Illinois Pro-family organizations today formed a grassroots coalition to oppose legislation pending in Springfield that would legalize same-sex marriage. The alliance is called the "Coalition to Protect Children and Marriage", and includes:
- David Smith, Director, Illinois Family Institute
- Penny Pullen, President, Eagle Forum of Illinois
- Mary Anne Hackett, President, Catholic Citizens of Illinois
- Peter Breen, Thomas More Society
- Scott Phelps, Abstinence and Marriage Partnership
- Ralph Rivera, Illinois Citizens for Life PAC
- Bonnie Quirke, Lake County Right to Life
- Rev. Robert Vanden Bosch, Concerned Christian Americans
- Paul Caprio, Director, Family-Pac
Paul Caprio, Director of Family-Pac, said, “Traditional marriage, between one man and one woman, our existing state law, developed and survived for thousands of years because it is the best familial arrangement for the protection of children and, therefore, for the future continuation of society.”
David Smith, Executive Director of the Illinois Family Institute noted, "Government did not create marriage. It merely recognizes and promotes this type of relationship that exists and which protects the rights and serves the best interests of children and, therefore, of society. Research has consistently demonstrated that children fare best when raised, whenever possible, by their biological parents. The state has a vested interest in promoting this institution because it provides the ideal environment in which to raise the next generation of healthy and productive members of society."
Penny Pullen, former state legislator and President of Eagle Forum of Illinois commented, “As foundational as the family is to our society and especially to the well-being of children, it would be both wrong and dangerous for our state to interfere with the family for the sake of a social experiment whose results we cannot know for decades. The risk to future generations is too high to take this chance.”
Mary Anne Hackett, President of Catholic Citizens of Illinois stated, “Only a marriage of heterosexual persons can produce children and secure the future of society. The protection of the lives and development of children must take priority over the personal gratification of even one single adult. The definition of natural marriage must be between one man and one woman, unchanged by whims and claims of equality.”
Caprio emphasized that Coalition members will engage in grassroots lobbying on this issue through their own organizations, but that the Coalition will make public statements regarding its opposition to legalizing same-sex marriage.
