GAY RIGHTS GROUP CRITICIZES OBERWEIS

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release Contact: Rick Garcia
January 24, 2006 312-560-0405



GAY RIGHTS GROUP CRITICIZES OBERWEIS
Why didn’t he protect his own marriage?



CHICAGO – The director of Illinois’ gay civil rights group criticized Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Oberweis for joining anti-gay activists in promoting an amendment to the Illinois Constitution forbidding the recognition of same-sex marriages. Same-Sex marriages are already illegal in Illinois and polling shows little support in Illinois for such an amendment.

“Jim Oberweis thinks he can win elections through divisiveness and bigotry”, said Rick Garcia, political director of Equality Illinois. “In his last bid for office he demonized Latino immigrants. Now, he attacks gay people and our families. Hatemongering didn’t work then, it won’t work now. He ought to try milking a different cow.”

The divorced Oberweis joined with the anti-gay Illinois Family Institute in support of the group’s Protect Marriage Initiative. “If Oberweis is so concerned about protecting marriage why didn’t he protect his own,” Garcia asked.

All Illinois constitutional officers oppose same-sex marriage and all oppose amending the Illinois constitution. A June 2005 poll of registered voters in Illinois showed that while 48% opposed same sex marriage 67% also opposed a constitutional ban. (Glengariff Group, June 2005. Poll available by calling 312-560-0405)

Garcia noted that in the last Illinois race for U.S. Senate, candidate Alan Keyes toured the state with IFI for a series of ‘protect marriage’ rallies. Keyes barely garnered 26% of the vote in his race. “Illinoisans are fair-minded people and do not take well to those who try to demonize their neighbors,” Garcia suggested.

“This has nothing to do with the protection of marriage and everything to do with rank divisive politics,” Garcia stated. “If these charlatans were so concerned about marriage why are they not proposing a constitutional ban on divorce? Clearly, marriage doesn’t need to be protected from gay people. It is gay people who need to be protected from anti-gay bigots,” Garcia said.
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