Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Shake-Up At Anti-Gay Illinois Group
by Amy Wooten
2006-08-16

This article shared 1701 times since Wed Aug 16, 2006
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email


Peter LaBarbera, executive director of the ultra-conservative, anti-gay Illinois Family Institute ( IFI ) , is leaving his position to re-launch a group he founded in 1996, Americans for Truth ( AFT ) , an anti-gay group left dormant for a number of years.

Taking his place is former IFI senior policy analyst Dave Smith, who is very involved in Protect Marriage Illinois' downhill battle to place an anti-gay marriage referendum on the November ballot. Protect Marriage Illinois ( PMI ) is a sister organization to IFI. Although some members of the GLBT community feel that LaBarbera was pushed out due to the failure of the referendum under his leadership, as well as other items on IFI's agenda, LaBarbera told Windy City Times these claims are 'totally erroneous,' and that he simply wants to focus on AFT, a group with a specifically focused anti-gay agenda.

LaBarbera added in a voicemail to Windy City Times that the theory does not make sense, considering one of PMI's key leaders has been promoted to head IFI.

'I am delighted that soon I will be able to devote my full time and energies to Americans for Truth and its goal of educating citizens on the threat that the powerful and well-funded GLBT movement poses to children, marriage and freedom,' LaBarbera posted on the AFT Web site. 'Homosexual, bisexual and transsexual groups spend tens of millions of dollars every year to market and normalize their abhorrent lifestyles, yet after all these years there is not a single, serious national group dedicated specifically to exposing and countering their agendas.'

Bob Schwartz of Gay Liberation Network ( GLN ) sees LaBarbera's departure as a large victory for the GLBT community. 'We consider this resignation to be a significant event. It's a defeat for the right wing in Illinois.'

Schwartz and GLN feel that LaBarbera didn't so much resign, but was pushed out by IFI members for 'massively miscalculating' on the anti-gay marriage referendum, wasting a large amount of money and time. They also speculate that LaBarbera's failure to get African-American churches to come on board, and his obsession countering the 'homosexual agenda' in a multi-issue group such as IFI, caused the group to toss its leader. Furthermore, Schwartz said, many pro-gay groups like GLN continuously counter-protested IFI's every move—particularly during its 'haphazardly thrown together' Gay Games protests—often outnumbering the anti-gay group and causing it to lose steam.

'We think LaBarbera has been told to hit the road,' Schwartz added.

According to IFI, that's not the case. 'They don't have their facts right, and its all just speculation on their part,' Smith told Windy City Times with a laugh. 'Besides, we don't consider the marriage amendment a failure,' he continued. 'We gathered over 400,000 signatures.'

On Aug. 11, the Illinois State Board of Elections announced that it would not certify PMI's measure to place a non-binding anti-gay marriage referendum on the Nov. 7 ballot. When the state took a sample of the signatures collected, only 91 percent of the signatures were valid. The state requires that 95 percent of the signatures collected be valid.

Smith added that the Illinois State Board of Elections 'squashed' IFI's First Amendment rights, and described their laws as 'draconian.' He said IFI will continue to fight the decision, and hopes the 7th Circuit Court will rule in its favor.

Smith insists LaBarbera's departure was a personal decision, and IFI did not give him the boot. 'Peter has this desire to take on this effort,' Smith said. 'Anyone who knows Peter knows this is his heart's desire—to seek the truth and expose the homosexual agenda for what it is.'

Smith described LaBarbera's Americans for Truth as the right's equivalent to the Human Rights Campaign because it has a narrow focus, and wished LaBarbera the best.

Right-wing conservative organizations have a habit of shuffling their leaders around. Take, for instance, LaBarbera, who had been a higher-up for Concerned Women for America and the Family Research Council before coming to the IFI.

AFT, formerly known as Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, was founded in 1996 by LaBarbera, and was based in Washington, D.C. In August of 2000, AFT was incorporated into 'ex-gay' Michael Johnson's Kerusso Ministries. Now located in suburban Naperville, AFT will focus on countering the 'homosexual agenda.' On board is Matt Barber, who gained national attention when he was fired from Allstate Insurance Company for writing an anti-gay article.

Schwartz doubts that AFT will obtain the power it seeks. 'I doubt there's room for another anti-gay group,' he said.

AFT recently received a $1,000 grant from The Pro-Family Charitable Trust of Abiding Truth Ministries for re-launching.


This article shared 1701 times since Wed Aug 16, 2006
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Coalition of LGBTQ+ advocates, health care providers release Project RAINBOW report 2024-02-12
--From a press release - SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A coalition of more than two dozen LGBTQ+ advocate organizations and health care providers are releasing a new report aimed at addressing the challenges and discrimination that ...


Gay News

Chicago firefighter receives over $500,000 settlement in City discrimination lawsuit 2024-01-20
- James Mundo, a Chicago firefighter who identifies as a gay man, settled a discrimination lawsuit against the City of Chicago for $515,000 last month. Mundo sued the city alleging it failed to take adequate measures to ...


Gay News

New HRC data: LGBTQ+ youth still lack critical support and acceptance 2023-08-10
- From a press release: WASHINGTON—The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, released a report in partnership with the ...


Gay News

Iraq banning media from saying 'homosexuality' 2023-08-10
- Iraq's official media regulator has ordered all media and social-media companies operating in the country not to use the term "homosexuality" and to say "sexual deviance" instead, NBC News reported. The Iraqi Communications and Media Commission ...


Gay News

Okla. anti-trans order narrows gender definitions 2023-08-04
- In yet another attack on transgender people, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has directed state agencies to use narrow definitions of "female" and "male," according to NBC News. Stitt signed the executive order surrounded by women from ...


Gay News

Future seems "gloomy" after recent Supreme Court term 2023-07-18
- The only thing worse than a bad ruling at the U.S. Supreme Court is a bad ruling that sets up the prospect that the worst is yet to come. Former Solicitor General Donald Verrelli worried about ...


Gay News

Biden administration moves to ensure equal treatment of LGBTQ+ people in federal programs, NCLR responds 2023-07-11
--From a press release - WASHINGTON, DC — The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) applauds the Biden Administration for taking steps to eradicate harmful discrimination in federally-funded social service programs. The U.S. Department of ...


Gay News

Baseball team cuts player who defends anti-LGBTQ+ post 2023-07-05
- Last month, the Toronto Blue Jays cut pitcher Anthony Bass after he said he didn't think an anti-LGBTQ+ social media post he shared last month was hateful, NBC News noted. The move happened hours before Bass ...


Gay News

Supreme Court rules in favor of anti-gay Colorado web designer, LGBTQ+ groups respond 2023-06-30
- On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court—which has a conservative majority—ruled in favor of Lorie Smith, an evangelical Christian web designer from Colorado who refuses to work on same-sex weddings, ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Title IX, anti-drag law, Sarah McBride, march, Wellness in Action 2023-06-30
- The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) recognized the 51st anniversary of Title IX—the groundbreaking 1972 law passed to protect individuals from discrimination in education on the basis of their sex. In a statement, HRC President Kelley Robinson ...


Gay News

Trans former bus driver alleges discrimination, wrongful termination in court filing against CTA, union 2023-06-24
- Russia Brown, a former Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus driver whose legal wrangling years ago resulted in the agency adding gender-affirming surgery to its health insurance plan, is in the process of suing both the CTA ...


Gay News

'Our dignity is unassailable': Community readies for June 25 Pride Parade 2023-06-23
- Despite increasing discrimination against LGBTQ+ people throughout the country, thousands of people are expected to gather for Chicago's annual Pride Parade June 25. The 52nd annual parade kicks off at noon near Montrose Avenue and Broadway. ...


Gay News

NATIONAL School news, Larry Kramer, trans veteran, Steamworks battle 2023-06-23
- In a late-night vote, the Virginia Beach School Board narrowly approved a resolution that opposes discrimination and harassment of LGBTQ+ youth and adults in the school division, WVEC reported. The vote came after board members spent ...


Gay News

Equality Act reintroduced in Congress 2023-06-22
- On June 21—and, fittingly, during Pride Month—four Democratic lawmakers reintroduced the Equality Act in Congress. According to ABC News, several lawmakers—including U.S. Rep. Mark Takano as well as U.S. Sens. ...


Gay News

U.S. soccer win over Mexico marred by anti-gay chanting 2023-06-16
- On June 15 in Las Vegas, Christian Pulisic scored a brace (two goals) as the United States men's soccer team dominated Mexico 3-0 in a game ESPN called "chaotic." Among other things, the Concacaf Nations League ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.