While religious right proponents of these amendments claim they're "protecting marriage," their real aim is to brand Lesbian, Gay, Bi & Trans people as second class citizens, and hence open us up to abuse, legal and otherwise. It's no accident that the same people who loudly oppose equal marriage rights for gay people also vehemently oppose our right to equal employment, housing and public accommodations protections. They yearn for the days when open bigotry against all groups was much more commonly accepted.

Not gay? Think this doesn't matter to you? Think again.

* The same religious right fanatics who oppose gay people are mostly the same people who oppose the right to an abortion, and fantasize about reimposing "traditional" gender roles on women (& men). Already they're at work in many state houses trying to make divorce much more difficult to get.

* A generation ago, many of them openly opposed equal rights for African Americans (their Bob Jones University dropped its prohibitions against interracial dating just a few years ago).

* Besides pushing many "faith-based" taxpayer rip-offs that funnel tax money to rightwing religious groups, the religious right is trying to destroy secular education in the schools, pushing the Christian creation myth on public school children.

* Despite their historic anti-Semitism, many in the religious right now ally closely with hard-line Zionists, working to suppress self-determination for the Palestinian people and promoting an expansionist U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Many prominent religious right spokesmen such as Pat Robertson have made blatantly bigoted comments about Muslims.

* Here in Illinois, the gubernatorial darling of the anti-gay Illinois Family Institute is Jim Oberweis, the man who ran a flock of racist, anti-immigrant TV ads during the last governor's race.

If one or another group is defeated by the religious right, we ALL are more vulnerable to their attacks. Gay people may be one of their primary "targets du jour," but if they defeat us, others will be next in line for their wrath.

Whether you are gay or not, please help support and publicize the 7th Annual Matthew Shepard March for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, and Trans Rights:

8 PM
Saturday, Oct. 8th
Corner of Halsted & Roscoe (800 W, 3400 N.)
Chicago

* Please support the march by making a financial contribution – funds are urgently needed!! Please make checks payable to the "Chicago Anti-Bashing Network" (the former name of the Gay Liberation Network), and mail them to GLN, 4404 N. Magnolia, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60640.

* Please help publicize the march by posting notices about it to list serves that you are on. A sample message you can use is attached below.

* Please download and distribute the English and Spanish language handbills, flyers and posters -- pdf's are available at the home page of our website, www.GayLiberation.org

* Get your community, school, or religious organization to endorse the march. Please have them send notice of their endorsement to LGBTliberation (at) aol.com

THANK YOU!!

Gay Liberation Network