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CHICAGO: Black Clergy Coalition Urges Passage of Marriage Equality

It was two weeks ago when a small group of influential Black pastors in Chicago launched a radio and robo-call campaign to oppose Illinois' marriage equality bill. The robo-calls and radio spot feature the voice of Sen. James Meeks—the outspoken anti-gay mega-church pastor and former state senator—who has become the de facto leader of the Black opposition to the bill.

Another coalition of inclusive, Black Chicago-area clergy members announced their support for the marriage bill yesterday, report the Chicago Sun-Times, Tribune and Northwest Herald. The pastors called the bill "a bold step forward for equality."

The Rev. Carlton Pearson, a Pentecostal minister, called the issue a win-win situation and said there are far more black pastors in Chicago who support the bill but are afraid to come forward. "I think no one here is worried about whether there’s going to be backlash or not, or we wouldn’t be here," [said the Rev. Richard Tolliver, pastor of St. Edmund’s Episcopal Church on the South Side] said. "There will be people who are supportive. There will be people who are not supportive. Our hearts are where they are."

The Rev. Phyllis Pennese, the openly gay pastor of two south suburban churches, said she’s not worried about pastors opposing the bill: "There are more people behind justice than Rev. Meeks could ever drum up to be against justice regardless of what their faith tradition or what their faith commitment is."

One of the strongest statements in support of equality came from the Rev. L. Bernard Jakes of West Point Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago , who noted that many Black LGBT are "active in the African-American church", reported the Tribune. West Point MBC was once the home of gospel legend Albertina Walker.

"Many of the same-gendered loving couples love Jesus as much as I, and they believe in Scripture with the same fervor by which I believe.Their only legal lot in life is they are prevented from sharing in a life-long legal commitment with their partner — many of double-digit years. This is what makes it a matter of civil rights," he wrote.

The Illinois Senate approved its marriage bill by a 34-21 vote on Valentine's Day. The bill awaits a floor vote in the House. Speaker Michael Madigan has acknowledged that passage will be "very difficult.

Illinois' Black civic and political leadership was firmly behind the landmark 2010 vote on civil unions. Rev. Meeks was the only Black in the General Assembly to vote against that bill. Will the narrative change? Of the 20 members of the Illinois House Black Caucus, "only one of the 14 House co-sponsors is Black," notes the Tribune. Many Black politicians have reportedly said they "fear political repercussions."

Ministers opposed to same-sex marriage have warned legislators who vote for it to never come back to their churches, where politicians traditionally campaign on the final Sundays before an election. "It’s a little disheartening," said Democratic state Rep. Will Davis, a Black caucus member who has not made up his mind as he works out whether gay marriage is a moral or public policy issue.

"There are so many large-scale issues important to the Black community, but you’ve never heard from them," Davis said of the churches opposed to gay marriage. "This doesn’t create jobs. It doesn’t create opportunities and, for the most part, they are silent on helping African-Americans getting job opportunities in this state. They are silent on the increasing prison population.”

"When I saw that the lawmakers were excited about passing legislation about same-sex marriage, it’s a slap in the face of the Bible,” said Rev. Lance Davis, bishop of New Zion Christian Fellowship Covenant Church in Dolton."I didn’t see that kind of enthusiasm about stopping children from killing children in the streets."

A December 2012 Public Policy Poll showed that "60% of African Americans surveyed [in Illinois] supported same-sex marriage," reports Illinois Unites. "A recent Crain’s/Ipsos poll shows Illinoisans supporting marriage equality, with 50 percent in favor and only 29 percent opposed."

Illinois would become the second state after Iowa to approve equal marriage in the nation's heartland. Same-sex couples can now legally marry in nine states—Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington—and the District of Columbia.

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EBONY: Mental Health Disparities Endanger Chicago’s Black Youth

Mental health remains largely absent from public debate across the Black community. This is despite data that show Blacks "are 20% more likely to report having serious psychological distress than Whites" and mental health care disparities are even more pronounced among Black and Latino children.

Our latest for EBONY: "Mental Health Disparities Endanger Chicago’s Black Youth."

There has been a national outcry for increased access to mental health treatment in the wake of the Aurora and Newtown shootings. But in Chicago—whose gun-violence murder rate last year was the equivalent of  "a Newtown  [massacre] every four months"—has seen a steady decrease in funding to mental health programs.

“From 2009 to 2012, state leaders cut roughly $187 million from state-sponsored programs,” according to a report by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. That’s just over thirty percent of its mental health budget.  Today, Illinois “has the dubious distinction” of ranking third in the nation when it comes to states with the highest dollar amounts cut from mental health programs. Further,  six of Chicago's twelve mental health care facilities have been closed down by the state, including facilities in the heart of the city's Black community on the South Side.

Read the full report HERE.

The article is part of EBONY's new series "ENOUGH" which examines life for Chicago's Black youth.

EBONY: Chicago's Black Students Face Massive School Closures

Fifty-four schools will be closed and some 30,000 students will be impacted by the largest urban school shakeup in American history. My latest for EBONY: "Chicago's Black Students Face Massive School Closures":

"The shutdowns would affect 30,000 students, almost all in kindergarten through eighth grade and most now attending poorly performing schools in African-American neighborhoods on the South and West sides where enrollment has sagged in recent years,” reported the Chicago Tribune

.As we reported last week, nearly 90 percent of the students in the closed schools will be Black. The proposed closings contrast to citywide data, where only 41.7 percent of CPS students are Black. "This is definitely a race and class issue," Wanda Hopkins, education coordinator of the South Austin Coalition Community Council, told EBONY. "We’re fighting this."

The neighborhoods affected most by the closings are escribed by the Chicago Sun-Times as among the city’s "poorest communities." These are also among the city’s “most violent neighborhoods” and hard-hit by gang violence, as reported last week at EBONY.com.

Chicago has become the epicenter of national discourse over gun violence, though the sympathy and horror alloted to victims of mass shootings in Aurora and Newtown evade the city. Black youth have been hardest hit:  "More young people are killed in Chicago than any other American city," notes the Chicago Reporter, a local investigative journal. From 2008 to 2012, "more than 530 youth [were] killed in Chicago with nearly 80 percent....on the city’s South and West Sides."

Read the full report HERE.

The article is part of EBONY's new series "ENOUGH" which examines life for Chicago's Black youth.

Rev. Meeks, Black Clergy Launch Radio Ad Against IL Marriage Bill

A small group of Black pastors in Chicago have launched a radio and robo-call campaign to oppose  Illinois' marriage equality bill, reports the Associated Press and the Northwest Herald. The robo-calls and radio spot feature the voice of Sen. James Meeks, the outspoken anti-gay mega-church pastor and former state senator.

The radio ads and “robo-calling” [target] residents in black communities urging them to ask their representatives to vote against the bill. A new group called the African American Clergy Coalition said it began airing 60-second commercials Tuesday on black radio stations and also plans a “street campaign” to supplement the telephone campaign. The phone messages feature the voice of former state Sen. James Meeks, who is senior pastor of Chicago’s Salem Baptist Church.

The pastors working to defeat gay marriage are joined in their opposition by Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, the Catholic Conference of Illinois and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

The majority of Black legislators from the Chicago-area are expected to support the marriage bill.

The radio campaign actually began on Monday. Two ads aired during my Monday segment on WVON 1690, the well-known Black talk radio station. So far, the audio has not been posted online but I'll keep looking ...

Meeks was a candidate in the 2011 mayoral cycle but withdrew before the election.

Meeks opposition to Illinois' landmark 2010 vote on civil unions drew harsh criticism from fellow politicians, Black leadership and LGBT activists. Meeks—who has called homosexuality "an evil sickness"—was the only black legislator voting against the bill. Meeks also opposed Illinois' LGBT non-discrimination legislation and was the only Black in the General Assembly to vote against that bill, too.

Meanwhile: The Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus is lobbying today in Springfield, reports Kate Sosin at the Windy City Times.

The organization issued a statement on the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, highlighting disparities among Black LGBT people and pushing lawmakers to vote in favor of the bill. The statement notes that Black gay man face elevated discrimination and stigma.

"We have fought for issues of justice and equality as members of the broader LGBT community—from Stonewall, to the elimination of anti-gay policies, to the fight to reduce HIV incidence and other health disparities," the statement reads. "We also know the history of our culture—from the Middle Passage, to slavery, to Jim Crow, to voting rights. At one time in American history, slaves were considered 3/5 of a person and were denied the right to marry. Only within the last half-century were inter-racial marriages fully legalized."

The statement goes on to argue that marriage recognition will improve the lives of LGBT youth, offering youth the "hope for societal legitimacy." "For LGBT youth of color who face bullying and violence, marriage equality offers a new hope for achieving the ultimate aspiration for their relationships and a legal foundation upon which they can build happy, loving families," the statement reads.

CBGMC's has more on their lobbying day at their Facebook page ...

The Senate approved its marriage bill by a 34-21 vote on Valentine's Day. The bill awaits a floor vote in the House. Speaker Michael Madigan has acknowledged that passage will be "very difficult."

Illinois would become the second state after Iowa to approve equal marriage in the nation's heartland. Same-sex couples can now legally marry in nine states—Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington—and the District of Columbia.

 

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Black Students Most Affected by Chicago Schools' Closures

My latest for EBONY: "Black Students Overwhelmingly Affected by Chicago Public Schools’ Proposed Closures."

Nine out of 10 of the Chicago Public School students potentially impacted by proposed school closings this year have a predominately Black student body, according to an analysis by the Chicago Sun-Times. “Of those 129 schools located mostly on the South and West sides, 117 are majority Black. The proposed closings are a sharp contrast to citywide data, where only 41.7 percent of CPS students are Black.

The proposed closures have outraged parents and neighborhood groups. “It’s a lawsuit waiting to happen,” said Dwayne Truss of the Save Our Neighborhood Schools Coalition based on the city’s West Side.

Chicago has the distinction of being “the most racially segregated city in the country”, according to Census data analyzed by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research ... The city’s school system is also highly segregated—and opposed federal desegregation efforts for decades.

Read the full report HERE.

The article is part of EBONY's new series "ENOUGH" which examines life for Chicago's Black youth.

ILLINOIS: House Panel Advances Marriage Equality Bill in 6-5 Vote

Illinois has moved one step closer to becoming the tenth state to mandate marriage equality after the House Executive Committee advanced the bill late last night. But the 6-5 vote and the words of one Democratic legislator could signal the bill could be "short of votes needed to pass the full chamber," reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act advanced out of the House Executive Committee on a 6-5 vote with the panel’s four Republicans voting against the plan. State Rep. Eddie Jackson (D-East St. Louis) was the lone Democrat on the panel to vote no.

"What we have here tonight is a chance to make an important step for the state of Illinois, to make Illinois a more just state, to make Illinois a state that respects all of its citizens equally under the law," said state Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), the bill’s chief House sponsor.

Beyond Jackson, there were other fissures within the Democratic Party. Harris’ bill drew opposition from state Rep. Luis Arroyo (D-Chicago), who voted to let the legislation move to the House floor but said he likely wouldn’t be a supporter once it’s called for a final vote. "I don’t think I could vote for this bill on the floor of the House because of my religious beliefs and because of the churches in my district I represent and support," Arroyo said.

Testifying in support of the bill were two of the city's most prominent Black pastors. The Rev. R. Herbert Martin of the Progressive Community Church was former Mayor Harold Washington’s minister. The Rev. Otis Moss III is pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, which is President Barack Obama’s former church. Both churches are on the city's  South Side.

"Today, as a son of the South, born in the little town of Mound Bayou, Mississippi, the largest all-black town in America, also as a father, a grandfather, a great-grandfather, an ordained member of the clergy and with an abiding conviction to justice and equality, I call upon you this evening to protect all Illinois residents under the law and support Senate Bill 10," said Rev. Martin.

The bill will "face its toughest challenge on the House floor," notes the Windy City Times.

The Senate approved its marriage bill by a 34-21 vote on Valentine's Day.

Illinois would become the second state after Iowa to approve equal marriage in the nation's heartland. Same-sex couples can now legally marry in nine states—Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington—and the District of Columbia.

Illinois became the sixth state to allow civil unions after Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn signed the landmark Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act in January 2011. The law became became effective on June 1, 2011. Quinn is a strong supporter of marriage equality, and campaigned on the issue. The governor has promised to sign the marriage bill.

EBONY/JET Publisher's Chicago Tribune Op-Ed on Marriage Equality

PHOTO: CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS

The publisher of EBONY and JET Magazines expressed her support for marriage equality in a very moving Chicago Tribune op-ed on Valentine’s Day. This was the same day the Illinois Senate approved its marriage bill by a 34-21 vote.

Johnson Publishing Company Chairman Linda Johnson Rice said her support for equality was inspired by her late mother.

When Eunice Johnson set up the first major fashion show for African-American audiences more than 50 years ago, she did so at a time when black Americans, especially black women, were still fighting for a seat at the table, any table. At the same time that white-run shows would get the very latest samples from the biggest fashion houses for free, my mother would pay hand over fist to dress her models. She put up with it because she knew it was important for her charity shows.

She always told me, "Linda, a person should be able to wear anything they want to wear. This is your plumage. This is how you feel about yourself." To my mother, even the worst kinds of unequal and unfair treatment shouldn't keep people from expressing their true colors.

And:

[JET] first featured a same-sex couple in August 2011, then again in March and December of 2012. When the December magazine hit newsstands, I received dozens of calls wondering whether our readers or advertisers protested. You know what? Not one did. They celebrated right along with us because they were celebrating fairness and equality.

Yet if the couples we featured walked into an Illinois courthouse and tried to get a marriage license, they'd be turned away. The same goes for couples in dozens of states. For millions of committed and loving same-sex couples, including African-American couples, fair and equal access to marriage is still a dream. For these couples, they can't show their true colors in the way my mother believed was absolutely essential. It's time to change that.

Mrs. Johnson created the Ebony Fashion Fair, a pioneering and iconic runway show that traveled across the United States from 1958 to 2009. Much more on Mrs. Johnson's legacy to fashion and the civil rights movement in an excellent report by the Wall Street Journal.

JET magazine featured the wedding of Dr. Ravi Perry and Paris Prince in its December 10 JET LOVE series. Rod 2.0 readers will recall the 29-year-old Perry made history in March 2011 when was elected president of the NAACP chapter of Worcester, Massachusetts.

Also worth noting: EBONY profiles Robert Brown and Nathanael Gay in the February 2012 print edition. The video of Brown and Gay's beautiful wedding ceremony—nicknamed the "Kappa Wedding"—went viral across the internet and created some controversy.

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ILLINOIS: Senate Approves Marriage Equality Bill 34-21

Illinois has moved one step closer to becoming the tenth and latest state to mandate marriage equality after the Senate approved its marriage bill by a 34-21 vote, reports the Sun-Times. 

After a tearful closing statement by [chief sponsor Sen. Heather] Steans, applause erupted in the chamber the moment the roll call surpassed the necessary 30 votes it needed to move to the House.

But her bill was decried by a mostly unified Republican front as an affront to the Bible. "We are knocking down one of the central foundations of society with this bill," said state Sen. Dale Bivins (R-Dixon), a "no" vote who cited poet Robert Frost and the Scriptures in pushing the bill's defeat.

Others described Thursday's vote as a step similar to the epic civil rights battles of the 1950s and 1960s, when such racial disparities as bans on interracial marriages ultimately were set aside. "Martin Luther King once said, 'The moral arc of the universe is long, but it always bends toward justice,'" said Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-Olympia Fields). "And today, we have an opportunity, each and every one of us, to put our hands on that arc and bend it toward what's fair and what's right," she said.

The roll call of the Valentine's Day vote is HERE. Two Democrats abstained and voted "present."

The legislation now moves to the Illinois House. Democrats maintain a super-majority in that chamber but a closer vote is expected, notes the Windy City Times.

LGBT leaders said that the level of Senate support for the measure could forecast momentum in the House, where a much tougher fight has been predicted.

[Chief sponsor Rep. Greg] Harris said he is not yet certain when the bill will come to a vote in the house and declined to speculate on when sponsors would have the votes secured. LGBT groups have said that the bill could be on Governor Quinn's desk by the end of the month. Quinn strongly supports the legislation.

"This is an historic moment and demonstrates once again that Illinois is the land of Lincoln. Fairness justice and equality for all," said Rick Garcia, director of the Equal Marriage Illinois Project. "Just two years ago we thought this day was years away. ... This is an important step, but there is still more work to do."

Illinois became the sixth state to allow civil unions after Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn signed the landmark Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act in January 2011. The law became became effective on June 1, 2011.

The "Religious Freedom and Marriage Equality Act" was introduced and passed in the Illinois Senate Executive Committee by a 9-5 vote last week. The same Senate committee approved a similar bill by an 8 to 5 vote during the lame-duck legislative session in early January.  Supporters were forced to postpone the floor vote because they were three votes short of the minimum 30-vote threshold needed for passage.

Illinois would become the second state after Iowa to approve equal marriage in the nation's heartland. Same-sex couples can now legally marry in nine states—Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington—and the District of Columbia.

ILLINOIS: Marriage Bill Advances in Senate, Gov. Quinn Pushes for Vote

There are encouraging new developments on the prospect of marriage equality in Illinois. The "Religious Freedom and Marriage Equality Act" has been re-introduced and cleared the Illinois Senate Executive Committee on Tuesday, reports the Sun-Times.

The measure, sponsored by Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago), passed the Senate Executive Committee by a 9-5 vote and now heads to the Senate floor for a full vote expected to occur on Valentine's Day. "We think we have the votes, but [we are] cautiously optimistic," Steans said. "You never know until you're actually pushing those buttons. People are people."

A central question before the committee then was how institutions receiving public funding would be required to receive same-sex marriage ceremonies. But that language has been dropped from the bill this time, Steans said.

The same Senate committee approved a similar bill by an 8 to 5 vote during the lame-duck legislative session in early January. Supporters were forced to postpone the floor vote because they were three votes short of the minimum 30-vote threshold needed for passage.

Meanwhile: Illinois' Democratic made a renewed push for marriage equality in today's "State of the State" speech, reports Kate Sosin at the Windy City Times.

"Marriage equality is coming to Illinois," he told lawmakers. "Now, it's time to take the next step in achieving full equality," Quinn said. "Let's pass this bill for marriage equality and let's do it now. Our Illinois is not a land of discrimination," Quinn said. "Four years ago, nobody thought civil unions would be possible here. Today, civil unions are the law of our state. Nearly 5,200 couples across 94 counties have joined in a civil union."

Illinois would become the tenth state to mandate equal marriage. Same-sex couples can now legally marry in Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia. 

Illinois became the sixth state to allow civil unions after Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn signed the landmark Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act in January 2011. The law became became effective on June 1, 2011.

Vote on Illinois Marriage Equality Postponed Until Next Session

It does not appear likely that marriage equality legislation will pass this week or next in the Illinois General Assembly. The Senate Executive Committee advanced a marriage bill late Thursday. But the absence of supportive lawmakers in the lame duck session means that the bill will be postponed until the spring, reports NBC Chicago.

A Senate committee voted 8-5 late Thursday in favor of a bill that would allow gay marriage. But with key supporters absent, Senate Democrats delayed a full floor vote. The Senate then canceled its Friday schedule, and President John Cullerton said lawmakers are unlikely to return to Springfield before the session ends Jan. 9. New lawmakers will be sworn in that day.

When exactly supporters would get a crack at the divisive issue in that body remained unclear. Democrats called off a full Senate vote earlier in the day after Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago) said three lawmakers weren't present for the General Assembly's lame-duck session. One Democrat was out of the country and another had a family issue to attend, while a GOP supporter was absent because of her mother's death. "This is definitely a question of when, not if," Steans said. "This is the right thing to be doing."

The "Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act" has been plagued by procedural and legislative delays this week. The new session begins next week and the landscape should be more favorable toward passage, reports the Windy City Times. "There is no way for us to pass the bill in one house and continue in the other house in next assembly," said Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois. "With just a handful of days remaining in the current lame duck session, time to move the bill through both chambers is not on our side."

The groups pushing for the measure say there are positive signs that marriage equality will pass this next session:

— The new Illinois House and Senate are considered to be more supportive of LGBT issues.

— The fight for marriage equality brought together religious leaders, business, labor unions, African-American and Latino communities, Democrats and Republicans, representing themselves and millions of Illinoisans.

— A coalition led by Equality Illinois, Lambda Legal and ACLU of Illinois and including scores more organizations, including The Civil Rights Agenda, came together under Illinois Unites for Marriage to campaign for the bill.

— The support of President Obama, U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, Gov. Pat Quinn, Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Illinois GOP Chairman Pat Brady and many more leaders.

Both chambers currently have a Democratic majority but will boast a Democratic super-majority when the new legislature is seated next week. The Senate will have a 40 -19 Democratic majority. The House will have a 71 - 47 Demoratic majority.

Same-sex couples can now legally marry in nine states—Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington—and the District of Columbia. 

Illinois became the sixth state to allow civil unions after Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn signed the landmark Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act in January 2011. The law became became effective on June 1, 2011.