and half the city
council of Madison, Wis., denounced the state's new ban on
same-sex marriage Tuesday by adding a strongly worded
statement to their oath of office. Mayor Dave
Cieslewicz and 20 city council members elected April 3
raised their right hands and vowed to uphold the state and
federal constitutions and the city charter .
But then
Cieslewicz and 10 council members signed a statement saying
they took the oath under protest because the ban,
approved by 59% of voters in November, ''besmirches
our constitution.'' They vowed to work to minimize the
ban's impact and overturn it in the future.
''I cannot in
good conscience take office without noting my strong
opposition to the recent amendment that so blatantly
discriminates against my fellow Wisconsinites who are
gay or lesbian,'' Cieslewicz said to applause after
being sworn in to a second four-year term.
Gay rights groups
have said they believe Madison is the first city to
allow elected and appointed officials to add a statement to
their oath to protest a same-sex marriage ban. The
optional statement drew criticism not only from
conservatives who oppose same-sex marriage but scholars and
others who said it was inappropriate to tinker with the oath
of office.
Cieslewicz said
he respected the statewide vote that added two sentences
to the constitution declaring that marriage is between one
man and one woman and that the state cannot recognize
other relationships. But he said the same process
would one day be used to reverse the amendment and
''give all of us exactly the same right to marry, raise a
family, and be full members of our communities.'' The
mayor is heterosexual and married. (Ryan J. Foley, AP)
