The guy who ran for Wisconsin governor as "the voice of the common man" is calling state lawmakers bigots for picking on gays and lesbians.

    Ed Thompson says the No. 1 issue in Wisconsin this year is defeating a Republican-backed constitutional amendment that would emphatically ban same-sex marriage and similar civil unions.

    The proposed amendment is an "evil thing" that is "so incredibly wrong" it amounts to "lunacy," Thompson declared last weekend at the state Libertarian political convention in Madison.

    The GOP-run Legislature is attempting to "pass laws of prejudice against people," Thompson told convention-goers. "If you can accept that, you're not a Libertarian. You're not even an American. You're a bigot."

    Those are strong words coming from a hard-working, fun-loving, small-town bar and restaurant owner whose appeal in rural areas remains strong.

    It's also a sign that Wisconsin could become the first state in the union to defeat a needless and divisive constitutional attack on gay and lesbian love.

Well, we have to defeat one sometime, and Wisconsin has a pretty good profile to do it. But it still won't be easy. Minority voters have overwhelmingly supported these amendments in other states. Unless we are able to educate and make inroads among minority voters, even progressive states may pass these.