2009–02–15 | Brett Anthony

Chicago, IL — Valentine's Day was the backdrop for a planned protest by the Gay Liberation Network (GLN) and the Chicago chapter of the Join the Impact part of a nationwide Freedom to Marry Day event aimed to promote and advocate same-sex marriage.

Seven protesters were arrested Saturday when they refused to leave the Cook County Marriage License Bureau in Chicago after clerks said they would not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

When Buddy Bell and Dale Fecker were refused a marriage license, they were joined by Dan Ware, Danielle Karczewski, Jeff Graubart, Erica Chu, and Nick Ferrin for a sit-in at the Bureau located in the Cook County Building, 118 N. Clark St.

"The law divides society into groups and assigns one group rights while giving lesser rights to the other group. The laws violate the equal protection guaranteed for all citizens under the Constitution," said Ferrin.

Meanwhile, about 400 protesters rallied outside the Bureau and then marched to the Bureau's doors with a chant that's been popular here since last spring, "Obama, Obama, let mama marry mama."

The Chicago protesters saw their action as a way to help sway the California Supreme Court to throw ...   more »

Americans United Says President Obama's 'Faith-Based' Program Lacks Adequate Constitutional Safeguards

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Church-State Watchdog Group Expresses Disappointment That Bush-Era Rules Allowing Religion-Based Hiring Discrimination Remain In Place

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today expressed disappointment that President Barack Obama’s “faith-based” initiative is being rolled out without repeal of Bush-era policies that violate civil rights and civil liberties.

Obama issued an executive order today appointing Joshua DuBois as executive director of the White House faith-based office and setting up an advisory council on faith-based and other issues.

President George W. Bush’s faith-based initiative allowed religious groups that accept tax funding to engage in discriminatory hiring and celebrated faith-based groups that proselytize. Today’s Obama action leaves the Bush executive orders in place including one that specifically authorizes religion-based employment discrimination in publicly funded programs.

“I am very disappointed that President Obama’s faith-based program is being rolled out without barring evangelism and religious discrimination in taxpayer-funded programs,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “It should be obvious that taxpayer-funded religious bias offends our civil rights laws, our Constitution and our shared sense of values.”

Questions of religious bias have dogged the faith-based ...   more »

From “A Blueprint for Change” – HRC.org

For the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, the election of a fair-minded president provides vast opportunities to advance equality in material ways on an accelerated timetable. This results not only from new leadership and vision in the White House itself, but from new management of the entire executive branch as well. These agencies recommend and implement policies related to violence, health education and research funding, family benefits and other areas that are critical to the well-being of LGBT people. 

Through the power that our Constitution provides the president and executive branch, the incoming Obama/Biden administration can institute much-needed changes in federal policy without congressional action. The president has the power to appoint officials who are receptive to civil rights, and judges who respect fundamental constitutional principles and enforce legal protections for all Americans. The president is also empowered to direct administrative actions that will improve the lives of millions of LGBT people.

• Federal Workplace Non-Discrimination: As leader of our nation’s largest civilian work force, the president may institute non-discrimination, healthcare access and other policies to establish the equal rights of federal LGBT employees.
  
• HIV and Health: The administration, and its secretary ...   more »

James Baldwin says, “Instead of speaking of the civil rights movement, let’s pretend that we’re witnesses to the latest slave rebellion…” 

Bishop Robinson with daughter, Ella, and Obama

Bishop Robinson’s Prayer at the Lincoln Memorial which Obama did not allow to be aired on HBO