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LETTERS Bruce's bias, Thoughts on parade
2014-07-09

This article shared 5289 times since Wed Jul 9, 2014
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Bruce's bias

Throughout the campaign for marriage equality, we heard the stories of LGBT couples across Illinois—couples from all walks of life, couples with children, couples who had been together for decades. Those couples wanted to be able to care for and protect their families through marriage.

A robust debate occurred last year over whether all Illinois couples and families should be treated equally and with dignity under the law. Today, as we celebrate the official commencement of the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, we honor those officials who stood for freedom and equality.

We also remember those public figures, like Bruce Rauner, who chose the side of bigotry and intolerance.

Rauner, the Republican candidate for governor, claims to be a social moderate. In public and in the media, he claims not to "have a social agenda" and that "it doesn't matter" how he feels about marriage equality.

Rauner can't have it both ways. A real leader takes a stand. But we now know how he really feels. Last year at a Tea Party gathering in Quincy, he had this to say about marriage equality: "They haven't approved it in a referendum, so if I were governor I would veto."

Rauner opposes the freedom to marry. If he had been governor, the many couples across Illinois who today are celebrating new families would still be relegated to a second-class legal status. Bruce Rauner, as he said in Quincy, has no problem with that.

We know the real Bruce Rauner. His administration would very likely be working behind-the-scenes to block new legislation and erode the existing laws protecting our families.

Just look at the GOP "top of the ticket" and the elected officials Rauner surrounds himself with, like running mate Evelyn Sanguinetti and U.S. Senate candidate Jim Oberweis, both of who strongly oppose the freedom to marry, LGBT family adoption rights and other legal protections. Moreover, he has given tens of thousands of dollars to anti-LGBT candidates throughout our state.

The record is clear: LGBT couples and their families will not be welcome in Bruce Rauner's Illinois. All of us, friends and family alike, must remember who really stands with the LGBT community this November.

Sincerely,

Bernard Cherkasov, CEO, Equality Illinois

Art Johnston, Founder of Equality Illinois

Jim Bennett, Midwest Regional Director, Lambda Legal

Jeremy Gottschalk, Chair, Equality Illinois PAC

State Rep. Kelly Cassidy

State Rep. Ann Williams

John Kohlhepp, Campaign Manager, Illinois Unites for Marriage

David Munar, President & CEO, Howard Brown Health Center

Anthony Martinez, Executive Director, Civil Rights Agenda

Alyx S. Pattison, Candidate,

Second Ward Alderman

Nancy Kohn

Jacob Meister

John Peller

Keith Kelleher

Ray Koenig

Sarah Schmidt

Lynda DeLaforgue

Debra Bernard

David Jablonowski

Kevin Boyer

Robert Hoeppner

Ian Gray

Peter Johnson

Jeanne Kracher

Laura McAlpine

Claire Alshuler

Melinda Dunker

Mary Morten

Pat Ewert

Dalila Fridi

Jeff Souva

Michael Garzel

Frank Walker

Mandi Hinkley

Zoa Norman

Doug Ferguson

Chip Howard

Willard Dumas III

Kitty Kurth

Robert Newhart

Robert Ollis

Dave Lowitzki

Anders Lindall

Jordan Heinz

MK Czerwiec

Matthew Zaradich

Kyle Hillman

John Litchfield

Charles Watkins

Camilla Taylor

Jason Burch

Art Friedson

Nicole Bashor

Cynthia Homan

Kennette Crockett

Jacquelyn Haas

Kay Miles

Deb Murphy

Barbara Provus

Frederick Wackerle

Sharon Webber

Claudia Mosier

Jennifer and

Leslie Henry

Gail Morse

Shirley Baugher

Norman Baugher

Thoughts on parade

Hello, July 1st and goodbye, Pride Month.

As I age gracefully—well, at least in my mind—I can't help but reflect on the past 48 hours and my observations on the Pride weekend we have just past. I just was photographed and posted in AP photos on Yahoo, and I proudly sang the national anthem for the gay vets as they placed a wreath at the eternal flame in Daley Plaza downtown.

As I was marching with the gay veterans and carrying the American flag, Cyon Flare said to me, "I would like to get to know your opinion of what you think of the youth today and how they are in today's gay community." I told Cyon we should get together for coffee to discuss but it got me to thinking that maybe I should write down some observations of the day. So here they are:

It seems to me 45 years may have moved us from back rooms and closets to the mainstream—but at what cost, and at what level of respect? Let me share with you some examples of those observations. You be the judge.

1. Freedom and rights are not free. The Pride Parade and Pride celebrations are about remembering the fight that got us cohesive and more organized. The Stonewall Riots are the catalyst of the modern age of gay liberation and freedoms. Would we be where we are today had they not occurred? Who can tell, but that is what we are coming together to celebrate/commemorate/remember.

2. When did gay rights become so violent? Sure, we had our civil disobedience and arrests in the early years, but seeing a Chicago Police Department squad car trashed, with people standing on the roof, windshield bashed in? Really—is that showing Pride? Quite honestly, seeing this sort of behavior, I was kind of ashamed.

3. Pride day is mostly filled with happy, joyous folks. If you can't stand a crowd or disruption, or can't take an extra walk around a section of the parade line-up because the large American flag is laid out ready to be unfolded, then stay home. People base their opinions based on our actions and, yes, I did see this. If it is not your place to be happy and joyous with inconvenience sprinkled in, then stay home and be unhappy alone. Don't take the rest of us with you.

4. So when did the F-bomb become so commonplace in our language that it does not seem to impact anyone? After the parade I was walking in the park between Montrose and Wilson. The old days of the Rocks Picnic has now moved north to his location and I think I heard "f—-" more times than in any R- or X-rated movie I have ever seen. Really, again it is about some simple respect. Yes, there seemed to be a great age difference in the crowd here ( anywhere from 16-96 ), but the message and the words flowing were the same: guttural, vulgar, harsh, hard. Really, is this necessary for all to converse in this manner?

5. GIRL, keep your personal drama at home. Oh, trust me, I have been there, done that but, really, the one day that you need to keep it at home is Pride. Like I said it point three, stay home if this is how you're going to play. People are watching, children are listening and, at the end of the day, the more outrageous our detractors find us, the better they like it. It feeds the religious right and others that don't want us to be equal. It gives them more fuel for the fire. Don't help those who don't like us.

6. Leave your firearms at home. Big parties, lots of carrying on, maybe a bit too much to drink and a gun do not lead to a happy ending. No wonder there are those who vilify us. It is pretty easy when we give them the tools.

7. What happened to good manners—"please," "thank you" and "excuse me?" Just because it is Gay Pride does not mean you have the right to be rude, nasty or disrespectful. I never thought I would say this but I have turned into my parents. However, that is because manners are simple—but since they do not come with a smartphone application, perhaps it has become too much to expect.

8. Some say we have outlived/outgrown the Boystown space for the parade, so it should move downtown. Really, our roots are in Lakeview/Boystown. Do you really think 1 million people are going to haul it downtown to see a Pride parade in the Loop? So they can empty out Wrigley Field with no issues after every game and not shut down Addison? Can't similar crowd-control methods be used at Belmont? Closing el stations for capacity purposes without an announced contingency plan is not good planning. Most folks on the trains on Pride Sunday are not regular users of the CTA; be more clear as to what are the options for the riders.

If you think that Belmont needs to be closed for a period of time due to capacity, make that decision in advance and plan the alternate and announce them accordingly, like bus re-routes. Case in point: My friends from out of town attempted to use the el but found they were told to get off at Wellington/Sheffield when the Belmont station was being bypassed. The message was delivered unclearly; they thought all had to get off. The reality is they could have ridden further to one of the subsequent stops—Addison, Sheridan or Wilson—which would have gotten them closer to their final destination. However, because it was unclear, they were kind of lost and struggling. Better communication of alternate routes of travel can make better choices for visitors and locals alike and doesn't have to mean we move out of our home base for our parade.

I am happy that Pride has become the massive event that it is. I am happy that we have Pride Fest the week before for two days. I think that is a bit overcommercialized but, in the end, it shows how far we have come. But I am sad that we do not take the time during Pride Month and the week of Pride itself to insure that the youth of today become the better leaders in our community tomorrow.

I know Gay History month is in October, but celebrating what and who we love should be something we practice every day. Respecting how we got here should be common place. Knowing at what cost we came to have the 45th annual Pride Parade needs to be kept dear. Holding in great regard the leaders who got us there should be a given.

Dean Ogren

Chicago


This article shared 5289 times since Wed Jul 9, 2014
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