ALL OUT FOR EQUAL RIGHTS THIS SATURDAY!!

This Saturday, over 200 cities in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, DC and six foreign countries are participating in simultaneous anti-Proposition 8 protests at 12:30 PM Central Standard Time!!

Chicago's protest is at 12:30 PM at Federal Plaza, corner of Adams and Dearborn Streets. (Go to www.jointheimpact.com for a full list of the protests in other cities)

WHY PROTEST?

1. The Supreme Court in California (and the other states that voted on anti-gay measures) has yet to rule on whether the referendum is legally valid. As we've seen in previous historic court decisions, bold public pressure can play a crucial rule in forcing the courts to respect the legal rights of minorities who face discrimination.

2. We are showing solidarity with LGBT people in California, Florida, Arizona and Arkansas. By dramatically showing them that people outside their states have got their backs, we make them stronger against the in-state homophobes who pushed these vicious referendums.

3. In fighting for California and the other states, we are fighting for our own freedom. There is no good reason why Illinois can't move to the front of the pack in the movement for equal marriage rights. But for this to happen, Illinois LGBT's need to stop accepting the lame excuses of our public officials for why there is not marriage equality in this state.

It is shameful that the one party that controls every statewide office – both houses of the legislature and the governorship – can't get this done. It is shameful that the party that claims to defend LGBT interests against the nasty Republican Party cannot even get a soggy "separate-but-equal" civil unions bill passed in the state legislature.

And this is not just a statewide issue. Even though the issuing of marriage licenses by the City of San Francisco was temporarily halted before we won the California Supreme Court victory, the fact that San Francisco boldly issued these licenses made a huge contribution to the momentum which won that court victory.

Cook County Clerk David Orr, if he truly wanted to promote the equal rights for our community, would begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, to force Illinois courts to uphold the equal protection clause of our state's constitution.

If he does this, we will support this pro-gay act of his. Unfortunately, in his many years in office, Orr has only given us words, not action, for our legal equality.

The best contribution we can make to marriage equality in California is to vigorously work for it here in Illinois. The next step in making that happen is to organize as large a participation in Saturday's protest as we can.

For more information about Saturday's protest, email Corrine Mina at corrineloveswilco@gmail.com or Andy Thayer of the Gay Liberation Network (www.GayLiberation.net) at LGBTliberation@aol.com