Tue. April 30, 2013
Chicago, IL -
Some Chicago-area black clergy are targeting members of the Illinois House Black Caucus less than a week after its leader endorsed a proposed gay marriage bill.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the African-American Clergy Coalition (AACC) launched another round of 40-second robocalls featuring Pastor James Meeks, a senior pastor of Chicago's Salem Baptist Church and a former state senator, urging constituents to call their representatives and encourage them to vote against legalizing such unions in Illinois.
"Your representative needs to hear from you," Meeks says in the message. "In my view same-sex marriage should not be the law of the state of Illinois."
Representative Ken Dunkin, the Democrat who heads the 20-member caucus, on Tuesday co-sponsored the marriage bill approved in February by the Illinois Senate.
"The families in my district include gay and lesbian parents who are raising children, just waiting for the state of Illinois to treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve. Those families can no longer be regarded as separate and unequal. I support this legislation because I believe it will help us move our state forward and provide equal protection under the law for all families," Dunkin said.
The measure has the support of some prominent African-America ministers in the state.
Related: Illinois Black Caucus Chair co-sponsors marriage equality bill
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