Dear Windy City Times,
Cardinal Francis George, in a desperate attempt to prevent the legalization of same-sex marriage here in Illinois, is relying on a group of Chicago-area Black ministers he thinks he can count on to halt the gay-marriage movement.
His efforts fly in the face of a growing number of African-American leaders—including ministers and the former head of the NAACP, Julian Bond—who have come out in favor LGBT-marriage rights. Nevertheless, the Cardinal met with a number of Black ministers (the anti-gay African-American Clergy Coalition) to hammer out a plan to urge congregants to tell their legislators to say "no" to legalized same-sex marriage.
At the cardinal's behest, the pastors recently recorded a radio commercial in the archdiocese studios pitched to African-American households. Shame on Francis George. Not only do the majority of Catholics favor gay marriage but the cardinal now faces a petition drive to get the tax-exempt status of the Chicago Archdiocese revoked.
With his aggressive street campaign to interfere with House Bill 170 and because he has become the predominant and most active opponent of this legislation, his influence can only be considered substantial and in violation of Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. The reader can sign the petition online at www.change.org/petitons/revoke-chicago-diocese-tax-exempt-status.
Craig Teichen
Chicago
A bad raise
I have assisted, in the past, with a non-profit group getting a booth established for Market Days. I was very saddened to learn this year that the booth fee increased—but only for the non-profit customers. The reason is that they are not revenue-generating, and the increase is being done to "weed them out." Non-profit booths, in a street faire of this nature, are very important for many reasons.
First, they show the world the many faces that, in this case, make up our colorfully gay culture. People, who may not be out themselves, can come to this in a guise of safety with their peers, and use it as an opportunity to learn about things that could assist them in their "coming-out." Also, non-profits that depend on events such as these to drive membership for fundraising purposes would be impacted if the goal of "weeding out non-profits due to profitability" is really what is the case here. Lastly, I'd like to point out that grassroots organizations that are similar to those that have helped shape this country got their start in places like these, so taking away their opportunity due to a lack of funds is a travesty. Funds are scarce when first starting out and bright lights may be cut short at just a thought because of this issue.
I felt compelled to email your paper about this issue because you are so closely tied to the gay community, and if this is correct I'd hope you'd like to bring in issue like this to light. In a world where there is so much injustice going on, it would be said to see an organization of gay-focused business owners potentially hurting some of the groups that have helped shaped the society they live in.
Warm regards,
Kevin Patterson
Chicago
