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Rainbow Connection the Save the Date for Oct The Rainbow Connection the Save the date for Oct. 7 Town Rainbow Connection Hall Meeting on marriage continued from page 2 … A Publication of the Advocacy Council for Human Rights September 2004 equality "I don't know why a company would go out of its way to lend sup- A town hall meeting on marriage equal- port to candidates who are that far out of the mainstream," Porter says. Calendar of Events ity is set for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 7 in the Community Room of the Normal "If they want to have customers who are diverse and hold diverse politi- Every Wednesday Phelps Family pickets six B/N Public Library, 206 W. College Ave. cal views, it's unclear why they would want to support candidates who 7 p.m. churches, business The meeting will consist of a panel dis- are not indicative of that diverse mainstream nature." ISU PRIDE (student organization) cussion featuring gay couples, legal experts, Student Services Building Room 375 a social services specialist, and a local reli- The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay advocacy Members of Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church headed by the Rev. gious official. The discussion will center on group, gave Circuit City a low Corporate Equality Index score of 29 out Every Wednesday Fred Phelps journeyed to Bloomington Aug. 21 and 22 to picket six local 8:30 p.m. the social, religious, and legal aspects of of a possible 100. According to the survey, Circuit City does have a churches and the corporate headquarters for Electrolux. gay marriage. Legislative and legal updates Movie Night on the issue will also be presented. written non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation in its The Bistro The six churches picketed were St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, The event is being coordinated by a employee handbooks, but does not protect against discrimination based 316 N. Main St., Bloomington Second Presbyterian Church, Wesley United Methodist Church, St. number of organizations including the on gender identity. Every Friday John's Lutheran Church, Vale Community Church, and Holy Trinity Advocacy Council for Human Rights; Circuit City also does not offer domestic partner benefits to its gay 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. Catholic Church. The group, consisting mostly of the Phelps family, was Central Illinois Chapter of ACLU; ACLU of Open Door Youth Center Illiinois; Lambda Legal Defense; and Equality Employees' partners, nor does it offer diversity training covering sexual not accompanied by Rev. Phelps. 313 N. Main St., Bloomington Illinois. The event is also sponsored by the orientation or gender identity. McLean County AIDS Task Force; Mason says she hopes that Circuit City will see the damage it could Every Saturday Bloomington/Normal PFLAG; and Open Signs carried by picketers included the messages sustain if it continues to alienate gay customers. 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. Door Youth Center. Men N2 Men Social Group For more information contact the "It's disappointing that Circuit City seems to be writing off a really Connections Community Center "God Hates Fags," "Fags Eat Feces," "Fags are Advocacy Council at 309-821-9453 or important part of their potential customer base by making these contri- 313 N. Main St., Bloomington [email protected] . Lawless," and "Thank God for 9/11." butions," Mason says. Sunday, Sept. 5 9 and 11 p.m. Support candidates who Reprinted with permission from Window Media, Inc. Bistro 11th Anniversary Drag Show The group's visit to Bloomington was purposely ignored by most support us! $5 cover at the door people and glbt organizations who felt that a counter-demonstration or Two local men are running for congres- Monday, Sept. 6 protest would only increase media coverage of the group's visit. There sional seats currently held by 15th District 10 a.m. were reports of individual confrontations with protesters, and protesters Rep. Tim Johnson and 11th District Rep. Bloomington Labor Day Parade reported that someone threw tomatoes at them and another person spat Jerry Weller. SEE ARTICLE FOR MORE INFORMATION 100% financing available Democrat Tari Renner is challenging on one of them. incumbent Weller in the 11th district. The FHA/VA Monday, Sept. 13 Electrolux was targeted because it is a Swedish-owned company. district includes the western parts of Purchase/Refinance 4:30 p.m. Phelps and his family have targeted Sweden because a Swedish court Bloomington and Normal and extends to ISU Triangle Association Meeting LaSalle/Peru and Joliet. Tari has a sterling Location TBA sentenced a Pentecostal pastor to a month in jail for calling homosexu- record on many issues including glbt issues. ality "abnormal, a horrible cancerous tumour in the body of society." Jace Cunningham Wednesday, Sept. 15 He is chair of the political science depart- On their web site Phelps' group argues that "Americans who work for ment at Illinois Wesleyan University and is National City Mortgage Company 5 p.m. and make money for the Swedish-owned Electrolux Home Products NA an elected member of the McLean County (309) 823-3030 Advocacy Council for Human Rights Meeting Board. Connections Community Center enterprise are sinning against God and will share Sweden's curse." Democrat David Gill is running against email: [email protected] Sunday, Sept. 19 Leaders of the six churches advised their congregations of the incumbent Johnson to represent the 15th Drag King Show upcoming protests and warned them of the extreme messages that pick- district in Washington. His district includes The Bistro much of eastern Bloomington and Normal eters would display on their signs. Signs carried by picketers included $3 cover at the door as well as most of east central Illinois the messages "God Hates Fags," "Fags Eat Feces," "Fags are Lawless," including Champaign/Urbana. Gill lives in Tuesday, Sept. 21 and "Thank God for 9/11." One protester carried a sign showing two Clinton and is a doctor. As such, he has 7 p.m. stick men engaged in anal sex. made healthcare one of his primary issues Bloomington/Normal PFLAG in the campaign. Yoke Room, First United Methodist Church In response to the group's planned visit, Bloomington City Council These two fine men, if elected, would 211 N. School St., Normal members Mike Matejka and Karen Schmidt called a community meeting represent their districts and champion rights on Aug. 14 that attracted almost 50 people. From that meeting came a for all people regardless of their sexual ori- Friday, Sept. 24 entation. For more information on Renner 11:30 p.m., 12:30 a.m., 1:30 a.m. variety of suggestions for responses to the protesters, including the rec- and Gill visit their web sites: Hot Spots at the Bistro with Kadiva Mann ommendation that Aug. 22 be declared "umbrella day." On this day The Bistro Gill: http://www.davidgillforcongress.com churchgoers were encouraged to carry their umbrellas to church to $2 cover at the door Renner: http://www.rennerforcongress.com shield them from the rain of hatred espoused by the protesters. Monday, Sept. 27 10 p.m. Talent Night Competition continued on page 3 … The Bistro $3 cover at the door The Rainbow Connection September 2004 At the Bistro continued from front … Monicals fundraiser a success Our July 26 Monicals fundraiser was a Friday, August 27 Not the best buy? Circuit City donates The Advocacy Council for Human Rights met on Aug. 18 and agreed that In the Hot Spot success. We raised almost $150 from peo- Amaya Mann money to anti-gay pols any confrontation or direct response to the Phelps family visit would only ple who ate at Bloomington/Normal and performances at 11:30, 12:30 and 1:30 attract more media attention and might cause a disruption near church Peoria area Monicals on that day. The funds raised would have been property. Sunday September 5th By BRYAN ANDERTON greater, but a snafu at the post office meant 11th Anniversary Show The Washington Blade Instead, the Advocacy Council discussed a number of positive activities it that most people on our mailing list didn’t 9 and 11 Aug. 20, 2004 is planning for the coming months including a town hall meeting on gay mar- get the Monicals voucher until after the 26th. We apologize for that glitch and will Sunday September 19th riage; an entry in the Bloomington Labor Day Parade; several fundraising proj- Circuit City may be the second-largest retailer of electronics in the give our membership more lead time when Drag King Show ects; fundraisers for glbt-supportive political candidates; and a concert featur- planning fundraisers. United States, but some gays are saying they'll go somewhere else for ing the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus and Amasong. Many thanks to all of you who ate at Friday, September 24 their DVDs and home electronics. Monicals and made the fundraiser a suc- In the Hot Spot That's because the Circuit City Stores, Inc. Political Action cess. We hope to hold another fundraiser Kadiva Mann next year. performances as above Committee has a long record of donating money to anti-gay legislators. "I think it's important that we know who our friends are and who Monday, September 27th Thumbs Up... ACHR benefits from Art Walk Talent Night our friends aren't, and if we choose to vote with our checkbook, that's completely appropriate," says Equality Virginia Executive Director The Advocacy Council has been October 10th choosen to receive donations in the upcom- Dyana Mason. •To Bloomington City Council members Mike Matejka and Karen Mr. Illinois Gay Pride Pageant ing downtown Bloomington Art Walk called The idea for a boycott came from an anonymous letter writer on Schmidt for their efforts to coordinate a community response to the Heart and Soul.
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