In the weeks following the November election, we’ve been asked from time to time what happened to Fair Wisconsin, the group that led the charge against Wisconsin’s Marriage Protection Amendment that is now part of our state constitution. It’s a good question—and the answer is important to everyone who believes in and supports one-man/one-woman marriage, God’s plan for mankind. In short, Fair Wisconsin certainly didn’t disappear. In fact, it appears they’re retooling and gearing up for additional skirmishes.

In all fairness, excuse the pun, Fair Wisconsin proved to be the well organized, well funded, highly motivated and determined opponent we knew they would be. Because of these characteristics, state and national media claimed Fair Wisconsin was poised to be the first group in the country to defeat a state constitutional marriage protection amendment. As we all witnessed, however, those in the media underestimated Wisconsin voters’ commitment to traditional one man/one woman marriage.

However, after being defeated at the ballot box Fair Wisconsin did not simply bow out and ride off into the sunset scratching its collective head. No. Instead they are taping up their gloves, putting in their mouth piece and getting back in the ring. They may have loss this latest round; but to them, there are other rounds in the offing. According to information we’ve seen, they are looking back at the campaign and taking notes. They’re keeping their supporters informed and inspired, they’re reconfiguring their staff, and they’re still watching the money flow in. In fact, earlier this year they launched what they are calling “The 100 Day Plan.”

Here are some of the details of this 100 Day Plan. For starters, they are educating their supporters statewide about the critical April 3rd election for state Supreme Court justice. Just as they did on the marriage amendment, their main focus will be to get out the vote on college campuses statewide. They are also lobbying legislators to create domestic partner health-care benefits, doing public education campaigns on this issue and supporting Governor Doyle's call for UW-System employee domestic-partner benefits. They are assessing possibilities for proactive legislation, including ways to expand what they call “basic protections for homosexual and lesbian couples.” They have reactivated their statewide Action Network which aims at giving their supporters a way to get involved with these efforts in their communities. They are exploring the creation of a separate statewide political action committee that would endorse and support candidates who oppose traditional marriage. In their own words, they are, “Utilizing our strong relationships with statewide media to educate the public about the impact of [the amendment] on LGBT people.” And lastly, they are creating a legal guide that gives their interpretation about what the amendment means for homosexuals; and supposedly, they are closely monitoring efforts by groups like ours to make sure we are not planning to use the amendment to challenge existing so-called protections for homosexuals.

As you can see, for Fair Wisconsin the war continues, and they are preparing for the next fight. Friends, this should serve as a wake up call for supporters of traditional marriage. Yes, the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin now includes a section that rightly limits marriage to the exclusive union of one man and one woman. However, just as there is a process to add an amendment to the constitution, there is a process to revoke an amendment or to neutralize it by another amendment. You can be sure that Fair Wisconsin would love to succeed in the process of removing the marriage amendment or neutralizing it.

Yes, traditional marriage now enjoys the best legal protection possible, but we can’t just wipe the dust from our hands, pat each other on the back and walk off into the sunset. We must be ready, willing and able to stand in defense of traditional marriage time and time again, as many times as it takes.

Listen to what the opponents are saying: “Fair Wisconsin remains fully committed to overturning the amendment, whether that takes five years or ten.” They mean business. The election clearly showed their will and their resources. The question for each of us is, are we ready to be there each time they, or others, resume the fight?

Friends, if we understand that God’s plan for mankind is one-man/one-woman marriage and the families headed by these units, if we understand that these families are the cornerstone of a healthy and productive society, if we stand firmly on the truth that the traditional family holds the best promise for our children’s future, then I submit to you we must be there for any and every challenge. We must stay vigilant in this fight and sharp in our defense of marriage because if we are not, our children and thus our very future will be sacrificed on the altar of our apathy.

This is Julaine Appling for The Family Research Institute of Wisconsin reminding you the Prophet Hosea said, “ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”