Wisconsin election - 1 week later

The constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage AND civil unions in Wisconsin passed one week ago. I haven't had the stomach to post anything about it until today. Here's a message that Ruben sent me last Wednesday and my reply:

From: Ruben
To: Steve
LS:
How are you doing?
I don't know, I'm feeling depressed, devastated, and apathetic all at the same time. Who cares, we knew it was going to pass, right?
I don't understand how the majority of offices in the state *overwhelmingly* went to Democrats, and yet voters went all conservative on the two referendums (the second was advisory to the legislature and recommends reinstating the death penalty in Wisconsin). It shows that they were very obviously *not* partisan issues.
Trying to stay busy with my job today.

TO: Ruben
FROM: Steve
JRP,
I'm OK. I think that I'm feeling many of the same emotions you are: depressed, knocked down, insulted, and apathetic all at once. It's really sad to me that we live in a state with so many bigoted and hard-hearted people. And that's what they are: bigoted people. People who want to deny civil and human rights to their fellow citizens.
Like you, I'm amazed that so many Democrats in Wisconsin evidently voted yes on both referenda. It seems counter-intuitive to me, but that's what the bigoted people did.
Wisconsin had a long and proud history as a progressive state. That reputation for progressivism has now been thrown out the window with the mean-spirited and bigoted referenda. I used to be proud to say that I lived in Wisconsin. Not anymore.
It's mildly helpful for me to recall that even when slavery was legal in the United States, that did not make it right. Even when women were denied the right to vote, that did not make it right. When Jim Crow laws denied African Americans civil and human rights, that did not make it right. Now the Wisconsin Constitution will deny same sex and non-married couples civil and human rights. But that does not make it right. This long struggle for civil and human rights will continue. I take some comfort in the fact that Massachusetts has gay marriage. And Vermont and Connecticut have civil unions. And soon New Jersey and Arizona will have civil unions. Perhaps more states will be added to the list in the years ahead. And at least now there is no chance of a federal constitutional amendment banning gay marriage being enacted since it could not pass either house of Congress. I'll be occupied the rest of the day with meetings, which is good. Hang in there,
LS