Illinois Students Launch Online Advocacy Group to Back Same-Sex Civil Unions, Effort Draws 8,000 Members

(Chicago, IL) — Illinois students today announced the launch of Civil Unions Illinois.Org, a netroots organization created by students, to support Chicago Democrat State Rep. Greg Harris’ civil unions legislation.

Civil Unions Illinois.Org (http://www.CivilUnionsIllinois.org) is a product of students leveraging a social networking site, Facebook.com, to organize politically in behalf of Harris’ bill, House Bill 1826.

More than 8,000 students have joined the Facebook-based group. Moreover, they have generated approximately 1,000 letters to state lawmakers, seeking their support of Harris’ plan for Illinois to recognize legally same-sex relationships.

DePaul University junior Chris Jessup and Lake Forest College sophomore Phil Miatkowski are the student co-chairs leading the effort.

Other House sponsors joining Harris, right, include: Sara Feigenholtz, Harry Osterman, Constance Howard, Barbara Flynn Currie, John Fritchey, Lou Lang, George Scully, Julie Hamos, Cynthia Soto, Richard Bradley, Naomi Jakobsson and Mike Boland.

Though the bill was approved, 5-4, by the House Human Services Committee on May 23, 2007, its ultimate fate before the full House remains uncertain.

However, right wing-nut hysteria against the legislation remains certain.

Opponents fear that committed, same-sex civil relationships might destablize the divorced-riddled and adultery-addled institution of marriage that traditional marriage custodians now manage so finely. Same-sex unions can only improve the contraption.