Alumni from Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, Ill., protested an event in support of GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum March 16 at Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights, ahead of the Illinois primary March 20.
Santorum, a 1976 alumni of Carmel Catholic High School, has made numerous statements against the LGBT community and women's reproductive rights.
"Rick sends a message of bullying, but we want high school students to know that other alumni send a message of equality. The LGBT community needs allies and support from the entire community and it's great that people are speaking up today," said protest organizer and class of 2002 alumni Matt Muchowski.
About 50 demonstrators gathered across the street from the academy's entrance during Santorum's two-hour rally. Representatives from other groups joined Carmel Catholic High School Alumni to protest Santorum.
Protesters of all ages held signs and chanted at rally attendees as they streamed inside the building. Some protesters held Ron Paul signs while others held President Obama signs alongside those who held signs in support of the LGBT community and women's reproductive rights.
Two members of the Northeastern Progressive Democrats of America, Jim Kearby and Barb Hogman attended the rally, which was open to the public, for a brief period of time. They said that as Santorum was speaking about healthcare he was spewing hateful rhetoric toward President Obama.
Aaron Zider, a protester who went to the rally with four other protesters, said that Santorum's speech focused on freedom, liberty, the founding fathers, climate change and "Obamacare". Zider noted that during the entire time they were at the rally Santorum didn't speak about LGBT or women's reproductive issues.
One incident did happen while Santorum was speaking, Zider said. A gay couple started chanting Santorum's last name and then began kissing each other. As the couple was being escorted from the building the crowd chanted "USA", Zider said.
As rally attendees were leaving the Christian Liberty Academy protesters chanted "love not hate" and other phrases in support of LGBT equality and women's reproductive issues. One rally attendee held up a sign that said "Yes to DOMA" ( the Defense of Marriage Act ) while other rally attendees shouted back at the protesters as they descended the stairs.
Most of the major local news outlets were on hand to cover the event. Police were stationed outside of the venue. However, their services were not called upon since both Santorum supporters and Santorum protesters kept their distance from each other.
Ahead of the protest, 400 people joined the Facebook page "Carmel Catholic Alumni Against Rick Santorum." It has since grown to 454 people. See www.facebook.com/pages/Carmel-Catholic-Alumni-Against-Rick-Santorum/168760256521107 .
