Ministers and seminarians lobby for nondiscrimination

By Daniel Rodriguez Schlorff
Illinois Green Party

They flocked to the chamber doors as if to form a barricade. On Tuesday, November 9, the Illinois State Capitol Building stank of sweaty lobbyists and hundreds of concerned citizens who filled the hallways and balconies, elevators and staircases. They stood vigil by the House and Senate doors with one issue on their mind: discrimination.

A day earlier, the Illinois General Assembly convened on November 8 for three days and convened again November 16 for three more days. During these short six-day sessions, the General Assembly considered any bills that were vetoed by Governor Rod Blagoyavich but still remained on the legislative docket. Most notably in the Senate, the Human Rights Amendment (SB2597) brought residents from across the Prairie State to attend to a legislative matter that has been stuck in the rotunda since the 1970s.

The synopsis introduced to the Senate proposes a Human Rights Amendment for Sexual Orientation (SB2597), which "amends the Human Rights Act...Nothing in the Act shall be construed as requiring any employer, employment agency, or labor organization to give preferential treatment or special rights or implement affirmative action policies or programs based on sexual orientation."

Metropolitan areas such as the City of Chicago have voluntarily adopted measures that provide equal protection under the law for LGBT individuals. Statewide, however, religious individuals have voiced their opposition to equal protection for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals.

Members of the Chicago Area Greens and Equality Illinois journeyed to Springfield in order to advocate equal protection under the law. Such unlikely groups as 'Protestants for the Common Good' and the 'Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry-Chicago' joined the Greens during this veto session. also gathered. Sporting their religious attire, ordained clergy, seminarians and devout Christians added their voice to the noisy opponents of equal civil rights, namely the Religious Right.

The Rev. Dr. Tom Barth and Kath Dulaney, deacons at First Congregational in Waukegan, IL, made an appointment with Republican Sen. Adeline J. Geo-Karis, whose voting record shows little sympathy towards LGBT individuals.

"I don't believe there are any churches in my district that would support the Non-Discrimination Bill," announced Geo-Karis.

Barth reminded her that gay people in his congregation, an affiliate of the United Church of Christ, comprise about 60 percent of First Congregational. The discussion continued for over a half-hour.

The sole independent voice of the Illinois Senate is the Rev. James T. Meeks, of the 'Honesty and Integrity' Party. He won a tight race in 2002 between the Police Chief of Thornton, Il., Republican Phillip Arnold, and the 20-year Democratic incumbent, Sen. William Shaw.

Meeks shares many of the same struggles that Green Party candidates face when running for office. Before Meeks was elected in 2002, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune suspected that Meeks would be a determining factor in the Republican-Democrat fight for control over the Illinois State Legislature.

As Senior Minister of the 17,000-member Salem Baptist Church and Vice-President of Operation Rainbow-PUSH, few people could argue against Meeks' candidacy for the Illinois Senate. Two years after his 2002 victory, however, the independent voice of the Senate surreptitiously follows the ways of the Religious Right. As the Tribune predicted, Meeks became a factor in preventing passage of the Non-Discrimination Bill. Meeks stands in solidarity with Illinois Republicans and many Democrats and against the constituents of his district who want fair housing and employee protection for all, including members of the LGBT community.

Luckily, the Protestants for the Common Good and the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry-Chicago continue to speak out against people such as Meeks who use religion as an apologetic for their passage of discrimination. SB2597 will remain in the Rules Committee for another year. The Lavender Greens of Illinois and the Chicago Area Greens understand the importance of the Human Rights Amendment and its implications for Illinois minorities. Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago is just one local official urging the Illinois Senate for complete passage. Meanwhile, religious groups other than from the Religious Right are joining with the Green Party and Equality Illinois to engender change in Illinois and to establish a statewide climate of nondiscrimination.