Students For Equality, a group aimed at opposing a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and civil unions in Wisconsin, is raising questions over whether a student-run organization can directly affect state legislation.
The group must find a way to influence a statewide vote on the amendment, which will take place in November. In the 19 states amendments such as these that have been put before voters, all 19 have passed.
'Their effectiveness will depend largely on how involved they get in the political process, as far as how many people they recruit to their organization,' said state Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison.
SFE has already allied with the College Democrats of Madison, Queer Student Alliance, the LGBT Campus Center and other various organizations across campus.
Mike Prentiss, spokesperson for state Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said there are many different viewpoints on this issue throughout the state, and as long as groups like SFE organize, and voice their opinions civilly, they should be taken seriously.
SFE's main goal is to join with groups across campus and'??through meetings and speeches'raise awareness as quickly as possible.
'We have a series of events planned,' senior member Liz Sanger said. 'Right now we're just getting started and want to introduce ourselves in a very positive way to students on campus.'
Although Sanger and leading member and UW-Madison freshman Eli Judge both said the group's first informational meeting had a low turnout, Judge said overall SFE is 'off to a great start' and 'on the right track.'
Judge said students should be especially concerned with the issue because, besides restricting civil rights, the amendment may discourage prospective faculty members and their families from coming to the university, making it harder for UW-Madison to compete with other schools.
Despite the success of similar amendments in other states, Judge said he remained optimistic that Wisconsin organizations will have much more time to raise awareness. Black said he agreed, emphasizing the importance of students in the process.
'[The success of the amendment] will depend in large measure on whether students, who I think are by and large against this amendment, participate,' Black said. 'If students vote in large numbers in November and can get a lot of other people to vote, then the amendment can be defeated.'
