On Oct. 16, the first two of 14 'United We Stand—Defending Marriage' rallies were held in Chicago's Marquette Park and Elmhurst's Wilder Park. Though one side had a microphone and the other didn't, gay marriage advocates and dissidents got their messages across. Several conservative speakers, including Republican U.S. Senate candidate Alan Keyes, spoke against gay marriages, saying they believe the only true marriage is one between a man and woman.
There were about 60 listeners, including people from the Illinois Family Institute, at the Elmhurst stop. However, a group of more than 100 people, including local students and people from Church of the Open Door and Chicago Anti-Bashing Network (CABN), gathered on the opposite end of the park holding signs in silent protest of the rally. More than a dozen people chanted in opposition on the outskirts of the rally.
Among the rally opponents in Elmhurst were members of Illinois National Organization for Women (NOW). On Saturday, Illinois NOW stood with S.A.G.E., the Gay/Straight Alliance at Elmhurst College, to protest the message promoted by the Concerned Women for America (CWA) in a rally across the street.
'Conservatives argue that same-sex marriage will destroy family values and the sanctity of marriage. The reality is that children suffer when their parents cannot marry. More than one million children of gay and lesbian parents in the United States are left without protections such as health insurance coverage and Social Security survivor benefits,' said Bonnie Grabenhofer, president of Illinois NOW.
There were about 50 protesters at the Chicago rally, half of the number of marriage supporters. However, CABN's Andy Thayer saw the numbers as a positive. 'It says something that we were able to mobilize 50 people in two weeks when [the advocates] had months to organize and only had 100 people show up.'
Thayer also stressed the importance of picketing the rallies. To him, it involves more than having the privilege of getting hitched. 'This is beyond marriage and even beyond gay rights,' Thayer stated. 'If an organization can stigmatize one group by using the Bill of Rights, what does that say for other minority groups?'
The rallies continue this week, with stops in Carbondale Oct. 20; Effingham and Champaign Oct. 21; and Kankakee and Joliet Oct. 22. For complete tour info, go to www.illinoisfamily.org/Map_UnitedWeStand_ v10-12-04_pl.pdf.