Efforts to host a conversation between anti-gay activist Maggie Gallagher and pro-gay moralist/ professor John Corvino have been abandoned after alleged threats.
The Marin Foundation, which was to host the event July 23 at Roscoe's, previously announced a cancellation of the event after backlash. But the foundation had hoped to reschedule.
According to a statement put out by the foundation, however, the event will not continue after all.
"There were multiple threats to destroy the property of the planned venues, as well as threats of significant disruptions to Corvino and Gallagher during the event. Each of these threats were (sic.) taken very seriously by all parties, including the Chicago Police Department."
Those threats, said the foundation, led to the cancellation of the event.
In an email statement, Corvino said he understood the community's anger in light of the recent failure to pass equal marriage legislation in Illinois, but that he thought the discussion could have served as a powerful statement on "civility in the midst of deep divides."
"So yes, of course: Maggie Gallagher has worked to deny us our rights, and I have argued forcefully and repeatedly that she's wrong for doing so," said Corvino. "But she's also a fellow human being, and her views are shared by nearly half the countryincluding people who are our family members, co-workers, neighbors and so on. That's why I think it's important to keep the conversation going."
The discussion would not have been the first time Gallagher, who founded the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage, and Corvino, a gay philosophy professor at Wayne State University, would have debated same-sex marriage. The two co-authored a point/ counterpoint book called "Debating Same-Sex Marriage."
"It is regrettable that the climate instigated by a few will hinder dialogue concerning building bridges between opposing worldviews - specifically surrounding gay marriage, family, friendship and love," said the Marin Foundation, in the statement. "We look forward to the opportunity to host this needed event in the future."