On Nov. 8, Truth Wins Out and the Gay Liberation Network joined a coalition of local, state and national groups to protest Focus on the Family’s James Dobson’s induction into the Radio Hall of Fame.

A crowd of several hundred people came out to demonstrate on a frigid night in Chicago. They were also energized by Proposition 8 being passed in California, which prohibited same-sex couples from marrying.

Several hundred people protested in front of the Renaissance Hotel this evening in downtown Chicago against the Radio Hall of Fame for inducting Focus on the Family’s James Dobson. Focus on the Family had spent $800,000 on Proposition 8 to stop gay people form marrying in California.

It is mind-blowing, that the Radio Hall of Fame honored a leader of Proposition 8. Dobson put his Media Empire and vast amounts of money into the service of denying equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. And, the Radio Hall of Fame reacted by giving this demagogue a trophy. Truth Wins Out and the Gay Liberation Network thank all who attended the rally this evening.

The demonstration made national news.

Activists Step Up Campaign Against Award to “America’s #1 Hater of Gays”

CHICAGO – The November 8th visit of Focus on the Family’s James Dobson to this city is being met with a wave of revulsion from a who’s who of local gay organizations and activists, with the three main LGBT papers in the city running full-page signature ads against Dobson in this week’s editions.

The Chicago Free Press, Windy City Times and Gay Chicago each have ads denouncing Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications for honoring Dobson with an award on November 8th.  The signatories encourage the LGBT community and its allies to protest at 5:30 PM that night in front of the building where the award will be given, the Chicago Renaissance Hotel, 1 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago.

“It is unconscionable that any public institution would honor someone who has devoted his life to denying a whole section of the community legal equality, and promotes slanders against that community,” said Bob Schwartz of the Gay Liberation Network, which along with TruthWinsOut.com, are the principal organizers of the protest.  “Someone who does that is a hater, pure and simple, no matter how much they try to excuse their pro-discrimination rhetoric with so-called ‘Christian’ rationalizations.”

A pdf of the ads can be found HERE

For more information about the ads, call the Gay Liberation Network (www.GayLiberation.net) at 773.209.1187  More information can also be found at www.DumpDobson.com and www.TruthWinsOut.com

CHECK OUT FULL-PAGE AD IN THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE

CHICAGO — The Dump Dobson coalition, a partnership of local and national gay, lesbian bisexual and transgender (GLBT) organizations, held a press conference to denounce the Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) for its plan to honor James Dobson in its Radio Hall of Fame. The awards ceremony is planned for Nov. 8., and the Dump Dobson Coalition is strongly urging MBC Founder, Bruce DuMont, to rescind the award or face a protest outside of its annual dinner.

The Coalition has launched a website, DumpDobson.com and debuted its ad campaign with a full-page in the Chicago Tribune today. This will be followed by signature ads in the LGBT media that urge people to join the coalition’s efforts. The Dump Dobson Coalition is headed by the The Gay Liberation Network and Truth Wins Out and has so far been joined by Equality Illinois, SoulForce and the National Youth Advocacy Coalition.

“Bruce DuMont would never honor a Don Imus, disgraced for his anti-African American remarks,” said Bob Schwartz of the Chicago-based Gay Liberation Network. “Nor would 1930s radio icon Father Charles Caughlin — the widely syndicated pro-Nazi and anti-Semite– be feted.  Yet, in honoring James Dobson, Mr. DuMont appears to promote a ‘gay exception’ to the standards of public civility and decency rightly accorded other groups of people.”

“There is still time to reverse the reckless and irresponsible decision to honor James Dobson in the Radio Hall of Fame,” said Truth Wins Out’s Executive Director Wayne Besen. “It is unconscionable that the Museum is giving its imprimatur to a demagogue who has profited from divisive and discriminatory rhetoric. If the museum wants to regain its respect and credibility, it will dump Dobson.”

The Museum of Broadcast Communications opened up its Radio Hall of Fame balloting to allow people on the Internet to vote. James Dobson used his Focus on the Family show, which runs on 3,000 radio stations, to essentially stuff the ballot box. As a result, the Radio Hall of Fame is now honoring an anti-gay bigot who has built his radio empire on the backs of GLBT people. Honoring this ideologue is especially troubling during an economic downturn, which allows people like Dobson to scapegoat and promote discrimination.

“We have our work cut out for us, considering Focus on the Family is a wealthy and powerful organization that is on the White House’s speed dial,” said GLN’s co-founder Andy Thayer. “This campaign hopes to educate those involved with the Radio Hall of Fame – such as the steering committee and MBC donors – who can then hopefully act with a clear conscience and do what is right.”

Dobson once said that allowing gay people to marry will “end the earth.” Seven scientists have accused him of distorting their work to support his anti-gay teachings. Letters and videos of these researchers can be found at www.RespectMyResearch.org. The Dump Dobson coalition was formed to educate people about the danger of honoring Dobson and to urge the MBC to take prudent and responsible action.