Illinois: Land of Senator Kirk and Governor Brady?

by: AJ DeVito

The metropolitan area of Chicago, Illinois has been my home for the last twenty three years of my twenty three year old life. It is a place that is near to my heart because of the great culture, compelling politics, and rich history that goes along with northeastern Illinois. My Mom and Dad used to take me to Science and Industry, the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and the Brookfield Zoo on a regular basis when I was growing up. It was during this time that I learned to appreciate the complexity of our world with the vast array of life that lives on our planet. History, environmental issues, science based disciplines, and cultural examination became a living example to me of how and why knowledge helps us to move a society forward. As an adult now I fully comprehend and am grateful to my parents for reminding me that life long learning is what will make you more wealthy then the top 1-2% of earners the Republicans (and some Democrats) wish to to extend the Bush tax cuts for.

Writing has been core to my being as a mode of introspection to provide insight into what I have learned over the years. Poetry, prose, speeches, essays, and political articles are all enthralling to me because they engage a reader on a variety of emotional and intellectual levels. Thus, writing continues to be the primary manner in which I express myself many museums later. Life experience is the best way to garner the insight and inspiration to allow thoughts to flow from mind to paper (or in this case HTML). In a way our lives are unwritten pieces of art waiting for new chapters to be written through the decisions that we make regarding the course of our life. Illinois is a state of the midwest, and it's beautiful to go outside of Chicago to see the large swaths of corn crops during the summer in the rural portions of the state. It gives you a sense of the diversity of our state that it goes from farms to Chicago in its scope. That said the races for Senator and Governor in Illinois concern me greatly.

Politics inevitably impacts our lives in both small and signifcant ways. As LGBT people and allies we know that who gets into office can have direct and indirect impacts on our civil rights in traditionally blue and red states alike. Many observers around the country place Illinois into the box as a moderate blue state in the midwest which seems like a relatively safe truth. However, the polls have been showing that Alexi Giannoulias (D) and current Governor Quinn (D) could be in trouble this fall which means trouble for LGBT people from Illinois. As many of you know I have been critical of inaction from national leaders of the Democratic party, and we must continue to pressure them to do the right thing on the collection of civil rights issues of our time. The ability to move people who already agree with you on principle is one thing, but Brady for Governor and Kirk for Senate do not agree with us on principle in many cases.




Here is the projection for the Senate race from Nate Silver:

http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/forecasts/senate/illinois

As you can see Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias are running very close in this race for Senate. We need LGBT Illinois residents to stand up for Giannoulias as he has stood up for us in speaking out passionately for our civil rights. In the following youtube video Giannoulias speaks to what is at stake in ensuring he gets elected to the U.S. Senate over his Republican opponent Mark Kirk who may decide to stand with anti-equality Republicans. This includes State Treasurer Giannoulias' record of support for our community across the board on issue by issue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmRowaCyEw8&p=9A8C9FDA331CA80C&playnext=1&index=7

http://www.alexiforillinois.com/issues/lgbt-equality

Why has my position on this race changed over time? It is because I realize we have to recognize a great candidate when we see one. Despite the Democratic stalling in the House, Senate, and Executive branches on our civil rights we can and must stand up for people running for elected office who will fight for us once elected. We have painfully learned that a Democratic majority is not necessarily a pro-LGBT majority in the U.S. Senate. This is why clarity over this race as well as Senate races in New York, North Carolina, and New Hampshire are vital because it is an opportunity to keep or add to the pro-LGBT chorus in the U.S. Congress. Senator Kirk is a no guarantee vote in the Senate whereas we know we will have a solid person in our corner for this civil rights struggle with Alexi Giannoulias.

There is also a battle going on for the Governorship in Illinois which will be vital to LGBT people at the state level. Republican candidate for Governor Bill Brady sponsored a bill which would weaken the Human Rights Act which protects LGBT people from workplace discrimination, and he pushed to ban same-sex union recognition of any kind including domestic partnership as noted here: http://chicagoist.com/2010/07/30/bill_bradys_anti-lgbt_disappearing.php. The anti-LGBT record of then State Senator Bill Brady is as extensive as it is undeniable. He not only has supported discrimination against us, but has actively tried to get it passed by sponsoring and advocating for such bigoted legislation. This is deeply offensive to all of us within Illinois and living in other states too.

Sadly enough, Nate Silver projects an even higher possibility that this anti-LGBT, far right social conservative could be elected over Governor Quinn:

http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/forecasts/governor/illinois

In stark contrast, Governor Quinn has been very receptive to the LGBT community as noted here:

http://www.quinnforillinois.com/issues/lgbt

It took years for Illinois to achieve the level of protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. If you live in Illinois my message is this: Get out to vote for Pat Quinn for Governor and Alexi Giannoulias for U.S. Senate this fall. We, as an LGBT community and allies, will have attained two things: 1) Ensuring positive state laws remain law with a pro-LGBT Governor who will not work to dismantle our civil rights at the state level. 2) We will have placed a progressive in the U.S. Senate who will advocate for the recognition of our full civil rights including marriage equality. These two races offer us a hopeful opportunity that stand in stark contrast to what a Senator Kirk and Governor Brady offer us.

My Mom and Dad taught me to speak out for what is close to my heart, and social justice through the recognition of civil rights still denied to the LGBT community has become my passion. I'm still upset with the Democratic party as we rightfully should be, but we should not punish good candidates who will help instead of hinder us in our individual states as well as nationally. Gillibrand, Hodes, Marshall, and other candidates around the country are representative of the opportunity we have this fall to make hope and change a reality for LGBT people. Please do all that you can to support local, state, and national officials who will finally unite to recognize the dignity, equality, and civil rights guaranteed to LGBT people under the U.S. Constitution.

If you wish to help with these campaigns in any capacity here is information:

http://www.alexiforillinois.com/

http://www.quinnforillinois.com/home

Civil rights are a cornerstone of a society because it is a fundamental fairness that extends to all law abiding, tax paying citizens. Do we really want to see Illinois become the land of Senator Kirk and Governor Brady?