GSA fights for same-sex marriage
By Maggie Rhynes
IV Leader Staff, Dec, 9, 2004
Members of the Illinois Valley Community College Gay/Straight Alliance recently seized the opportunity to get involved in the community and make their views known when Christ Family Church in La Salle played host to the United We Stand - Defending Marriage tour, a tour sponsored by Concerned Women for America.
Cathy Valente, state director for Concerned Women for America, told the La Salle NewsTribune the purpose of the rally was to encourage people to make sure their elected officials know were they stand on the issue of redefining marriage to accommodate homosexuality.
Although their positions differ, members of IVCC GSA where there to do the same.
"We just wanted people to know there was another voice," explained Emily Cook, a member of the IVCC GSA who participated in the rally. President of the GSA, Heather Ethington initiated the idea of holding a peaceful protest outside the rally after seeing ad for it in the local paper.
About 15 people attended the rally opposing a ban on gay marriage, most of them members of the GSA. They carried signs with slogans such as "Marriage is about love, not gender."
Apparently the message didn't get across to all of those attending the meeting as one person opposed to gay marriage made clear to Cook: "He told me that we did have equal rights, that we too could marry someone of the opposite sex. What he doesn't understand is that isn't what makes the difference, he can marry someone he loves and we can not."
Ethington said she felt the church and community members were surprised to see the protesters there. "I don't think they were expecting us," she said. "Some of their reactions were negative; others just didn't know what to say to us."
As the meeting continued inside, the GSA made its stand outside, chanting "Separate church and state; if you do you'll end the hate."
"They based all their reasoning on God," Cook said. "I tried to explain that not everyone believes in God, but they didn't understand how anyone could not believe in God."
Ethington also agreed that people should not base their political decisions on their religious beliefs.
"If people want to make a decision on same-sex marriage they should sit down and talk to someone who is gay, you don't realize how much it hits home for certain people."
When the meeting ended several of those having been inside came out to talk with the members of GSA.
"I put my sign down," Cook said. "I wanted us to be able to talk on the same level. I asked a few questions, but I remained nice. I wanted them to see that while some protesters are yellers and get angry, some people just want to express their difference in opinion. There was no 'I hate you and you hate me' stuff, I just don't think we should push our values on one another."
State Sen. Gary Dahl attended the meeting in defense of traditional marriage stating he would vote against gay marriage regardless of pressure to do otherwise. While Dahl's stance seems firm, Cook said won’t be discouraged. "Things like that make you want to go and rally more. It is fear and ignorance that makes people think this way, so maybe our protesting will change people, you don't know who you will influence and that makes me want to do more."
Ethington said it won't stop her fight either. "I will fight with my dying breath. I want to get married someday," she said.
The La Salle meeting was the 14th stop on the tour. Cook isn’t sure how she feels about a vote on the issue. "It would force people to think about the issue, which is good. But you shouldn’t be able to vote to take away a human right from a human."