By Karen Ocamb

To longtime LGBT and civil rights activist David Mixner, liberal Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin is “the real deal.” Though Feingold has not yet officially announced his intention to run for president in 2008, Mixner flew in from New York to introduce the senator to a packed crowd at the Access for Gay and Lesbian Equality breakfast on Aug. 25.

“I left the last election feeling a little unclean,” Mixner said, describing how he kept quiet so as not to “hurt the chances of defeating George Bush.” But as Feingold emerged as a strong, progressive voice in the U.S. Senate, Mixner decided to get involved. “This man was the first opponent against the war in Iraq. He was the only U.S. senator who voted against the anti-civil liberties Patriot Act. And this is the first person who is being seriously considered for president,” Mixner thundered, “who won’t accept anything except full, unequivocal marriage equality” for gays and lesbians.

Told he must be “practical” in his political support, Mixner retorted, “Supporting someone with values, love and care is the most practical thing in the world.” Give Feingold “a voice” and he will “fight for peace, and justice and equality.”

Feingold returned the compliment, telling Mixner, “I know who you are and what you’ve done. You’re one of the great leaders of our time.”

Feingold described himself as a Midwesterner with three roles: a legislator, a human being from Wisconsin, and “a life-long disciple of the progressive movement.”

After speaking briefly about the “massive need to commit to health care for all Americans,” and the division in the country over how to deal with terrorism, Feingold spent most of his time discussing LGBT issues. He said the Clinton administration’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military compromise is ”wrong. I oppose it. We should change it now.” Of his “no” vote on the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, he said, “I’m about as proud of that vote as any other I’ve taken in my career.”

Feingold only glancingly referred to his spat with Republican Judiciary Committee Chair Arlen Specter when the committee went behind closed doors May 18 to vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. According to reports, Feingold declared his opposition to the measure, his love of the Constitution, and left. "If you want to leave, good riddance," Specter said. "I've enjoyed your lecture, too, Mr. Chairman," Feingold replied. "See ya."

The constitutional amendment, Feingold told the ANGLE audience, is “mean-spirited” and he promised that if enough Democrats are elected in November to take back Congress, “we can kill these constitutional amendments forever.”

Feingold viewed it as part of his job to kill such amendments, but said it wasn’t his role to get involved beyond that—until a measure was introduced “to despoil the constitution in my state.” In addition to his unapologetic support for full marriage equality, business leaders and even the department of tourism have come out against a proposed amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions in Wisconsin. Now, he said, “Wisconsin might be the state that will stop this trend,” of state measures. “This is not just an issue of states’ rights. This is one of the great civil rights issues of our day.” He asked for help for Fair Wisconsin, the organization working to defeat the measure, noting that success there will have ripple effects through the nation.

Fair Wisconsin needs the help. Though applauded by Feingold and others for running a great campaign, on Aug. 29, Focus on the Family officially entered the battle, offering a day-long training for “pastors and Christian leaders” on how "to more effectively convey God's truth about homosexuality—compassionately and without compromise," according to a news report. "The way we have made gains in the pro-life movement, is by finally getting our talking points right—finally being able to talk persuasively about the unborn child, " Focus on the Family's Glenn Stanton said in a press release about the DVD Why Not Gay Marriage, which was shown and sold at the seminar. "The same-sex marriage issue is like the abortion issue in that it's a hugely consequential issue that addresses fundamental questions about what it means to be human."

“We have had more time to mount and run a campaign against a civil unions and marriage ban than any other state. We've been actively organizing for well over two years. Unlike other states, a constitutional amendment must be approved twice by our state Legislature before going to the ballot,” Joshua Freker, communications director of Fair Wisconsin, told IN via e-mail. “A recent poll showed the race is a dead heat—48 percent for no, 49 percent yes on the amendment. Another recent poll showed that many yes voters have become undecided as they learn more about the issue. Numerous polls show a majority of Wisconsinites support civil unions. Civil unions would be outlawed by the ban. We just have to make sure people know about this.”

Additionally, Freker said, Fair Wisconsin has amassed the largest voter mobilization effort in the state this election year, with 45 paid staff and 10 offices, and has been running TV ads. “The first ads introduce the ban and what's at stake; later ads will share stories of the families who will be affected by the ban.”

Fair Wisconsin is also getting youth involved, especially since a June survey of 600 adults for WisPolitics.com showed that the greatest opposition to the amendment is from youth ages 18 to 34. "I want to get married no matter whether I fall in love with a man or a woman," Michaela Simmons, 16, told a local reporter. "When you're a little girl you think you can get married to whoever you want. It kind of sucks to grow up and realize you might not be able to."

For more on Fair Wisconsin, go to www.fairwisconsin.com, noontheamendment.blogspot.com, or call (608) 441-0143. For information on Feingold’s possible presidential campaign, go to www.russforpresident.com.