Your help is needed in Arlington Heights tonight

March 23, 1:23 PMChicago Gay ExaminerMichael Lehet

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I just received notice that Peter LaBarbera, Illinois' #1 Anti-Gay Bigot, is holding a public meeting tonight in Arlington Heights and your help is needed for a counter protest.

LaBarbera, who is the Executive Director of the 'Illinois Family Institute" will be holding a public meeting at the Christian Liberty Academy and the Gay Liberation Network is planning on taking advantage of their First Amendmant Right and holding a counter protest.

Here's some information from the email I received:

Peter LaBarbera has long been active in far right wing organizing:

• as an operative with Concerned Women for America (an anti-women's rights group)

• then as Executive Director of the Illinois Family Institute, an outfit labeled a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center

• and now with his Americans for Truth About Homosexuality.

With his breathless "undercover" reports about International Mr. Leather and other events, LaBarbera's obsession about gay sex has become legendary in political circles. His "activism" would be laughable if it wasn't also dangerous -- LaBarbera was the principal proponent of the two failed attempts to get anti-gay initiatives on the Illinois ballot.

Appearing last year on the far-right Matt Barber program with lunatic legislator Rep. Sally "homosexuals are worse than terrorism" Kern of Oklahoma, he said that the gay lobby "threatens America and threatens children."

Addressing the increasing pogromist atmosphere against LGBT people in Uganda, he said "At AFTAH, we preach Christian mercy and have denounced Talibanesque capital punishment for homosexuals in countries like Iran. But we also believe that if states and localities here in America (and governments abroad) wish to ban sodomy, they have every right to do so..." Sorta like saying, "We oppose Herr Hitler's violence against Jews, but his laws are okay."

This is short notice but the GLN has provided these details on how to get there:

There is a train leaving the Ogilvy Center (Canal and Madison) at 5:23 PM getting into Arlington Heights at 6:15 PM.  The "Christian Academy" is a short walk from the Arlington Heights train station.

Members from the Gay Liberation Network will be meeting in the 2nd floor lobby of the Ogilvy Center before getting on the train - look for the rainbow flags you won't miss them.

• What: Counter Protest of Peter LaBarbera
• Where: Christian Liberty Academy - 502 Euclid Ave, Arlington Heights
• When: Monday, March 23 - 6:30PM