On Nov. 8, over 500 protesters in Chicago marched in a large, militant picket despite the cold rain to support marriage equality and LGBT rights.
The demonstrators descended on the Renaissance Hotel in Chicago to oppose the induction of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson into the National Radio Hall of Fame. The “honor” presented by the Museum of Broadcast Communications came as a slap in the face to LGBT and equal rights activists who view Dobson and his organizations as leading propagators of homophobic, sexist and racist hatred.
This injustice, combined with the passage of California’s Proposition 8, fueled the resolve of the protesters. California’s Proposition 8 amends the state constitution to restrict marriage to a union between a man and a woman, effectively banning same-sex marriages. Dobson’s Focus on the Family contributed $1.4 million toward the Proposition 8 campaign.
Demonstrators chanted to demand equal rights, an end to anti-LGBT bigotry, denial of Dobson’s induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame and the immediate overturn of Proposition 8.
Cars, buses and trucks honked in support as they passed by the numerous banners and rainbow flags. Speakers rallied the crowd condemning Dobson as a “sworn enemy” of the LGBT community, adding that he and his affiliates would be met with a fight wherever they raised their head to promote bigotry, inequality and oppression.
Participants included members of the Gay Liberation Network, DontAmend.com, the Party for Socialism and Liberation and dozens of other pro-LGBT groups.
