"Boughner Bill" likely to outlaw marriage in Wisconsin

[algeier]

Saturday, January 17, 1998

"Boughner Bill" Likely to become Law

The Wisconsin State Senate has a bit of unfinished business that
will have an unfortunate impact on Wisconsin's Gay and Lesbian
community. This is a bill that will outlaw same-sex marriage in
Wisconsin. The Republican-controlled State Assembly has already passed
such a bill, but Democrats have managed to keep the Senate version in
committee.

With the departure of Democrat Lynn Adelman, Republicans have a
good chance to take control of the Senate this year, and as a reward
to their right-wing Christian Coalition friends, one of the first
things they can be expected to do is bring the "Boughner Bill" to the
floor, where it will pass and, after signing by our Republican
governor, outlaw same-sex marriages in our state.

Many in the Gay and Lesbian community have been fighting against
this bill in the only way feasible, which is to help Democrats in
their attempt to retain control of the Senate so the bill can be kept
in committee. There is one person, however, who gives the impression
that he is working in the opposite direction, which is to promote the
interests of the Republican Party - the enemy. That person is Terry
Boughner, editor of Wisconsin Light. If any one Gay person in
Wisconsin is to bear responsibility for outlawing same-sex marriage in
our state, Mr. Boughner, who never ceases to hunt for ingenious ways
to promote the image of Republicans, is a good candidate for that
person. Thus, the "Boughner Bill." (If Mr. Boughner has some other
explanation for what appears to be his shameless promotion of his
Republican friends, let him publicly explain what he is doing.)

Mr. Boughner fills his newspaper with material putting a favorable
light on Republicans. It seems at Wisconsin Light interests other than
those of the Gay and Lesbian community occupy first place on the
editorial agenda.

In his most recent issue, Mr. Boughner presents an opinion piece by
a Log Cabin Republican speaking against "Dangerous Sex." Never mind
that pieces on this subject have been available from many sources -
from many non-political sources - Mr. Boughner had to pick one
supplied by Log Cabin Republicans, and then give the Republican
political organization prominent credit for it. Not only did Mr.
Boughner devote a quarter-page of his newspaper to this Log Cabin
Republican propaganda, but he devoted almost another quarter-page to
promoting it, again giving prominent political propaganda to this
Republican political group.

The third occurrence of Mr. Boughner's shameless promotion of
Republicans occurs on the first page of the current issue of Wisconsin
Light. The story of the Cayman Island cruise ship has been freely
available in the Washington Blade (including its WEB site) and
elsewhere. Were Mr. Boughner an alert newspaper editor, he would have
picked up the story from one of those sources and given due credit.
Instead, he chose to print it from and give credit to Log Cabin
Republicans again, thus turning the story into a political promotion.

Is Mr. Boughner intent on destroying the Gay and Lesbian community
in Wisconsin by promoting the interests of Republicans - the party of
Ralph Ovadal and the Christian Coalition? Or is it that he is so naïve
as to think that his promotion of Republicans will not somehow have
adverse affects on Gays and Lesbians if that party regains full power
in the state? What is printed in his paper certainly suggests that
he's interested in promoting Republicans, and surely he isn't so dense
as to be blind to the consequences of their return to power. On the
other hand, there have been a number of instances in which Wisconsin
Light has printed what many would consider soft pornographic
photographs - certainly suggestive ones worthy of a Paul Cameron
pamphlet. Maybe something else is at work at Wisconsin Light.

Those who are interested in promoting the interests of the Gay and
Lesbian community in Wisconsin should take note of what has been going
on at Wisconsin Light. Is this promotion of Republicans helpful or
harmful to the community? Should something be done about it?