Under the stewardship of openly out Mayor Joanne E. Trapani, the Village of Oak Park continues its long tradition of inclusiveness. At its June 7 board meeting, the suburban municipality voted unanimously in favor of a resolution that officially opposes both the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment and the proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would define civil marriage as the union of ‘a man and a woman’.
The 7-0 vote, which received support from the President and all six Trustees, reinforces Oak Park’s position as a leader of progressive social policies. Its domestic-partnership registry predates any other in the state and sexual orientation has long been covered by its anti-discrimination statutes.
The resolution underlines several points, including the facts that the Illinois and United States Constitutions are ‘models for protecting individual rights’; that the man-woman language threatens to ’embed inequality permanently in our fundamental laws’; that marriage has traditionally been within the jurisdiction of individual states; and that over 1,049 federal protections and benefits are granted through marriage.
Copies of the resolution will be sent to President Bush, Gov. Blagojevich, members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation and state reps from Oak Park.