Larry Lamovec

"What a great way to lead into Valentine's Day," a woman exclaims.

People smile and hug as they ascend the second floor of Ann Sather's restaurant for the forum discussion on gay marriage. "Churches don't marry people. People marry people," says Reverend Greg Dell, who made headlines in '99 for his one-year suspension from the Broadway Methodist Church for performing gay marriages. Same-sex couples along with hetero pairs nod their heads and listen intently. Some people just fidget in their seats, but one woman in a wheelchair can't hold it in. "I didn't choose to fall in love with a woman. I fell in love with Darlene," she shouts out. Darlene is right by her side.

The clergymen speaking to the audience happily admit that they believe the church is wrong on its stance against gay marriage. "Believe in things you can verify with the power of your heart," a panelist says. As the discussion winds down people from the audience wag their hands in the air wanting to tell their stories, but Tom Tunney, the openly gay alderman and Ann Sather's owner who has captained the discussion, informs everyone that the panel will wrap up.

Before it's over Reverend Dell divulges one last thought. "It's time for straight people to come out of the closet. We are the problem. When we are silent we create the problem." And everyone nods again, reassured that they are not the problem. Love is not the problem.

(2004-02-11)

Also by Larry Lamovec

No bull
He runs up and down the court, stomps his foot to the DE-FENSE chant, and pounds his claw in the air...
(2004-01-28)

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