GLN permalink posted March 23, 2009

Illinois's #1 Anti-Gay Bigot To Hold Public Meeting Tonight (Monday) Let's crash his party!

Peter LaBarbera has long been active in far right wing organizing:

– as an operative with Concerned Women for America (an anti-women's rights group)

– then as Executive Director of the Illinois Family Institute, an outfit labeled a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center (LINK)

– and now with his Americans for Truth About Homosexuality.

With his breathless "undercover" reports about International Mr. Leather and other events, LaBarbera's obsession about gay sex has become legendary in political circles. His "activism" would be laughable if it wasn't also dangerous -- LaBarbera was the principal proponent of the two failed attempts to get anti-gay initiatives on the Illinois ballot.

*** Appearing last year on the far-right Matt Barber program with lunatic legislator Rep. Sally "homosexuals are worse than terrorism" Kern of Oklahoma, he said that the gay lobby "threatens America and threatens children."

*** Addressing the increasing pogromist atmosphere against LGBT people in Uganda, he said "At AFTAH, we preach Christian mercy and have denounced Talibanesque capital punishment for homosexuals in countries like Iran. But we also believe that if states and localities here in America (and governments abroad) wish to ban sodomy, they have every right to do so..." Sorta like saying, "We oppose Herr Hitler's violence against Jews, but his laws are okay."

*** Talking about John Berry, the new head of the federal government's Office of Personnel Management, he said "So, what we have is sort of a subversive -- if you could call it that -- homosexual activist, and now he's going to have an even much more visible and powerful role at OPM, which is a very powerful job in Washington."

Tonight we will be addressing LaBarbera's hate speech with our own 1st Amendment-protected speech.

For all who want to join us for the protest, we'll be at the Christian Liberty Academy, 502 Euclid Avenue, Arlington Heights at 6:30 PM (LaBarbera's event begins @ 7).

For those coming from the Chicago, there's a train leaving the Ogilvy Center (Canal and Madison) at 5:23 PM getting into Arlington Heights at 6:15 PM (GLNers will be meeting in the 2nd floor lobby of the Ogilvy Center before getting on the train). The "Christian Academy" is a short walk from the Arlington Heights train station.