SB 10 Marriage equality in Illinois

By Melanie Nathan, April, 25, 2013.

On February 14, the Illinois State Senate voted to pass the legalization of marriage equality (IL SB10) bill, entitled the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, by a 34-21-2-2 score in favor of marriage equality. The vote is one step closer to making the “Land of Lincoln” one step closer to legalizing marriage equality in the state. The Illinois House of Representatives needs to vote on the Bill and if it passes Governor Pat Quinn, will likely will sign it into law, making Illinois the 11th state to legalize same-sex marriage, after Rhode Island this past week. The bill faces a tougher fight in the House than the Senate. While a majority of Illinoisans support marriage equality, opponents of the bill have ramped up their efforts to keep it from passing.

Anti-gay forces, led by the “Illinois Family Institute,” (IFI) described as an SPLC hate group, are rallying against Illinois’s equal marriage rights bill this Saturday in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. It is imperative that the LGBT community rally in force as ‘Voices IN FAVOR’ of equal rights for all must be heard. Bring your signs please if you are in the area, as you are urgently needed to peacefully counter the IFI’s message of hate and discrimination.

In its attempt to derail the equal marriage rights bill, the IFI is cynically trying to pit the Latino community against the LGBT community — ignoring of course that many of share both identities.

The IFI uses the usual rhetoric on its website, using warlike metaphors to lie, by saying that by giving gay people rights, somehow – such will impact their freedom . IFI falsely leads people to believe that having rights as a straight community is an exclusive and hence giving rights to the gay community will somehow impact their freedom. The Illinois Family Institute has declared it is at “war” to prevent the LGBT community from obtaining legal rights. This is what they say:-

“To win the battle for freedoms and families in this country, your action is required. Illinois Family Institute is fighting every day in local communities, in our state legislature, and in the public-square to protect and defend those traditional values and Constitutional freedoms which make our country so great. We can’t win without you! The time to join the battle is now! Whether you are an individual, group or church, there are many opportunities for you to make a difference. Roll up your sleeves now and see how else you can make a difference by viewing the opportunities to your left.”

The anti-gay hate group also says:

“THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ● We strongly support the Defense of Marriage Act as enacted in Illinois to defend the institution of marriage between one man and one woman, and to prevent recognition of same-sex “civil unions.” We believe that all state and corporate “domestic partners” policies that reward unnatural relationships erode marriage and the natural family (mother, father and children) as the proper foundation of our society. We support the enactment of a constitutional amendment in Illinois that will further protect marriage from being redefined by activist courts. And we support a federal marriage protection amendment, know that the gravest potential danger to marriage comes from federal courts that could attempt to impose “gay marriage” or “civil unions” on every state, including Illinois.”

The IFI is listed as a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its willful lying about LGBT people (see http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2010/winter/the-hard-liners#.UXGJPEqyHe4).

Andy Thayer, co-founder of the Gay Liberation Network (www.gayliberation.net), told OBLOGDEE:

“We appeal to all people of good will, LGBT and non-LGBT, Latino and non-Latino, to join our protest against the IFI and oppose hate and discrimination in all forms.” Please come out this Saturday and help send a strong message against hate and discrimination of any kind! Join the Action here https://www.facebook.com/events/335936816528821/ EVENT PROTEST: WHERE: 2200 N. Sacramento Avenue, Chicago, IL WHEN: Saturday, April 27, 10.00 AM

BILL UPDATES: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=10&GAID=12&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=85&GA=98