Illinois Voters Face Stark Choices on Social Issues in November, IFI's LaBarbera Says

US Newswire ^ | March 17, 2004 | Illinois Family Institute

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

GLEN ELLYN, Ill., March 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The primary election results have left Illinois voters with stark choices on social issues such as abortion and homosexual "marriage," Illinois Family Institute Executive Director Peter LaBarbera said today.

"In the Senate and Presidential races, Illinois voters face a choice between candidates who favor protecting marriage as one- man, one-woman through pro-active measures such as a constitutional amendment, and those who call such efforts discriminatory and mean-spirited," LaBarbera said.

"We will also choose between candidates who boast about their pro-abortion-rights record, and opponents who highlight their stance defending unborn life," he said. "There is a great deal at stake in this election, and Illinois voters will be ill served if one political party abandons contention for our state."

Columnist Robert Novak writes today that Bush campaign strategists are close to writing off Illinois as a Democratic state for the November election.

Barack Obama, the Democratic Senate candidate, staked out his social agenda in a March 10 ad in the homosexual newspaper Windy City Times, including:

-- "Opposes Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages;

-- "Supports repeal of Defense of Marriage Act (the federal law signed by President Clinton that says no state will be forced to recognize outside 'gay marriages' like those pending in Massachusetts);

-- "Chief co-sponsor of the Human Rights Bill (SB 101, which adds pro-homosexual and pro-transgender language to Illinois' human rights code);

-- "Supports repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' military policy" (barring open homosexuality in the military).

Jack Ryan, Obama's Republican opponent, states, "I believe in protecting life from conception to natural death. It is crucial that, as a society, we work to create a culture of respect for life." On homosexual issues, Ryan states, "I believe that marriage can only be defined as that union between one man and one woman. I am opposed to same-sex marriages, civil unions, and (domestic partner) registries." In response to an IFI Voter Guide survey, Ryan said he favors a federal constitutional amendment defining "marriage only as the union of one man and one woman." Obama did not respond to the survey.

IFI is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that defends marriage, family and the sanctity of life in Illinois.

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

I learned this pose from John Kerry

[TheBigB]

I really think Ryan can beat this guy.

[talleyman]

The gay dead vote will be crucial...