From: RobinTyler@aol.com
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 20:13:36 EDT
Subject:  CHICAGO ACTIVISTS JOIN NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO STOP "DR." LAURA

(If you wish to organize a protest in your city, contact 
Robin Tyler, National Field Coordinator, www.stopdrlaura.com
(818) 893-4075  e mail rtstopdrlaura@aol.com

Subject: Chicago "Dr." Laura Protest Announced: 4/15


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 4/2/00
For information:  Andy Thayer, 773.878.4781, Stop Dr. Laura Coalition

CHICAGO ACTIVISTS JOIN NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO STOP "DR." LAURA
Anti-Laura/CBS Protest Schedules for April 15

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 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 their plan to air her
show. 

Calling LGBT people "biological errors," pedophiles and "deviant," Dr. 
Laura Schlessinger stridently opposes gay marriage, our right to adopt
children, and counsels parents to isolate their kids from LGBT people. A
Coalition letter to other organizations outlined the danger Schlessinger
represents: LGBT people "should need little reminder about the potential
price of broadcasting this hate under the sanction of being a
'doctor'--increased gay-bashing, teen suicides, an organizing tool for
denying us any number of civil rights, etc." 

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 has decided to profit off of bigotry
by slotting Schlessinger into their fall line-up. 

Following the Jerry Springer newscast debacle on Channel 5, Channel 2 made
a much-hyped commitment toward broadcasting integrity with its hiring of
Carol Marin. Unfortunately, the Schlessinger episode shows once again just
how adept broadcast managers are at putting profits before principle. 

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 call on 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 sent a letter to Price citing examples of
Schlessinger's bigotry and demanding that the show be dropped. 

The Coalition notes that with the nation's #1 listenership for her
syndicated radio program, Schlessinger is helping galvanize the forces of
hate in a way not seen since Anita Bryant.  But with the impending danger
of a national TV hate broadcast also comes the opportunity for LGBT people
and our allies to push back bigotry by cancelling the show, and thus
improve the social climate for all of us. 

For local information on Stop Dr. Laura activities call (773) 878-4781 or
e-mail thayer1917@aol.com . For more information on national efforts to
stop Dr. Laura, visit StopDrLaura.com , the web site with over 14 million
hits to date. 

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