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* UPDATED x1 * Ernie Banks, Richard Dent endorse gay marriage bill

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* From a press release sent by the Illinois Unites for Marriage coalition…

An Open Letter from Athletes on Marriage Equality

As professional athletes, we always played for the love of the game. The competition on the field – whether it was the football field or the baseball diamond – strengthened us and continues to do so. But for that competition to take place, there have to be rules and a code of behavior. Above all, players have to treat each other with fairness and with respect. Doing so doesn’t detract from the competition. It makes it better.

We come from a variety of backgrounds, and we have played different sports for different teams. But one thing that binds us together is our belief in the importance of fairness and respect – in all aspects of life.

In Illinois today, gay and lesbian couples who are in lifetime committed relationships do not have the freedom to marry. This violates our sense of fairness and respect. It also goes against the GoldenRule of treating others as you would like to be treated yourself.

In sports, any time a player is not treated with fairness and respect, the game is diminished. Similarly, treating any group of people as second-class citizens hurts us all, because discrimination is wrong no matter whom the target is.

For this reason, we believe that the Illinois General Assembly should act now and give same-sex couples the freedom to marry. It’s the right thing for Illinois; it’s the right thing to do, period.

Sincerely,

Ernie Banks, Shortstop, Chicago Cubs (retired)

Richard Dent, Defensive End, Chicago Bears (retired)

Hunter Hillenmeyer, Linebacker, Chicago Bears (retired)

Brendon Ayanbadejo, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens (formerly with the Chicago Bears)

Discuss.

*** UPDATE *** From a press release…

CHICAGO BLACK CLERGY, CATHOLIC CONFERENCE OF ILLINOIS, LUTHERAN CHURCH-MISSOURI SYNOD UNITE TO FIGHT REDEFINITION OF MARRIAGE BILL

HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP TO BEGIN MAJOR PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN
TO LOBBY AGAINST PENDING REDEFINITION OF MARRIAGE BILL IN ILLINOIS HOUSE

Thursday, March 7th, 2013@ 1:00 PM
Chicago South Loop Hotel, 11 W. 26th Street, Chicago, Illinois

A mass group of Core leaders of a new coalition of Cook County African-American clergymen, key members of the Catholic Conference of Illinois and representatives of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod will gather and present to the Chicagoland media their public relations campaign designed to voice opposition to the redefinition of marriage bill pending in the Illinois House of Representatives.

The campaign, which is set to begin on Friday, March 8th, will focus on the African-American community in an effort to attract support of traditional marriage in Illinois. The campaign includes Legislative Lobbying, Radio Ads, Public Access Television, Field Operations, a Website and Phone Banking/Robo Calls.

The newly formed alliance is unified in its opposition to the possible passage of redefinition of marriage legislation in Illinois. The legislation previously passed the Illinois Senate, and is now before the Illinois House.

Archdiocese of Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Perry applauded the initiative.

“We’re happy to join with other faiths as we work to preserve marriage as it is now, as it has been, and how it should always be – between one man and one woman,” Perry said.

“We are extremely happy to be joined by the Catholic Conference of Illinois and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in launching a statewide campaign rallying African-American clergymen and congregants to voice their opposition to the pending redefinition of marriage bill in the Illinois House,” says Bishop Lance Davis, senior pastor of the New Zion Christian Fellowship of Dolton and founder and CEO of Voices of Morality.

Bishop Larry Trotter, senior pastor of the Sweet Holy Spirit Church of Chicago and Presiding Bishop of the New Century Fellowship Churches International, agreed.

“We stand united with our brothers and sisters of the Catholic faith and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in our joint opposition to any deviation from traditional marriages of male and female, notwithstanding the rulings of the court systems of the land or acts of legislative bodies in support of same-sex ‘marriage,’” Trotter said. “I applaud the Catholic Conference of Illinois and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in extending their support to us in this historic endeavor.”

Rev. Kirk Clayton, pastor of a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod church in the southern Illinois town of Mascoutah, echoed the sentiments of his spiritual colleagues.

“Since marriage pre-dates any government, no government should presume to change God’s definition,” Clayton said. “What God therefore has defined, let not man re-define. I am pleased to stand with my friends of various faith traditions to support God’s blessed plan for marriage.”

(Pastor Clayton is unable to attend the press conference due to a scheduling conflict.)

* Related…

* Allen Grosboll: Why I changed my mind on gay marriage

* Tom Knox: Why I won’t change my mind on gay marriage: The Marriage Equality Act will become law. It will also become the anvil on which the hammer of political correctness is wielded against Bible-believing Christians. Same sex marriage will be legal, but it will never be moral.

* Zion church at center of gay marriage opposition: The largest and loudest faction at a fiery forum on gay marriage in the 60th House District arrived from an unexpected place — a church in Zion, which lies outside the district.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 8:42 am

Comments

Good for them.

Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 8:45 am
Very nice example of the evolving change in the culture. Any chance Dent could get his old teammate Bob Thomas to co-sign?

Comment by Boone Logan Square Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 8:45 am
Very classy.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 8:47 am
Let gays, too, Ernie!

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 8:52 am
And at the same time, everyone on the sports page is in a frenzy about Manti Teo. Go figure.

Comment by Esquire Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 8:55 am
If they could get the entire line-up of the ‘85 Bears to sign on to a letter like this, the bill would pass with a huge majority.

Comment by Montrose Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 8:56 am
It’s nice to see Mr. Cub leading this effort.

Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 8:57 am
That is great! They might want to get the NFL to stop asking about recruits about their sexual orientation while they are at it….

Comment by Chevy owner/Ford County Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 9:11 am
I’m always fascinated by the anti ssm folks who are bringing up how the tradition of marriage cannot be changed by govt and can’t change over time. Are they mad that govt now let’s married women own property and contract despite contrary centuries of tradition? Just how much dowry did these guys have to pay the fathers of their wives anyway?

Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 9:14 am
==It’s nice to see Mr. Cub leading this effort==

That is the first and last time you will see the word Cub and leading in the same sentence this year. Just sayin.

I think it is silly, if you are taking a personal moral position on this issue, one way or the other, the idea that old athletes would sway you is pretty small minded. But anytime you can give Chicago a chance to bring up teh 85 Bears I guess they will.

Comment by the Patriot Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 9:17 am
Regarding Mr. Knox’s column, I’m not sure which Bible he’s reading.

In addition to gay marriage, he claims slavery, abortion and polygamy are also deemed immoral to Christians through reading a divinely inspired Bible that is without error.

Not so you’d notice. The Bible is filled with laws regarding slavery and the treatment of slaves. Polygamy was certainly popular among the Prophets. And you won’t find a word about abortion in the Christian Bible.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 9:21 am
Its about time that we passed the civil rights mantle from black religious leaders over to professional athletes.

Let them carry that heavy staff of righteousness for a while.

Comment by Dan Bureaucrat Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 9:55 am
That’s great that they support gay marraige, and they are certainly entitled to their opinion, but who cares? Should someone change their mind on this issue because Ernie Banks says so? That’s like saying that everybody who likes Clint Eastwood (who also supports gay marriage) as an actor and director should have voted against Obama, or everybody who liked Charleton Heston should be pro gun.

Who cares what professional atheletes, movie stars and rock stars think? Their opinion shouldn’t matter any more than any other citizen’s opinion. But that, of course, is just my opinion.

Comment by Jaded Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 10:19 am
=Same sex marriage will be legal, but it will never be moral.=

I don’t care if this guy continues to think this way. As long as it’s legal, he can define morality any way he wants.

Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 10:21 am
Thank you for chosing who speaks for the Black community, Dan. Not saying who is right and who is wrong, but being good at playing a game does not make you knowledgeable on anything…unless you are Arne Duncan.

Dennis Rodman for SoS.

Comment by Wumpus Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 10:31 am
Curious if it is the districts that are speaking for the LCMS (there are two in Illinois) or just some pastors.

Comment by OneMan Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 10:41 am
It really rubs me the wrong way when African-Americans complain about “redefining” marriage. It wasn’t that long ago that a black man and a white woman couldn’t get married, changing that law was just as much a “redefinition” as the equal marriage bill.

Two years from now after this bill passes, I hope all the opponents take a look back and ask themselves, “Was it worth it?”

Comment by Just Me Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 10:48 am
It would have been interesting to see if Dent could have gotten Ditka and Mongo (running for Mayor)to sign on with him and Ernie.

Comment by Muffin Man Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 10:51 am
Wumpus:
I choose who speaks for the black community? Really? Give me another chance because I might choose someone else.

Comment by Dan Bureaucrat Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 11:01 am
It would be such a great step forward if religious leaders could get together like this to SUPPORT something. Especially civil/human rights.

Comment by justbabs Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 11:03 am
I’m so sick of these right wingers referring to same-sex “marriage” in quotes, as in that press release. I’m going to start referring to them as “Christians”.

Comment by ChicagoR Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 11:21 am
“We have to protect that generation,” Jones said. “This is going to get into the DNA.”

Yes, God forbid tolerance and acceptance replace bigotry in the collective DNA.

Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 11:21 am
When he was still playing, Richard Dent influenced more Illinoisans on Sundays than many of the priests and ministers quoted above. The homophobia of the NFL is slowing giving way to acceptance. The churches need to accept the authority of the state to make its own laws, separate and apart from the laws of the churches.

Some of the same people who are terrified that Sharia law might gain acceptance in this country are fully supportive of religion being the basis for American laws like this. That’s kind of scary, isn’t it?

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 11:29 am
Thoughtful column, Mr. Grosboll.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 11:41 am
- “This is going to get into the DNA.” -

Wait, that would suggest evolution. Heretics!

Comment by Small Town Liberal Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 12:04 pm
Even though I don’t care for the Cubs and I despise the Bears, I cannot deny that this was a Hall of Fame move, gentlemen.

Comment by Jake From Elwood Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 1:12 pm
47th Ward:

It’s scary, but it’s neither surprising nor (from their perspective) hypocritical. For many of the hard religious right, Sharia is right idea, wrong religion.

At the end of the day, the core issue here is religious control of government. The problem isn’t that they think government is trying to tell them whose marriages they have to bless, however often you hear them saying so. The problem is that they’re losing the ability to use the government to control others’ behavior.

Comment by jaranath Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 2:45 pm
It is nice, but … no white sox? no hockey players (the stanley cup was in the pride parade a couple years back)? no current players?

At the same time, a tip of my Sox cap to Mr. Cub.

Comment by Shoeless Thursday, Mar 7, 13 @ 7:07 pm