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- This group is updated often. Please check back often , and feel free to contribute. If you have anything you'd like to add or would like to be a group officer, let one of the admins know!
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(Posts not pertaining to glbt-rights will not be tolerated in neither the wall section, or discussion section. Thank you)
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- Phil
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- 13th Illinois House Representative
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Students for the Illinois Marriage Equality Bill
Join- Name:
- Students for the Illinois Marriage Equality Bill
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- This group is updated often. Please check back often , and feel free to contribute. If you have anything you'd like to add or would like to be a group officer, let one of the admins know!
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- ____________________________________________________________
Representative Gregory S. Harris
Illinois General Assembly - 13th District
1967 W. Montrose, Chicago IL 60613
773 348-3434 ▪ greg@gregharris.org
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Thank You For Your Support On Civil Unions!!
Since the House Human Services Committee passed Illinois’ first Civil Union Bill, we have received a great deal of support from around the state. That being said, it was not until recently that I became aware of your group. I have been very impressed with the amount of support this group has garnered and would like to thank Phil and Troy Christopher for creating this group and allowing me to contact each of you. I also want to thank you, the members of Students for the Illinois Marriage Equality Bill, for supporting Civil Unions in Illinois. But now is the time to show your support in a visible and positive manner in your community and with your elected officials.
Bringing Civil Unions to the floor of the House for a full vote will be a difficult undertaking, as there are many Representatives who have not heard the wonderful messages about equal treatment from Illinois citizens, and particularly from residents in their Districts.
As we move closer to the vote, I am hoping I can count on you to help get the message out to your friends, family, co-workers and others you know across the State to call their Representative in support. You know that this issue has mobilized our opponents. We need to be sure that voices for equality, fairness and justice are heard…not just our opponent’s call for continued discrimination, and their attacks on the rights of our lesbian and gay neighbors.
You and other Facebook members could be the critical key towards lobbying more legislators to vote in favor of Civil Unions in Illinois. Our other supporters such as Equality Illinois, the ACLU, the Log Cabin Republicans, PFLAG, Equal Marriage Illinois and others have tapped out their membership resources. Your organization represents literally thousands of new voices for people to hear. You could be critical to the passing of Civil Unions in Illinois!
I hope you can help by using your contact lists, email trees, phone trees and organizational connections to mobilize citizens across the State to help us make history for Illinois. In the coming weeks, you can expect more information from Phil, Troy and myself on how to support Civil Unions including door-to-door canvassing, e-mail campaigns and other opportunities, but for now, please contact your State Representative in your home district and in your school’s district to voice your support of HB 1826 and urge your friends and family to do the same.
Again, I am very grateful your support for HB 1826, the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act.
Very truly yours,
Gregory S. Harris
State Representative, 13th District
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Chicago Sun Times Endorses Civil Union Bill:
The news around the country for gay Americans is all good -- human rights are on a roll.
Now it's time for Illinois to make news -- to get on the right side of history and fairness -- by legalizing civil unions here.
A bill pending in Springfield, sponsored by state Rep. Greg Harris of Chicago, would do just that, and we urge the General Assembly to waste no time enacting it. This is an unusually busy session for the Legislature, which is grappling with such difficult issues as political reform and tax increase, but that can't be allowed to delay further the granting of legal rights for gay couples in Illinois. Our only regret is that we would prefer the state go all the way and legalize gay marriage.
On Wednesday, Maine legalized gay marriage and the New Hampshire Legislature voted to do the same. If New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch does not veto the bill, New Hampshire will become the fifth New England state -- along with Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut -- to legalize gay marriage.
And last month, the Iowa Supreme Court, in a decision written by a Republican justice, voided a ban on same-sex marriages.
Harris first introduced a civil union bill for Illinois two years ago, and he thought it had a chance, but it was sidetracked by the buildup to the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Since then, the acceptance of civil unions has grown more mainstream, and now Illinois would be joining a parade.
Harris' bill would give committed same-sex couples many of the same legal benefits of married couples. They would, among other rights, be able to visit their loved ones in the hospital, participate in making medical decisions, inherit property and be granted custody of children.
The bill specifically states that no religious institution or denomination could ever be forced to recognize these unions.
We're pushing love and commitment here, folks. Let's join the parade.
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Chicago Daily Herald Endorses Civil Union Bill:
When proponents of a series of state government reform measures talked to the Daily Herald Editorial Board, they reacted strongly to political conventional wisdom that the Illinois General Assembly couldn't deal with all that was proposed by the end of the current session in May.
Why can't it? they asked. Indeed, why not?
We ask the same question when it comes to House Bill 2234 - The Illinois Religious Freedom Protection & Civil Union Act. Two years ago, a similar measure never got a vote because, depending on whom you talk to, there were too many other things to fix or there weren't enough votes for passage. Apparently, the same thing is happening this year. We say that's not good enough. It's time Illinois joins the ranks of 10 other states that either have full marriage equality or a civil union/domestic partnership law.
Just this week, Maine's governor quickly signed a bill legalizing gay marriage and New Hampshire sent a bill to its governor. Meanwhile, Iowa started marrying same-sex couples last week after a state Supreme Court ruling.
In Illinois, however, the debate should be less controversial. The proposed law seeks civil unions, not gay marriage. It's not a debate being waged in the courts to be ruled on by "activist judges" but by our duly elected legislators.
The law specifically protects religious institutions from being forced to sanction or perform civil unions if they oppose them.
State Rep. Greg Harris, chief sponsor of the bill, said Thursday he didn't have the votes yet. He plans to ask for an extension of today's deadline (the House already adjourned for the week) to consider this measure because he still believes he can get the votes. We urge House Speaker Michael Madigan to grant that request.
"I want to get it done sooner rather than later," said Harris. "A quarter of our country now accepts this as a standard legal way of life."
For legislators still on the fence, they are ignoring the fact that a majority of people in this country support civil unions. A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll shows 60 percent of those asked favor civil unions. Another poll has the figure at 57 percent.
Beyond polls, this boils down to a question of fairness. Same-sex couples do not seek special rights. They should be able to make emergency medical decisions just as married couples do. There are horrific examples of partners being denied access in an emergency. They should have access to state spousal benefits, including survivor benefits. They should be able to file civil actions based on spousal status. They should have the right to control the disposition of remains when a partner dies. They should have the right to share a nursing-home room. The list goes on.
We share in Harris' frustration, when he said: "I am beginning to wonder if there is any reason to oppose this bill other than that they oppose basic fairness to gay people and lesbians."
We believe in fairness. We believe a majority of Illinois residents believe in fairness. And we demand the
Legislature do the right and just thing and vote for civil unions.
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Chicago Tribune Endorses the Civil Union Bill:
The idea of letting gays and lesbians marry hasn't lost its power to polarize. Some 350 people rallied this month at the Iowa statehouse in Des Moines to protest the state Supreme Court's decision mandating recognition of gay marriage. Californians are still at odds after voters approved a November ballot initiative amending the constitution to ban it. Vermont legislators this month barely overrode the governor's veto of a bill legalizing gay marriage.
Unnoticed in the uproar is that most Americans favor extending the benefits and obligations of marriage to same-sex couples -- just as long as it goes by a different name. Call it marriage, and most people bridle. Call it a civil union, and some 55 percent of citizens are in favor.
It's safe to say public opinion in Illinois runs pretty much the same. Yet state lawmakers haven't gotten around to doing something that is both popular and valuable: providing state recognition of civil unions.
A bill sponsored by Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), which appears to have a reasonable chance of passage, would change that. It would grant adult couples, gay or straight, the right to enter into civil unions that, under state law, would be equivalent to marriage in everything but name.
If it's enacted, gay couples will gain the right to do things that heterosexuals take for granted: make emergency medical decisions and funeral arrangements for a partner, visit each other in the hospital and share a nursing home room. More important, perhaps, it will protect kids by placing same-sex couples that split up under the same rules that govern divorce, while assuring access to survivor benefits when a de facto parent dies.
By this compromise, the state would promote long-term commitments and the well-being of children. But it would avoid the intense emotions that surge around anything altering the traditional definition of marriage, which for many people has deep religious meaning. Harris' bill stipulates that no religious entity may be forced to bless such unions.
This option won't satisfy fierce advocates on either side of the gay marriage debate. But it would bring Illinois law into line with the feelings of the public, which doesn't want to punish gays or their kids but also doesn't want to pronounce on matters of faith.
Legalizing civil unions won't end the battle over same-sex marriage. But it will offer protections that gay couples now don't have.
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Recently updated!!
Four commercials about marriage equality:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG7ddWLF_Fk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cunTVjtyZv8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMGfIFl8KwE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqs_KU-PhTM
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An amazing speech by NAACP President on marriage equality:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq1MN1FYa4M
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IN THE NEWS:
Washington DC Council introduces marriage equality bill. Will pass, as 10 out of 13 council members are co-signers:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/05/AR2009100503584.html
First ad plays in Washington state as a vote to try to repeal domestic partnerships is up in November:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHiuCHLRLNM
Gay rights on the ballot in 3 states this November 2009:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jqP7SIBChDexmpCQukYI0Gs3DWqQD9AV4HK02
Battle Lines Drawn On Civil Unions Debate in Illinois:
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/civil.unions.same.2.988542.html
Most New Yorkers Favor Marriage Equality:
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/645388.html
Iraqi Militia Killing Gay Men By Using Anal Torture:
http://www.towleroad.com/2009/04/report-iraqi-militia-killing-gay-men-with-painful-form-of-anal-torture.html
Federal Budget would benefit $1 billion every year if gay marriage was legal in the US:
http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=5559&type=0
New HRC Website:
http://www.endthelies.org
HRC Facebook application:
http://apps.facebook.com/humanrights/
