A rally that advocated equal marriage rights for the GLBT community took place Feb. 12 outside Moody Church at North Avenue and Clark Street.
The demonstration was organized by the Gay Liberation Network ( GLN ) , formerly known as the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network. Approximately two dozen people picketed while chanting phrases such as "Stop religious bigotry! We demand equality!" Among the speakers was GLN member Andy Thayer, who said that they "were not trying to tell [ the church ] what to do inside its own doors, but they crossed the line when they tried to get the government -- to whom we all pay taxes -- to pass laws against us."
Another who picketed and spoke was Deb Mell, daughter of Chicago alderman Richard Mell and sister-in-law of Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. She talked about the necessity to "put pressure on religious groups that spread anti-gay hate" and to "work for civil marriage" because "civil unions will not work." Yet another who spoke was Mike Keating, who is the organizer of the nascent group American Christians For Equal Rights; he said that the "issue of gay marriage is not a moral one but one of equal rights."
A short time later, the protesters marched over to Cardinal Francis George's residence at North Avenue and State Street, where they continued chanting ( "Shame on You!" ) and speaking. There, Thayer, among other things, cited a recent Chicago Sun-Times headline that stated that the opposition to gay marriage is at the top of the Pope‚s agenda. " [ The Pope ] has some misplaced priorities," he said. "What about war? What about poverty? What about disease?"
Another who picketed and spoke was Deb Mell, daughter of Chicago alderman Richard Mell and sister-in-law of Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. She talked about the necessity to "put pressure on religious groups that spread anti-gay hate" and to "work for civil marriage" because "civil unions will not work." Yet another who spoke was Mike Keating, who is the organizer of the nascent group American Christians For Equal Rights; he said that the "issue of gay marriage is not a moral one but one of equal rights."
A short time later, the protesters marched over to Cardinal Francis George's residence at North Avenue and State Street, where they continued chanting ( "Shame on You!" ) and speaking. There, Thayer cited, among other things, a recent Chicago Sun-Times headline that stated that the opposition to gay marriage is at the top of the Pope's agenda. " [ The Pope ] has some misplaced priorities," he said. "What about war? What about poverty? What about disease?"