Land Of Lincoln Set To Get Marriage Equality?
Illinois State Senator Heather Steans today introduced a bill that could make Illinois the next state to offer marriage equality. A matching bill has been repeatedly introduced in the Illinois House by openly-gay State Representative Greg Harris.
The two lawmakers wrote an Op-Ed, published yesterday in the Windy City Times, writing,
“Over and over again, our collective American community has learned the painful lesson that separate can never be equal. In the 19th century, women across this country came together to fight for the basic right to vote. In the 20th century, it took a brave young girl in Kansas to teach us that we cannot provide equal education in segregated classrooms. Marriage equality is our civil rights battle for the 21st century. When one of us is discriminated against, we are all discriminated against.”
Bernard Cherkasov, Chief Executive Officer of Equality Illinois, said of the bill,
“This is not an issue of sacred versus secular – there are plenty of synagogues and churches that both recognize and perform same-sex marriages.”
“Rather, marriage is a civil right – plain and simple. The state cannot have a civil institution of marriage – with its plethora of benefits, rights, and responsibilities – and exclude from it an entire class of citizens.â€
Thinking about the bill’s chances, here are a few facts about Illinois.
Looking at twenty one different data points, the Associated Press named Illinois the “most average state”
Almost thirteen million people live in the “Land of Lincoln.” 75% are Christian, of those, 30% are Roman Catholic. Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists account for 1% each. 81% are white, 16% are black.
The largest city in Illinois, Chicago, where Barack and Michelle Obama made their home, has a population of close to three million.
Overall, the state has become heavily Democratic.
Pat Quinn, the Democratic Governor, this spring said he supports civil unions for same sex couples, but has not offered an opinion in favor of gay marriage. His predecessor, the disgraced Rod Blagojevich, signed a gay rights law in 2005. From 1977 – 2003, all Illinois Governors had been Republicans.
A 2005 poll put 31% of residents supporting gay marriage, and another 34% supporting civil unions.
Chicago’s Mayor Richard Daley supports same sex marriage, as do a number of Democratic politicians, including Dan Hynes, who is running for governor, Illinois’ U.S. Rep Mike Quigley, and Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who is running for U.S. Senate.
Let’s hope.