Friday: Protest Against Bigotry!

[lgbtlib...@aol.com]

Anti-Gay, Anti-Abortion Bigots

To Rally Against Equal Rights

Come Join the Counter-Protest!

 

Join with the Gay Liberation Network, LGBT Change and Join the Impact to protest against anti-LGBT and anti-abortion bigots beginning at 10:45 AM this Friday, May 27 at St. Peter’s Church, 110 W. Madison Street, Chicago.

 

Shortly thereafter, the bigots will march from the church to take their message of inequality to the State of Illinois Building / Thompson Center (corner of Clark and Randolph), and we will follow and counter them there too.

 

Their rally (www.americansforlife.com) makes clear the links between those who would deny basic reproductive rights to women and equal treatment for lesbians, gay men, bi-sexual and transgender people.

 

And as the text of some of their announcements makes clear, Friday’s event is the launch pad for another attempt to put an anti-LGBT initiative on the Illinois ballot, and to use such an initiative to push for an anti-gay Constitutional Amendment in Illinois.  As the recent push for such an amendment in Minnesota makes clear, we in Illinois cannot be complacent about such an initiative coming to a relatively “blue” state like Illinois.

 

One of the speakers at the bigot rally is Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a "hate group."

 

One of the central strategies of LaBarbera and other leaders of the anti-LGBT right has been to pit African Americans against gays, implying that any gain in rights for LGBTs will come at the expense of African Americans, and ignoring, of course, that many people are both African American and LGBT.  But as the NAACP's Julian Bond once said of African Americans who would deny equal civil rights to another entire group of citizens: "They ought to have their heads examined."

 

As an illustration of just how far-right this rally is, one of the sponsors, Americans For Life, proclaims that they are

 

“United as one to defeat the Proponents of Communism and Fascism who were out to control the lives of the Free World. We must defend the Christian Values we hold dear. We can’t wait for others to lead us, as they are showing us minimal leadership and are unwilling to die for their moral beliefs. Are they going to sit out the Culture War, where our enemies are trying to intimidate us, and teaching our children and beautiful grandchildren that homosexuality is normal and must be accepted by passing Civil Union Bill 1716 and demanding we change the definition of Tradition Marriage to accommodate their ungodly behavior.  It’s time to say NO, we will not dilute the Family unit created by God and we won’t give up our moral values as did Illinois’ Politicians, the Judas of today, who sell their souls to the Devil in exchange for a few pieces of silver.” (emphasis theirs)           

Rather than wait for the drive for an anti-LGBT Constitutional Amendment to gain momentum, the time to stop it is now, with a strong show of opposition.  Please join the counter-protest and confront the bigots:

 

10:45 AM

Friday, May 27

110 W. Madison St., Chicago

 

Followed by the resumption of our protest at the State of Illinois Building (James R. Thompson Center) at the corner of Clark and Randolph Streets.

 

Gay Liberation Network

www.GayLiberation.net

 

For information, call the Gay Liberation Network at 773.878.3697 or 847.847.946.8035, or email Ruf...@aol.com or rfr...@comcast.net.