Same-Sex Marriage Bill Ignites Dueling Protests at Rep. Durkin's Office
Protesters on both sides of the marriage equality debate gathered before State Rep. Jim Durkin's office Saturday over a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Illinois.
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Monday, May 13, 2013
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Same-Sex Marriage Bill Ignites Dueling Protests in Western Springs
Protesters on both sides of the marriage equality debate gathered before State Rep. Jim Durkin's office Saturday over a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Illinois.
A protest against the same-sex marriage bill awaiting a vote in the Illinois House stayed relatively peaceful Saturday afternoon, save for one physical confrontation outside State Rep. Jim Durkin’s Western Springs office. About 75 protesters from the Illinois Family Institute (IFI) gathered at 915 55th St. from 3-4 p.m. to oppose what they call a “fundamental change in our culture normalizing homosexual behavior.” IFI Director David Smith said the group targeted Durkin’s office for one of three protests on Saturday because the Republican 82nd District representative has not taken a stance on Senate Bill 10. The Illinois Senate voted to approve the bill in February. “If he does not understand the moral issue of it, we’re here to shed a …
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Friday, May 10, 2013
Same-Sex Marriage Opponents Organize Protest in Western Springs
Protesters from the Illinois Family Institute plan to rally Saturday at State Rep. Jim Durkin's office in Western Springs.
Updated 2:43 p.m. A group advocating against marriage equality plans to rally Saturday in front of State Rep. Jim Durkin’s Western Springs office over a bill winding its way through the Illinois House. The Illinois Family Institute (IFI), a conservative nonprofit, organized the Defend Marriage Rally to support what they call “God-ordained marriage.” Protesters are expected to gather at 3 p.m. Saturday at 915 55th St. in Western Springs. IFI said in a post on its website that its goal Saturday is to “send a crystal clear message to Representative Durkin that the people he represents do not want this radical anti-family social experiment.” Although Durkin (R-Western Springs) has said in the past that he opposes same-sex marriage, he said …
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Ellin Wheelihan
8:53 am on Monday, May 13, 2013
Peter, you sound like a very well educated man and I respect you for having a belief and sticking to it. My grandchildren are still young, but I want them to always have the freedom to be themselves and be kind to everyone. There are so many obstacles in our current society and this is one issue that can easily be rectified. more ›
Thursday, April 4, 2013
County Clerk Defends Same-Sex Marriage Ban Lawsuit
Cook County Clerk David Orr's lawyers filed a brief in defense of a lawsuit attempting to overthrow the state's ban on same-sex marriage.
Cook County Clerk David Orr’s office is taking a stance against opponents of same-sex marriage. Clerk Orr's lawyers filed a brief Monday in opposition to a motion to dismiss a lawsuit challenging Illinois' same-sex marriage ban. Orr was the original defendant in the suit to overturn the state’s ban on gay marriage: Darby v. Orr. However, the longtime equal rights advocate, along with Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, refused to uphold state law, the Chicago Phoenix reports. Instead, Orr sided with the 25 plaintiffs across the state—from Evanston to Rock Island, Hyde Park to Alto Pass—who were denied marriage licenses. As a result, downstate County Clerks Kerry Hirtzel and Christie Webb …
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Senator Mark Kirk Endorses Same-Sex Marriage
Kirk now joins Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio as the two lone Republican senators in support of marriage equality.
Senator Mark Kirk is now the second Republican senator in the nation to back same-sex marriage after a Tuesday statement posted on his website. “When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others. Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this Earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back-- government has no place in the middle.” Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin applauded the decision. “Senator Kirk ... (has) shown tremendous leadership in announcing (his) support for marriage equality," he said. "Democrat or Republican, there can simply be no excuse…
Natalie Stevens
11:51 am on Saturday, April 6, 2013
Comments have been closed on this article, folks. Thanks for posting! more ›
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Marriage Vote Cheered by LT Student Leaders, President Preckwinkle
The Illinois state senate passed the bill on Valentine's Day; it now advances to the House.
The Illinois Senate’s 34-21 vote on Thursday to advance a bill making Illinois the 10th state to recognize same-sex marriages has been lauded by student leaders of advocacy groups at Lyons Township High School, The Doings La Grange reports. The paper spoke with seniors Abe Akande (La Grange) and Grace Gonia (Western Springs), both recipients of student-activist awards from the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, which promotes acceptance of non-straight (LGBTQ) youth. “It’s amazing. I’m so excited,” Akande, also a leader of LT’s Prism advocacy group, told the paper. “Civil unions are good, but they still aren’t exactly the same as marriage.” “I think the more people are aware about LGBTQ issues, the more accepting people will be,” the paper …
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Monday, January 7, 2013
Popular on Patch: Durkin Blasts Lame-Duck Action in Illinois Congress
The Western Springs Republican (District 82) said that Illinois government is attempting to circumvent a thoughtful discussion on several controversial bills.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Durkin Blasts Lame-Duck Action in Illinois Congress
The Western Springs Republican (District 82) said that Illinois government is attempting to circumvent a thoughtful discussion on several controversial bills.
Illinois State Rep. Jim Durkin (R-82nd, Western Springs) is speaking out against some state lawmakers' attempts to pass new laws, including banning assault weapons and allowing same-sex marriage during Springfield's lame-duck session, The Doings Oak Brook reports. According to the paper, while Durkin has not yet stated clear support or opposition to either assault-weapons bans or same-sex marriage, he said that rushing bills through without extensive discussion and public input is unfair, and that he intends to sponsor a new bill "to prevent lame-duck session abuses." “I’ve had it with the 11th hour passage of bills which do not get the thorough vetting before the public and members of the legislature," the paper quoted Durkin as saying. "…
m hardy
10:21 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Navel-gazing restricts your ability to see the interconnectivity of society. If in your purview "the gay marriage issue is important to a select few”, then the Suffrage and Civil Rights movements would have only been important to a select few as well. Rights issues do not deserve the back burner. A white knuckled clench to define “marriage” as man and woman, has the relevance of defining a phone … more ›
reverened mother
5:36 pm on Sunday, May 19, 2013
This is for SmarMan5 - if this is such a "moral issue" explain to us please, when it became morally acceptable to spew hatred, discrimination, and bigotry and teach our children to do the same? And to spew that hatred in the name of God? That is blatent blasphemy and completely breaks the second Commandment (you know, the one about taken God's name in vain...) teaching hatred breeds hatred. God … more ›