Cook County judge is member of homosexual judges group, advocated for “gay” cause; pro-family attorneys say she should recuse herself from case

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Sophia Hall as she appears in 2007 photo of her being honored along with 13 other openly homosexual judges. (See larger photo below.) Hall is a member of a Chicago-area homosexual judges group that celebrates homosexual unions and marches annually in Chicago’s “Gay Pride” parade.

By Peter LaBarbera, AFTAH exclusive

CHICAGO—Cook County Circuit Court Judge Sophia Hall — who will rule on combined pro-homosexual lawsuits challenging Illinois’ existing law defining marriage as one-man, one-woman — is an open lesbian and pro-homosexuality advocate, according to information widely available online but which has gone unreported by the media.

Judge Hall’s homosexuality is not a secret, nor an “open secret” –as it was with  Vaughn Walker, the California judge who last year issued a decision overturning that state’s Proposition 8 marriage amendment only to subsequently reveal his “gay” identity. In contrast, Hall is a “charter member” of a homosexual judges organization in Chicago, the Alliance of Illinois Judges, which marches in Chicago’s annual “gay pride” parade. Last year, the AIJ sponsored — along with the “gay” activist organizations Lambda Legal and Equality Illinois — a public outdoor ceremony attended by city officials celebrating Illinois’ new “civil unions” law; AIJ judges officiated the “civil unions” for homosexual couples.

In a perusal of recent media reports on the Chicago “gay marriage” lawsuit, Judge Hall’s lesbianism and membership in a homosexual judges group that advocates for “gay rights” went unreported. Thus their implications for the case have not been publicly scrutinized, even by leading Illinois conservatives. Meanwhile, two pro-family attorneys contacted by AFTAH said Hall should recuse herself from the homosexual “marriage” case due to her personal conflict-of-interest. The pro-homosexual-“marriage” lawsuits were brought jointly by the ACLU and Lambda Legal, a homosexual legal group. Illinois’ Attorney General, Lisa Madigan, is supporting the homosexual activist lawsuits rather than defending her state’s marriage law.

Judge Hall herself has openly advocated for pro-homosexual causes, saying in a 2010 speech that she has “focused on efforts to combat the injustice of racism, gender bias, bias against gays and lesbians, and other stereotypes that belittle those who are stereotyped.”

The graphic below is a modified version of what appears in the July 2007 newsletter of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association Chicago (LAGBAC) — which hosted a reception honoring Judge Hall and 13 other openly homosexual judges in Cook County:

The same edition of the LAGBAC newsletter announced two $4,000 scholarships to law students interning at Lambda Legal, one of which was “doing a myriad of assignments surrounding the Iowa same-sex marriage case.” Two years later, on April 3, 2009, homosexual “marriage” was legalized by the Iowa high court in a 7-0 decision.

Calls for Recusal

News of Judge Hall’s membership in and association with Chicago homosexual advocacy groups brought calls for her to recuse herself from the case that could bring legal homosexual “marriage” to Cook County (if not all of Illinois, although her decision will almost certainly be appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court). Said Professor Rena Lindevaldsen, Associate Dean of the Liberty University School of Law:

AFTAH launches “Keep the Gay Blood Ban” informational campaign: “Anal sex is the riskiest sexual activity for getting/spreading HIV.”

RIMMING: Section on "Rimming" from flier produced for the California HIV/AIDS Hotline. "Rimming" is a slang term for oral-anal sexual stimulation, as depicted by the drawing above. The text reads: "You cannot get HIV from rimming. You can get Hepatitis A (but you can get vaccinated against it), shigella, herpes, and intestinal parasites. To reduce your chances of getting sick, clean ass before you eat it, or use a dental dam as a barrier between your mouth and your partner's ass."

TAKE ACTION: Share this disturbing information with your adult friends, family and co-workers — as well as your U.S. Senators and Congressman [Senate 202-224-3121; House: 202-225-3121; www.congress.org].  Urge your representatives in Congress to put the safety of Americans — and a pristine blood supply — ahead of the demands of the selfish Homosexuality Lobby.  Also urge your representatives to launch a Congressional investigation into the health hazards of homosexual behaviors (just as the government studied the dangers of smoking).  We need the government to regulate the commercialized “gay” sex industry (e.g. bathhouses) — which fosters anonymous perversions and a reckless culture of promiscuity that spreads diseases and ultimately endangers innocents.

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“Infection with these parasites was a likely effect of anal intercourse, which was apt to put a man in contact with his partner’s fecal matter, and was virtually a certainty through the then-popular practice of rimming, which medical journals politely call anal-oral intercourse.” — Homosexual reporter Randy Shilts, who died of AIDS at 42,writing in his book, And the Band Played On, pp. 18-19.

By Peter LaBarbera

Here we reproduce portions of a flier produced by the Asian Health Services and funded by the California AIDS Clearinghouse — as AFTAH launches its “Keep the Gay Blood Ban” (KGB²) campaign against renewed lobby efforts to open up the U.S. blood supply to homosexuality-practicing men. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), one-time Democratic candidate for president, has stepped up his efforts to overturn the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) current ban on blood donations from any ‘man who has had sex with a man’ (MSM) since 1977 (and any woman who has had sex with such a man).

In the House, Sen. Kerry is being aided by Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago), who represents the homosexual Boystown neighborhood in Chicago, and the two recently applauded Obama’s HHS (Department of Health and Human Services) for taking steps toward lifting the homosexual blood ban.

Sadly, Sen. Kerry and others crusading against the homosexual blood ban do so on the basis that the ban is mainly about “anti-gay discrimination” rather than preserving public health. Kerry previously cited the advent of legalized homosexual “marriage” as mitigating against the lifetime homosexual blood ban. Yet few seem interested in investigating — much less restricting — the actual high-risk homosexual practices and deviant behaviors depicted and described in this (pro-“gay’) flier, which crassly helps explain the immense heath risks of male homosexuality. We excerpt this flier — vulgar slang references and all — to help educate the public as to how this lifestyle is so dangerous that men who practice it must be kept from the nation’s blood supply.

Pro-family advocates in Chicago rally against the new "Civil Unions" law in Illinois. The bill, HB 1716, was passed in a lame-duck session and ironically called the "Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act" despite the fact that its passage immediately put Illinois citizens' religious and First Amendment liberties in jeopardy. Photo by Lynn Thomas; click to enlarge.

Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (www.aftah.org); June 1, 2011

Contact: Peter LaBarbera: 630-717-7631; americansfortruth@gmail.com

CHICAGO–Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality and a principal behind the Illinois Defense of Marriage Initiative (www.DefendMarriageIL.org), issued the following statement on the new Illinois “Civil Unions” law that takes effect today:

Homosexual behavior is always wrong, according to the broad sweep of Judeo-Christian history, so it is tragic to behold the State of Illinois – or any government entity – recognizing immoral same-sex relationships and treating them like marriage. Moreover, for the City of Chicago and Gov. Pat Quinn to celebrate homosexuality with a mass Civil Union ceremony June 2^nd is an act of hubris and defiance toward the Creator that mocks His wonderful plan for real marriage – the sacred union of a man and a woman to produce children and family. The pandering Quinn – epitomizing the modern Democratic politician –mocks his own professed Catholicism by working tirelessly to undermine its clear moral dictates.

The anti-Christian Civil Unions law must be repealed. It was passed in a lame-duck session that once again revealed the contempt that liberal Illinois lawmakers have for the citizens they are supposed to serve. Ironically, shortly after passage of this bill – mischievously titled the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act –religious liberty for Illinois citizens and religious institutions was immediately put in jeopardy. A homosexual male couple targeted Paxton, Illinois, bed-and-breakfast owners Jim and Beth Walder – who now face prosecution by the State because they refuse – as Christians – to hold “civil union” ceremonies celebrating homosexuality on their own business property. And the Rockford Diocese’s Catholic Charities announced that it will halt its state-funded foster care and adoption services rather than be forced by the State of Illinois to place children in same-sex households that are motherless or fatherless by design.

Will “Orthodox” phoney Lieberman walk, not drive, to the Capitol to cast his vote to homosexualize the Armed Forces?

AFTAH News Release, Dember 18, 2010

Contact: Peter LaBarbera: 630-717-7631; americansfortruth@gmail.com

Sen. Joe Lieberman's phoney piety is exposed by his emergence as a leading crusader in Congress for the homosexual agenda.

CHICAGO – As most Americans shop and begin making preparations for Christmas or their religious holiday, the U.S. Senate, led by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (independent), is busy securing a vote to effectively homosexualize our Armed Forces.  [Call your Senators at 202-224-3121 to oppose the repeal of the law banning open homosexuality in the military (commonly called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”).]

Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality, which opposes the “gay” activist agenda, said today’s vote, potentially clearing the way for repealing the military ban, is the most important homosexuality-related congressional vote ever held: “If the lame-duck Congress succeeds in ‘gaying down’ our military this weekend, it will take a disastrous leap toward “mainstreaming” deviant, sinful homosexual conduct – not just in the military but in larger society — thus further propelling America’s moral downward spiral.

“This is a needless injection of sexual politics into our Armed Forces,” LaBarbera said, noting that the President’s own DoD report on implementing the Repeal reveals:

• 23.7 percent of surveyed Service members (38.1 percent of Marines) said repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would cause them to “leave [the military] sooner than I planned” or “think about leaving sooner than I had planned”;

• 44.3 percent of combat veterans (59.4 percent of Marines) said that having an open homosexual in their immediate unit in the field or at sea would “Negatively” or “Very Negatively” affect their “unit’s effectiveness at completing its mission”;

Psychologist Mike Campion was vindicated when the City of Minneapolis settled with him for $211,000 rather than try to prove in court their false charge that he was an anti-gay bigot who could not professionally do his job of evaluating police and firefighter candidates -- due to his past affiliation with a Christian pro-family group.

“Former City Council Member Scott Benson, who is gay and a lawyer, sent a note to then-interim Police Chief Tim Dolan and asked, ‘How did Dr. Michael Campion, who was a board member of the Illinois Family Institute (a notoriously discriminatory anti-gay group) become the psychologist for the Minneapolis Police Dept. for screening new hires etc?’

“The same month the city suspended work with Campion and hired another firm to do screening, citing better ‘diversity and transparency’ issues at the firm.” — Minneapolis Star Tribune, “Minneapolis settles suit with fired psychologist for $210,000”

By Peter LaBarbera

The City of Minneapolis just admitted its guilt and, in effect, shameful anti-Christian bigotry by settling with psychologist contractor Michael Campion for $210,000 rather than go forward with a U.S. District Court trial that it surely would have lost on First Amendment grounds. See the Minneapolis Star-Tribune article reprinted below. 

I know Mike Campion and his wife Kathy. He is a good and decent Christian man whom compassion-challenged liberals put through the grinder merely because he supports the objective truth that homosexuals can change their lifestyle (as countless have). His firm, Campion, Barrow & Associates, is one of the most professional in its field and evidently the City of Minneaopolis could not find anyone who would testify that Mr. Campion had mistreated or discriminated against them on the basis of “sexual orientation.”

In other words, unlike the liberals who sought to destroy him, Campion is no bigot. Pathetically, some city officials even tried to smear Campion as a racist to achieve their goal. End justifies the means, right?

Note the comment by homosexual activist Scott Benson above: a “gay” politician, working with pro-homosexual city officials, gets Campion fired because he was once a board member with a “notoriously discriminatory organization,” the Illinois Family Institute (IFI).

NOTE: below I write that “Homosexuality is not special and it should be treated like any other sexual sin.” I should add that most sexual sinners — indeed, most sinners in general — do not define themselves by their besetting sin nor seek special legal protections based on their embrace of it. — Peter LaBarbera, www.aftah.org

See related AFTAH article: “Focus on the Family Clarifies Position, Opposes Homosexual Judicial Nominees”

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News Release – Americans For Truth

April 15, 2010; Contact: Peter LaBarbera: 630-717-7631; AmericansForTruth@comcast.net

LaBarbera Commends Focus for Clarifying Its Principled Opposition to Homosexual Judges

Peter LaBarbera, President of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), issued the following statement in response to Focus on the Family’s clarification that it would not support a homosexual nominee to the Supreme Court:

Focus on the Family has wisely corrected statements by two of its staffers who stated last year that the “sexual orientation” of judicial nominees – i.e., their homosexuality – would not disqualify them to sit on the nation’s highest court. Focus had been privately correcting those comments after Gary Glenn of AFA-Michigan criticized Focus’ “moral retreat” on homosexuality. Focus’ new position – first reported by AFTAH – is biblically sound because it focuses on behavior as helping to define a judge’s character. Said Focus’ Tom Minnery:

“It has been reported that we would not oppose any U.S. Supreme Court nominee over their ‘sexual orientation.’ Our Judicial Analyst [Bruce Hausknecht] made a statement to this effect in an interview with The Plum Line. To be honest, this is one of those conversations we’d like to ‘do over.’ We can assure you that we recognize that homosexual behavior is a sin and does not reflect God’s created intent and desire for humanity. Further, we at Focus do affirm that character and moral rectitude should be key considerations in appointing members of the judiciary, especially in the case of the highest court in the land. Sexual behavior–be it heterosexual or homosexual–certainly lies at the heart of personal morality.”

Americans For Truth, like other pro-family groups that honor the authority of Scripture, believes that homosexuality is best understood not as an “identity” but as a behavior – one that is wrong, destructive, and unnatural. Thankfully, homosexual conduct also is changeable (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), as evinced by the countless former homosexual men and ex-lesbians living happy lives.

Supposed “gay” identity is a modern construct that undermines moral truth and people’s responsibility for their own conduct. Men and women (proudly) practicing homosexuality often are driven to justify their errant lifestyle. Even those practicing homosexuality in secret often work to promote its acceptance.

Says in “almost all situations”  burden placed on religious people to grant “gay equality” will be justified

New EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldlum

By Laurie Higgins, reprinted with permission from Illinois Family Institute, March 30, 2010

Click HERE to watch some video clips of Chai Feldblum at a 2008 panel discussion at the Family Research Council.

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Georgetown University lesbian law professor Chai Feldblum believes that when same-sex is marriage is legalized, which she argues is both necessary and inevitable, conservative people of faith will lose religious rights. She is also one of the authors of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which would provide special protections for those who choose to base their identity on their same-sex attraction or their disordered desire to do the impossible: change their sex.

And this is the same Chai Feldblum whom President Barack Obama has appointed to serve on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). He used the legal but divisive mechanism of recess appointments, which allow him to appoint people to serve in important government roles without being confirmed by the U.S. Senate. According to the homosexual newspaper, Windy City Times, “Feldblum, as part of the commission, will have considerable influence in the writing of federal regulations to enforce” the deeply troubling ENDA if it’s passed.

Lesbian’s nominee’s newfound “moderation” is a farce, says Catholic League

Note: Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) has signed on to a pro-family coalition letter to the Senate HELP Committee expressing concern over EEOC nominee Chai Feldblum’s extreme record. Thanks to Traditional Values Coalition for taking the lead on the letter.

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Dear AFTAH Readers,

President Obama’s appointee for Commissioner to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, lesbian Georgetown University Law Professor Chai Feldblum, is backpedaling from her radical pro-homosexual/pro-polyamory positions faster than Tiger Woods from the paparazzi. The Catholic League’s Bill Donohue (in the item below from last month) is correct about the “farce” of Feldblum’s newfound “moderation” (if we could call it that).

Feldblum is a veteran law professor with decades of experience in public policy. Aren’t lawyers always warning the rest of us to “read the document before you sign”? Yet now she claims that signing her name to the 2006 radical homosexual “Beyond Same-Sex Marriage” manifesto was a “mistake,” even as she admits to being in broad agreement with its contents.

Feldblum’s feeble explanation doesn’t pass the smell test. Did she not know the meaning of “conjugal” — as in the “Beyond Same-Sex Marriage” document’s call for giving government recognition to “Households in which there is more than one conjugal partner”?

Feldblum will likely be passed out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee today, which would send her nomination to the full Senate. (Watch her November HELP Committee testimony HERE.) We need at least one conservative senator to put a formal hold on the Feldblum nomination — because we suspect that if and when Feldblum is seated as an EEOC Commissioner, she’ll be getting her left-wing, radically “queer” groove back. –Peter LaBarbera, www.aftah.org.

TAKE ACTION: Call or write your U.S. Senators (202-224-3121;  www.congress.org) and especially Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) (202-224-5754) and ask them to OPPOSE Chai Feldblum’s nomination as EEOC Commissioner. Ask your Senators and especially Sen. Coburn to place a hold on her nomination so that the American people can have more time to learn of the implications of her radical sexual and anti-religious-freedom agenda. Catholic League release is after the jump….

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