"Unites States Marine Corps General Peter Pace called gays 'immoral,' but has no problem leading the American killing machine in Iraq," said GLN's Bob Schwartz to some 60 gathered to protest the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In an interview given to the Chicago Tribune in March, 2007 Pace called gays "immoral," and defended the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of discrimination against gays wishing to openly participate in the armed forces. This bill was signed into law by Democratic president, Bill Clinton in 1993.

Harris Bank, a major sponsor of the U of C Business School luncheon at which Pace spoke, also came in for criticism, with persons being urged to withdraw funds from accounts they might have at the bank.

Jason Knight, a US Navy member who worked as a Hebrew linguist in Kuwait sometimes in conjunction with the Israeli military, and who was recently expelled from the Navy for a second time, was a scheduled speaker at the anti-Pace rally. Although present at the event, Knight chose not to speak when invited to do so. The Service Members' Defense League, an organization advocating for an end to the military gan ban, sponsored appearances by Jason Knight at two U of C events at which Knight spoke of the discrimination he experienced in being expelled two times from the US Navy.

Although it claims to have no position on the Iraq war, the Service Members' Defense League promotes "serving your country" and the "national interest" as a way for gays to win acceptance in the larger society. GLN, on the other hand, differentiates the interests of the bankers and oil barons served by the US military, from the interests of the vast majority of Americans, gay and straight alike. GLN advocates solidarity with victims of the US business elites, both at home and abroad.

Among other organizations present at the protest were the gay Veterans for Equal Rights, ANSWER coalition, Code Pink, Veterans Against the War, Iraq Veterans Against the War, and students from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University.