Gay Today: World

Chicago Activists Join Movement
to Stop 'Dr.' Laura

Compiled By GayToday

Chicago, Illinois--Chicago activists working in conjunction with the StopDrLaura.com website formed an ad hoc group last Wednesday night, the Stop Dr. Laura Coalition, with the aim of halting WBBM-TV Channel 2's plans to air the notorious talk show bigot.

The Stop Dr. Laura web site has received over 14 million hits to date.

The Coalition is spearheading local opposition to Laura Schlessinger by organizing a 3 p.m., Saturday, April 15 picket of the station at 633 N. McClurg Court, Chicago to protest the station's plan to air her show.

Calling gay men and lesbians "biological errors," pedophiles and "deviants," Dr. Laura Schlessinger counsels parents to isolate their children from those who have same-sex commitments.

A Coalition statement of purpose outlined what it says are the dangers Schlessinger represents, including an increase of gay-bashing, teen suicides, as well as an organizing tool for fundamentalism's anti-gay forces.

The Stop Dr. Laura Coalition notes that one of the gains of the Civil Rights Movement is that no broadcaster today would seriously entertain giving a national TV program to a host who called people of color "biological errors." Yet Channel 2, it says, has decided to profit from bigotry by providing Schlessinger a slot in the fall.

Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:
Coalition Launches Web Site: StopDrLaura.Com

Dr. Laura Recants 'Apology'; GLAAD Tells Paramount: Dump Her!

Paramount Protest of Dr. Laura Today is Star-Studded

Related Sites:
Stop Dr. Laura.com

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Activists from the Coalition, including members of the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network, the Chicago Lesbian Avengers, the Autonomous Zone, SANGAT/Chicago, and Wicker Park Anti-Racist Action announced a call to:

“all who oppose hate to not only attend the April 15th picket of Channel 2, but to also to telephone the station to protest--Jim Berman, Programming Director, 312.951-3575, and Frank Price, General Manager, 312.951.3852.

The Coalition has already addressed its concerns to Price, citing examples of Schlessinger's bigotry and demanding the show be dropped.

The Coalition says that it believes that “with the nation's #1 listenership for her syndicated radio program, Schlessinger is helping galvanize the forces of hate in a way that has not been seen since Anita Bryant.”