Opponents, Supporters Of Same-Sex Marriage Stage Competing Rallies
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Opponents of same-sex marriage were targeting Chicago's Latino community on Saturday with a march and protest, where they also faced off with gay rights activists staging a counter protest.
WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports the two sides squared off at Palmer Park in the Logan Square neighborhood, each trying to shout the other down.
Dueling Rallies On Gay Marriage
Opponents of same-sex marriage used the Bible to try to bolster their case, saying the Bible forbids gay marriage.
"He created a woman; a man first, and then the woman, so they can be for the rest of their lives together, and make a family, so I don't want that tradition … or to break the law of the Bible, and what God had put in our heart and our lives," one woman said.
But supporters of same-sex marriage said it's a civil rights issue, not a religious one.
"They choose to make it a religious issue, and it is not. It is a legal issue, between two people that love each other, and want to commit to a relationship," one man said. "There is all this hatred out here. If they knew anything about us, they'd realize that I get up in the morning just like they do. I go to work just like they do. I come home, we cook, we have fights, we're just a family just like their family is."
The march against same-sex marriage was organized by the conservative Illinois Family Institute.
The counter protest was put together by the Gay Liberation Network.
The Illinois Senate has passed legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage in Illinois. The measure is now in the Illinois House, which has yet to vote as supporters try to get the votes to send the legislation to Gov. Pat Quinn, who has voiced his support for same-sex marriage.
