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Revision as of 19:50, 29 August 2012 by Insomesia (talk | contribs) (Expanding article)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The Illinois Family Institute is a 501(c)(3) Christian organization based in Carol Stream, Illinois. Its mission is focused on "upholding and re-affirming marriage, family, life and liberty in Illinois," and is affiliated with the American Family Association. The organization also has a sister organization, Illinois Family Action, which is active as a 501(c)(4) lobbying organization in the state of Illinois. The organization's executive director is David E. Smith, who succeeded Peter LaBarbera in 2006.
Positions
The organization has a platform based on a core set of issues:
- Opposition to abortion and the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade
- Primacy of parents in raising children
- Opposition to recent court decisions related to the legal doctrine of separation of church and state
- Opposition to recognition of civil unions, gay marriage, and domestic partner benefits
- Support for parental choice of homeschooling, and opposition to mandatory sexual education and in-school health clinics
- Opposition to laws recognizing and/or protecting non-heterosexual relationships or activity
- Support for expansion of indecency laws
- Opposition to the "marriage penalty"
- Opposition to "activist judges"
- Opposition to expansion of gambling in Illinois
- Opposition to drug legalization
In the late 1990s, the organization opposed the use of evolution in Illinois schools, and its efforts were credited with the then-unpublicized elimination of word from Illinois school curricula. More recently, the organization has argued for the teaching of creationism in Illinois schools.
The Illinois Family Institute has been criticized for some of its positions, most notably their stances on LGBT issues. The organization has been a vocal opponent to recognition of the annual Day of Silence, calling for parents to keep their children home from school on that day. The Institute also has strongly opposed speeches and presentations by Dan Savage, who is originally from Chicago.
Hate group designation
The Illinois Family Institute has been designated an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center which states it was mainly based on the association with Paul Cameron, a researcher who has been disassociated from professional organizations American Psychological Association, the Nebraska Psychological Association, and the Canadian Psychological Association, the later for "consistently misinterpreted and misrepresented research on sexuality, homosexuality, and lesbianism."
References
- Illinois Family Institute. "About". Retrieved July 8, 2012.
- Illinois Family Action. "About". Retrieved July 8, 2012.
- Perlman, Quinn Seth (February 1, 2011). "Quinn signs bill legalizing civil unions". Southtown Star. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- "Resigned". The Advocate. September 26, 2006. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- Illinois Family Institute. "Issues We Follow". Retrieved July 8, 2012.
- "Thousands of phone calls fight video gambling law". WREX. January 20, 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- "Evolution Debate In Illinois Went By Unnoticed Two Years Ago". The Southeast Missourian. October 25, 1999. p. 5A. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- Lissau, Russell (February 14, 2011). "Candidates: Teach creationism in science classes". Daily Herald. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- Timothy Kincaid. "Laurie Higgins Hates the Sinner". Box Turtle Bulletin. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
- Matt Barber (Illinois Family Institute). "Dan Savage: "Tolerant" Bully". Retrieved July 8, 2012.
- Michael Kranish (July 31, 2005). "Beliefs drive research agenda of new think tanks". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2006-08-31.
- Committee on the Status of Homosexuals in Sociology (1987). "The Cameron Case" (PDF). Footnotes. 15 (1): 4, 6. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Canadian Psychological Association. "Policy Statements". Retrieved 2007-02-20.
{{cite web}}: Text "quote+The Canadian Psychological Association takes the position that Dr. Paul Cameron has consistently misinterpreted and misrepresented research on sexuality, homosexuality, and lesbianism and thus, it formally disassociates itself from the representation and interpretations of scientific literature in his writings and public statements on sexuality. (August 1996)" ignored (help) - Potok, Mark (April 17, 2009). "The Illinois Family Institute Again Cites Discredited Research, Briefly". SPLC Hatewatch. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
- Southern Poverty Law Center. "Active Anti-Gay Groups". Retrieved July 8, 2012.