Dear Human Rights Campaign supporter:
During the fight over Proposition 8 in California which stripped same-sex couples of their legal right to marry, the influence and power of the LDS ( Latter-day Saints ) Church or Mormon Church grew each and every week as it headed to the ballot box. Even the Yes on 8 Campaign has said they couldn't have won without the Mormon Church.
And not just there. In Arizona, we now know the Mormon Church raised $7.5 million to pass Proposition 102, which forbids marriage between loving gay and lesbian couples.
And just recently in Utah, the headquarters of the LDS Church, those same anti-gay forces torpedoed every single piece of the Common Ground Initiative—five pieces of state legislation that extended basic legal protections for LGBT Utahns.
Those same anti-gay, Mormon forces that brought you the passage of Prop. 8 in California, Prop 102 in Arizona and the defeat of Utah's pro-equality legislation have now set their sights on Illinois. We just learned today that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has sent a private e-mail to its Illinois members urging them to contact state legislators and voice opposition to pending civil-unions legislation.
The e-mail, sent to at least one ward in Illinois, was authorized by Bishop Chris Church, of the Nauvoo, Ill., 3rd Ward, and sent by that Web site's ward administrator. The e-mail spreads many of the same bigoted lies that were hallmarks of the LDS Church's campaign to pass Prop. 8 in California and Prop. 102 in Arizona. It misleads Illinois citizens by blatantly misstating that the civil-unions legislation would "empower the public schools to begin teaching this lifestyle to our young children regardless of parental requests otherwise." It goes on to issue this incendiary and inaccurate warning—"it will also create grounds for rewriting all social mores."
No more lies! Church leaders want to spread their distortions in secrecy, but it's time to shine a light on their insidious and devious work. And you can help!
Please let the Nauvoo Illinois Mormon Temple—the church responsible for authorizing this deceitful and fear-mongering e-mail—know that enough is enough. No more lies. No more secrecy. You can reach them by calling 217-453-6252.
Then take a moment and let members of the Youth and Family Committee in the Illinois State Legislature know that you support The Civil Union Bill ( HB 2234 ) .
Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago
Chairperson
217-782-3835
Rep. LaShawn K. Ford, D-Chicago
Vice-Chairperson
217-782-5962
Rep. Mike Fortner, R-West Chicago
Republican Spokesperson
217-782-1653
Rep. William D. Burns, D-Chicago
217-782-2023
Rep. Michael P. McAuliffe, D-Chicago
217-782-8182
Rep. Al Riley, D-Matteson
217-558-1007
Rep. Dave Winters, R-Rockford
217-782-0455
Warmly,
Joe Solmonese
Human Rights Campaign President