Wisconsinites have chosen to ban gay marriages in the state. For that, I am greatly disappointed.

I am not ashamed to be from Wisconsin. I now see many Facebook groups that several have now joined saying just the opposite. I understand their frustration and respect their choice voice it.

I, too, was upset with the results of Wisconsin's gay marriage ban referendum, and I will continue to support gay rights in this state despite the uphill battle it will probably become.

But I am not ashamed to be from Wisconsin; our Constitution is simply flawed.

Traditionally, amendments to Constitutions have required super-majorities, making it very difficult for change to occur. The national Constitution, for example, requires that 2/3 of Congress vote to propose an amendment, and then requires that 3/4 of all states approve it — very hard to do.

Compare that to the Wisconsin Constitution. Though harder than others, all that is needed is a simple majority of the state Assembly and Senate. They must pass a proposal twice — in two consecutive sessions — but only by a simple majority (50 percent plus one vote). Then, the proposal goes to the people, where it becomes law when a majority of voters choose to pass it.

All three steps of the process require only a simple majority. That's not fair; rights granted to decent Wisconsinites could be taken away simply because a majority opposes these people and their lifestyles. That is what happened to gays and lesbians across the state on Nov. 7.

I liken this event to a parent discouraging a child for doing something incredibly wrong. That parent might yell at the child, might even ground him or her. But that parent’s love for that child is (hopefully) unconditional, even if the mistake created a burden on that family that makes it somewhat harder to get by. Resentment may be felt, but love for that child still remains.

Wisconsinites have chosen to ban gay marriages in the state. For that, I am greatly disappointed. But I haven’t lost respect for what the state has done for its citizens in the past.

We were once a leader in progressivism. We gave birth to great ideas and innovations, like the primary election and workers compensation, while also leading the nation in scientific arenas, like stem cell research. The list of accomplishments — for both state and nation — that Wisconsin has provided could go on forever.

So no, I am not ashamed of this state. It produced great political minds, such as Robert La Follete, Gaylord Nelson and Sen. Russ Feingold. We live in a great state; our energies should not be focused into self-loathing, but towards how we can make Wisconsin even greater. The gay marriage amendment is a setback; we can overcome it. The people of Wisconsin will come to their senses, and in time we will remove this horrible stain of an amendment from our Constitution.

Keep fighting the good fight, and push Wisconsin “Forward.”

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