Protest
Salvation Army Anti-Gay
Hate
12 noon, Friday, Nov. 23
(the day after Thanksgiving)
State & Randolph Streets, Chicago
Sponsored by the
Chicago Anti-Bashing Network (CABN), Greater Chicagoland PFLAG Council, and the
Metropolitan Community Churches (Great Lakes District)
In July the Washington Post broke the news of
an anti-gay deal proposed by the Salvation Army in a "secret memo" to the Bush
administration. In exchange for supporting Bush's "faith based" initiative
funneling tax monies to religious charities, the Salvation Army wanted Bush's
help in gutting local anti-discrimination laws around the country.
The Salvation Army asked the Administration to get Congress to enact a
provision exempting religious bigots from laws which protect Lesbians, Gays,
Bisexuals and Transgendered (LGBT) people in hiring.
Salvation Army Launches Anti-Gay Offensive
A few weeks ago, LGBT activists had hope that
positive change was in the air when the Salvation Army's Western Region granted
domestic partners benefits to unmarried partners of their employees, gay and
non-gay. However, on Tuesday, national leaders of the Salvation Army
slammed the door in gay people's faces, axing the Western Region's reform.
Chicago's Commissioner Lawrence Moretz led the national leadership's
attack against Lesbians and Gays.
"We must stand united in the battle
that will undoubtedly follow from those who would now challenge our biblical and
tradition position" against benefits for Gay, Lesbian and other unmarried
couples, blasted Moretz.
Just a few weeks previously, the Western
Region's Col. Phillip Needham characterized the now-rescinded pro-gay policy as
one that "reflects our concern for the health of our employees and those closest
to them, and is made on the basis of strong ethical and moral reasoning that
reflects the dramatic changes in family structure in recent years."
LGBT
activists and our allies are not taking this sitting down. As the
Salvation Army gets approximately half its funds from holiday kettle donations,
we want to hit them in the wallet:
1) We urge everyone to CEASE
donating to the Salvation Army, and instead give to charities which don't
discriminate.* Instead of donations to the Army, we have prepared messages
to put in their red kettles which explain why we are not giving this
year.
2) Join the Nov. 23rd protest organized by the Greater Chicagoland
PFLAG Council, Metropolitan Community Churches (Great Lakes District), and the
Chicago Anti-Bashing Network (12 noon, State & Randolph Streets).
For
more information, e-mail CABNstopthehate@aol.com or phone Bob at
773.878.3697.
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The (old) Computer is Dead!
Long Live the (new) Computer!
Long time CABN subscribers probably noticed that
we've been unusually silent on the e-mail front over the last few weeks. After
months of increasingly erratic behavior, our cranky, 6-1/2 year old computer
decided it would no longer permit us to send out messages, as both the modem and
motherboard went south.
Here's the good news: Hours previously spent
cajoling and cursing our old AST Advantage 826 will now translate into mere
minutes on our new Dell Dimension 8200. Over the next few months we will be
applying for grants to buy a printer, a scanner and more software to further
increase our efficiency. If you'd like to help with our capital campaign,
please write a check to "CABN" and mail it to CABN, 4404 N. Magnolia, #420,
Chicago, IL 60640.
Thanks!
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*
Charties which help the poor but which do not discriminate against LGBT people
include:
Howard Brown Health Center, which provides free or low-cost
medical care to the LGBT community. Brown Elephant Resale Stores are located at
3939 N. Ashland Ave, 3532 W. Irving Park Rd, and 3651 N. Halsted St (all in
Chicago), phone 773.549.5943.
Open Hand Chicago, which provides "meals on
wheels" for people with AIDS. Phone 773.665.1000
GoodWill Industries,
which provides free job training and job placement for low-income individuals -
555 W. Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, 312.226.4072
Jewish Council on the Elderly
Resale Shop, 3503 W. Lawrence Ave, Chicago 773-583-5118
Please give
generously to the above instead of to the Salvation
Army!
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"Formed in response to three September '98 anti-gay
bashings in the "Boy's Town" neighborhood…[we] respond to all serious hate
crimes, no matter which scapegoated group is targeted. We will actively
seek out and work with individuals and organizations in other communities to
assist them in responding to hate crimes which target them. Only by the active
involvement of grass roots people from all communities can we isolate the bigots
and thus lessen hate crimes."
-- from the CABN founding statement
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