Chicago protest planned over cardinal’s KKK comments

LGBT civil rights advocates will protest Cardinal Francis George’s likening of the LGBT movement to the Ku Klux Klan at noon on Jan. 8 in Chicago.

The Gay Liberation Network and the Rainbow Sash Movement are organizing the demonstration, which will take place outside Holy Name Cathedral, 730 N. Wabash Ave.

George compared LGBT people to the KKK in objecting to plans for the June Pride parade during an interview with a Chicago Fox affiliate in late December. He has since reaffirmed his view in additional interviews and a statement on the archdiocese’s website.

In quick response, one LGBT rights group, Truth Wins Out, purchased a full-page ad challenging the cardinal in the Chicago Tribune on Jan. 1. TWO asked for George’s resignation.

The GLN/Sash demonstration will coincide with the noon Mass at Holy Name.

“We had hoped by now that Cardinal Francis George would have issued a public apology for his remarks of comparing the gay liberation movement to the KKK,” read a statement from Rainbow Sash.

“We would also like to chastise the cardinal for his chronic ‘managing of this scandal. We hoped that the cardinal had a change of heart when he had his follow-up statement justifying his original statement removed from the archdiocese website.”