McHenry County Blog

I haven't seen the complaint against disabled Vietnam Veteran Greg Kachka made to the Island Lake Police Department, but reportedly it was stimulated by Village Trustee Debbie Herrmann and Clerk Christine Kaczmarek a month and a half ago.

Kachka had been critical of the village board.

Was the arrest for disorderly conduct retribution?

As my son says, “You're not in my mind.”

But it certainly will have a chilling effect on free speech at village board meetings.

Wonder where the ACLU is when they could be useful.

Kachka called me this afternoon to tell me a Fox News crew would be coming out to do a story.

I decided to drive over.

But, before I went this is part of what Kachka told me.

“This Debbie Herrmann is really famous for making faces at people.”

Although he is Polish, Kachka said, “I talk with my hands. They're saying I made my hand into a gun and I was shooting at (them).”

He explained that nothing was said at the meeting.

“It wasn't until Monday, (March) 17th that he (a policeman) started an investigation.”

He came over and “I showed him my guns (and my) FOID card.

“I FOIed (filed a Freedom of Information request) for a copy of the report to Christie Kaczmarek. She denied it due to the privacy of the people accusing me. (So much) for my rights.”

He appealed to Village President Tom Hyde. No luck there either.

Kachka talked to a policeman the day before he was arrested and this is what he heard:

“The state's attorney (Lake County's) said we could arrest you on disorderly conduct. We could do it the easy way. You could come I with $75.”

Kachka said he wanted to talk to his lawyer first. The prepaid legal services folks told him had to be arrested before they could help him.

He finally called the Island Lake Police and said, “I didn't do anything wrong. I'm not turning myself in.”

At this point in our conversation, his cell phone rang. It played the Marine hymn. You know, “From the halls of Montezuma...”

By then I was trying to produce a map to find his home.

When I arrived in Island Lake, there was a crowd in front and the Fox News crew was inside while Kachka was trying to find the part of the village meeting which had been called into question. The story I got was that the village officials thought he was pointing his had like kids do when they don't have a gun. (Kids probably get sent home from school for that in some school districts, zero tolerance and such.)

They had probably picked up the story from the Daily Herald, which had a picture of Kachka wearing the offending tee shirt—the same one he wore when taken to jail to post $500 bond. So far, nothing in the Northwest Herald.

Fox reporter Darian Trotter and his crew had made the 2-hour trip out. I told him the second time it wouldn't seem so long.

He interviewed police sergeant Anthony Sciarrone, who said the complaint was more about Kachka's hand gesture than his tee shirt.

I wonder why it took so long for the powers that be in Island Lake to act on whatever fear that the complaining village officials supposedly perceived.

But remember, Island Lake has "friendly people."

In the group shot on Greg Kachka's flag bedecked front lawn are Laurie Rabattini, who has the "What's happening in Island Lake?" blog, her finance, who was filming also, Rob Rekosiewicz, Tom Martin, a former trustee, Bob Wargaski pointing with his unloaded hand, Dave Labuz, and Teresa and Village Trustee John Ponio the current trustee, plus homeowner Kachka.

All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: ACLU, Anthony Sciarrone, Bob Wargaski, Darian Trotter, Dave Labuz, Fox News, Greg Kachka, Island Lake, John Ponio, Laurie Babettini, Rob Bekosiewicz, T-Shirt, Tee Shirt, Tom Martin

The series of articles telling what Allen County, Ohio, Sheriff Daniel Beck told the Illinois Minuteman Project audience at McHenry County College October 25, 2007, is almost completed.

Previously articles include

Fighting Republican Courthouse Corruption,

Motivation for Getting Involved with the Fight Against Illegal Aliens

The Rule of Law

Enforcement Techniques, specifically, how 287(g) training is not necessary to get started,

Idendtity Theft Enforcement,

Other Crimes by Illegal Aliens, and

Terrorism and Bondage.

Today we hear Sheriff Beck’s take on his critics.

“Several of the Latino advocacy groups didn’t like what I was doing,” he observed.

“Ohio probably has one of the most (liberal) open records law in the country,” he said to explain a request from the Mexican Consulate on September 6, 2005, that he considered unreasonable.

“Those folks threw the gasoline on the fire.”

He took 45 days to reply.

The Atlanta News (I can’t find a newspaper by that name on Google) called and asked about the lateness of his reply.

“I told them, ‘No, I didn’t think it was important.’

“I sent a letter to President Bush,” Beck continued, suggesting that his final paragraph about Bush’s getting to “work on an immigration law” probably wasn’t appreciated.

Because of the Mexican Consulate’s request, he was interviewed live on “Hannity and Combs” for 7-8 minutes.

“After that, people started sending me information on illegal immigration.

“Probably one of the best things that’s happened to me is the Mexican Consulate sending me that letter.”

“We need to make our visitors feel welcome,” he quoted Lima’s liberal mayor.

Beck’s reply?

“We have three hot means a day in jail.”

He also has some contact with the Mennonite-dominated community of Goshen, Indiana. Mennonites welcome the immigrants. Its population has grown 35-40% over four years, he said.

One person from Goshen said, “Thinks have been going really well, except we’ve had two homicides in the Latino community.”

Beck suggested the reason was the Latino gangs like MS-13.

Beck explained that he has a “Criminal Alien Task Force,” which has devised guidelines.

“We don’t want to profile,” he said.

“When arrested, we try to go after the employer. It’s kind of hard to do.”

Beck said he uses the “questions given to me by IRS’ Criminal Investigation Division.”

He then made a reference to the movie “Absence of Malice” in explaining how he deals with reporters, whose articles have been critical of his illegal alien enforcement, I sensed.

He said the following is from the movie:

"The newspapers don’t print the truth. They print what people say.”

Apparently the local paper in Lima has not been very friendly. He flashed a number of front page articles with negative headlines on the screen.

“I’ve survived 16 years of politics and most of them (the reporters) are gone.”

Speaking to any local official who might contemplate following in his footsteps, Beck said, “You’re going to take a lot of guff.

“I’ve been criticized by the Catholics, the Mennonites, the League of Latin American Citizens.” (And, he may have mentioned more.)

“We have something of a (rocky) relationship,” he said of the latter group.

“I seem to be kind of a radical. I’m sorry about that.

“The ACLU sent out a press release a year and a half ago, almost two years ago (criticizing what he is doing). They still have not found a valid complaint.

“I got a (congratulatory) call from a friend. ‘You finally got the ACLU to come out against you!’”

Where have the illegal aliens in Allen County, Ohio, come from?

Beck put up a slide with all the countries, but I couldn’t catch them all before he took it down. There were more.

Most, he said, were from south of the border; these are the countries I copied down:

Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Poland, Cuba, Albania, Poland, South Africa.

“I never received one (complaint) of improper conduct or profiling by any persons illegally in our community,” he said.

= = = = =
Sheriff Daniel Beck is seen in the top photograph. The bottom one contains Carlos Acosta, executive director of the McHenry County Latino Coalition. He attended the meeting, but asked no questions. He is being interviewed by Northwest Herald reporter Sarah Sutscher for this article.

Labels: ACLU, Carlos Acosta, Daniel Beck, illegal aliens, MCC, McHenry County College, McHenry County Latino Coalition

My guess is that you won’t see one Crystal Lake South School girl wearing short pants the few times she is allowed to leave home before her June 26th trial.

That’s because she is being forced by Judge Mike Chmiel to wear an electronic ankle monitor until that trial date.

She's the one who was charged with a felony hate crime for passing out sheets of paper showing two male classmates kissing. The flier, according to District 155, "included an identifiable picture of a current student."

Still, that’s better than the shackles she was forced to wear in court. (Thanks to the Chicago Tribune’s Carolyn Starks for that detail, plus many others of the story.)

The Tribune story says conviction could result in a 30-day sentence.

At Judge Chmiel's order, she's already spent 18 days in Kane County’s Juvenile Detention Center since her arrest on May 11. (Lacking its own detention center, McHenry County sends its juveniles to Kane County's.)

“The girl's attorney, Matthew Haiduk, said he plans to seek dismissal of the charges because her written words ‘are protected speech under the 1st Amendment,’” according to the Tribune story.

You might expect the American Civil Liberties Union to be involved in this case, as it was decades ago when a Cary-Grove High School student refused to cut his hair.

ACLS First Amendment priorities apparently don’t extend to this District 155 high schooler’s written speech, however.

Here’s what Starks got from the ACLU in Chicago:

Ed Yohnka, a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, said that without seeing the flier, it is difficult to know whether it was threatening.

"It is clear to us the school has a right to punish a student for distributing fliers on school grounds absent any permission to do so ... but that wasn't the tool that was used here," Yohnka said.

"Instead there was this immediate jump to a criminal charge. ... One hopes there would be other ways to deal with these things on campus other than the inclusion of a police officer."

The boy targeted by the leaflets and his mother were in court, Chuck Keeshan’s Daily Herald article reports.

Keeshan also writes,

(The girl’s attorney Matthew) Haiduk plans to file a motion to dismiss the charges, saying Tuesday the girls’ statements qualify as protected free speech and their actions never breached the peace or caused harm.

“It’s not something that’s necessarily mainstream thought, but I think it’s protected by the First Amendment,” Haiduk said.

Assistant McHenry County State’s Attorney Robert Windon “completely” disagreed with the defendant’s attorney’s interpretation of the First Amendment, the Daily Herald said.

The second girl, who is also on home confinement, will be in court June 26th, too. Her attorney will ask for dismissal of the charges, reports Herald reporter Brandon Coutre.

Labels: ACLU, Cary-Grove High School, Crystal Lake High School District 155, Crystal Lake South High School, Hate Crime, Homosexuals, Matthew Haiduk, Mike Chmiel, Robert Windon

As expected, the Gay Games rowing regatta was approved 3-2 on a second vote of the Crystal Lake Park Board. The only change from Thursday’s 2-2 tie was the support of then vacationing Board President Jerry Sullivan

(below center), back from his Mexican vacation.

When faced with the requirement in Robert’s Rules of Order that only someone who had voted on the prevailing side could make the motion to reconsider, Thursday negative voter David Phelps (below) accommodated the majority.

That vote was 4-1, with Sullivan and previous Gay Games supporters Candy Reedy and Michael Zellman (right) joining Phelps. That left Scott Breeden the lone dissenter.

The waves from this issue, however, seem destined to radiate outward toward future elections.

Thirty-year McHenry County resident Andy Larson played the role of the elephant making its presence known:

If you vote for it, I’m going to do the best I can to vote you out of office.

Prior to this closing statement, made next-to-last in the public comment period, Larsen cited the Creator as giving the “us the authority to do what we do.”

“Why did you let this happen?” he asked the board, referring the Bible verse (Luke 17:2) about those causing children to stumble being better off having a millstone hung around their neck and thrown in the sea. “You have a choice,” he said forcefully.

At the other end of the spectrum was James P. Madigan, attorney from Lamda Legal Defense & Education Fund, a gay and lesbian advocacy group. In the Board packets were his letter to park board members, which I shall post later. He asked the park board to follow the rules, which he said required equal access, the right of association and free speech.

(For those who have lived in Crystal Lake long enough to remember the “wake wars,” you’ll understand why Madigan got one of the biggest laughs of the night when he said, “I find it hard to believe there’s so much concern with wake hours.” Commissioner Breeden set him straight after public comments. Breeden remembered twice-a-month meetings for more than a year to figure how to protect every possible user of the lake.)

The ACLU’s Division of Gay and Lesbian Project attorney also spoke, praising the park district’s willingness to re-vote, citing freedom of speech and association reasons.

Emily Koch, an African-American woman, closed the public comment period asking,

If we’re saying we don’t want gay people in the water, how soon will it be until I’m not welcome in the lake?

By far the majority of Crystal Lake residents speaking to the board and the audience opposed allowing the Gay Games rowing contests to take place.

There are a couple thousand words more about what people said at the meeting you can find here.

Or, just read it below.

One representative of that majority viewpoint was Cheri Cribbet, who lives on McHenry Avenue. She chastised the board for bringing the matter back for a second vote.

I’m really disappointed you would bring all of this mess…back up again. This is a community of traditional values.

Accepting for purposes of argument a claim made by one supporter than 10% of Crystal Lake is gay, she asked,

Why do you want to be used by outside groups of 10% of our community?

She rejected the Northwest Herald’s claim that “this is a small part” of the Gay Games.

That’s ludicrous! You think they are not going to come and support it? We will have thousands. I happen to live on McHenry Avenue and we definitely don’t need any more traffic.

I see what’s in this for the gay supporter. If they manage to bring this to Crystal Lake, this will be a major win for them.

Following her was former public school administrator Michael Lukens (didn’t catch his hometown or get the spelling of his name). He pointed out that the

Gay Games are estimated to bring $80 million dollars to Chicago. One-half of one percent would be $400,000, he pointed out.I believe business in our community would welcome the additional revenue.

He also estimated (using a 5% figure for the gay population) that

722 of Crystal Lake’s children are gay, that “22.4% of them will attempt suicide” and that the Gay Games would “present a positive image of gay youth in our community.”

Crystal Lake’s Dave Hammelstock (spelling?) was one commenter who asked how the Gay Games could comport with the park district’s mission statement.

This is about outsiders who have a political agenda,
he said while asking how the Games “would provide a safe leisure environment?”

Another, Mary Elger, also addressed the district’s mission statement “to enhance the quality of life in Crystal Lake.” She wanted to know “how this particular event would fit into that mission statement?”

Julie Billemack of Lakewood expressed support of the Gay Games.

We’re boat owners….I think it’s a great opportunity to (enjoy the lake) to the fullest

Deb Hale of Palatine, a member of PFLAG, a gay and lesbian support group, related how her group had participated in the Palatine parade and “run kiddy games.”

Palatine has not sunken into the earth.

Plainfield resident John Larsen, another PFLAG member was also in town for his second meeting within a week.

It’s about the benefits gay people have about coming out and showing gay people are just like anyone else.

Pastor Joel Anderson, leader of the 900-member Harvest Bible Church said,

The games themselves have really set the agenda. My concern relates to those collateral issues that have nothing to do with the event.’ (I was taking his picture and didn’t get much down on paper.)

Anderson suggested “blending love and acceptance of all without confusing it with the acceptance of the behavior.”

He said he has been asked by a reporter what Jesus would say tonight to the board.

I think he would say nothing,

he replied and, then, talked about all of us having sinned and needing forgiveness.

There will be those on both sides who will represent their sides (badly). He pledged to be among those who would intervene, if those calling themselves Christians behaved badly.

“Truth without love is brutality. Love without truth is hypocrisy.”

Anderson spoke of God’s will being done.

We are ready to welcome whatever He has for this community.

David Collins urged,

Leave the values out of it. Acceptance of intolerance. Those are my family values.

If this is setting some kind of a precedent, bring them on—Macho Christians (he had other catchy suggestions)—bring ‘em all on.

Withering in his criticism of Gay Games attendance projects was Paul Guymon:

If nothing else, there would probably be over 100 media at the event…It has the potential for bringing thousands of people into Crystal Lake.

Brittani Smith, who identified herself as a Marian (Catholic) Central student and daughter of a Lakewood Village Trustee, spoke in favor of the Gay Games.

She offered thanks to the park board “for the opportunity to salvage our reputation.”

Smith pooh-poohed any potential problems, saying there were as unlikely as someone having “sex on your lawn.”

Your children all belong to a more accepting generation than your own. Set an example for your children of love and compassion. Do away with all the hate in your heart.

“To the young lady who said we do not have to shield our children. I’m sorry but (that’s what I do), rebutted 3-year resident Lisa Hartel.

If it was strictly about rowing, we wouldn’t see gay signs all over.

I’m very tolerant. A friend sent me an email and I was absolutely outraged at what he saw. He literally threw his coat over his children’s heads (to protect them from the indecency he saw at the Gay Pride Parade).

As a faith-based person, I want you to know I’m praying for you,

she said before asking,

Is it really legal to re-vote this?

I followed Hartel to the microphone and, among other things—all related to the rowing contest and the board’s consideration thereof—asked how they could reconsider the motion that had failed without someone on the prevailing side’s making such a motion.
The lawyer from a top-flight municipal law firm, Glick, etc., gave me what I considered a gobble-de-gook answer.

Afterwards, Board President Sullivan and he spent a lot of time conversing before the vote, when they decided to follow Robert’s Rules of Order, which I read out loud. I can’t wait to see any work product the park board attorney produced on the legality to vote a second time without a motion to reconsider.

Terry Leer (spelling?) followed me and announced,

I’m a taxpaying lesbian (with) a right to organize and congregate. She wondered what a traditional family value was and talked of the “absolute nightmares" CABA and the cardboard boat regatta were.

I’ve seen the city annex every conceivable farm parcel,

she added, stepping a bit into city council business.

“Voting ‘No’ on the Gay Games is unconstitutional,” she concluded.

Peter LaBarbera, the executive director of the Illinois Family Institute, cited the advertising on the Gay Games web site by Man’s Country and Steam Works, which he said were 24-hour bath houses.

I don’t think the cardboard regatta would have a bathhouse as a sponsor.

The Gay Games are part of Mayor Daley’s agenda, but it’s not part of your community’s agenda.

LaBarbera’s group is spearheading the gathering of signatures to put an advisory referendum on the ballot asking the state legislature to define marriage as between a man and a women.

Lori Fagan, saying she had lived in Crystal Lake over 13 years, thanked the board for

offering this forum and not shoving this through without hearing our opinion.

I pay taxes, too. There are many more gay people here than who live in Crystal Lake.

If the lake has ever been used by outside groups, you will be risking a law suit. If you discriminate here, you will surely have that lawsuit and in our pockets.

Quoting Martin Luther King on the “arc of justice,” she said, the “eyes of the world are on you. How will you answer them?”

Karen Hopp of Crystal Lake criticized the park board for having no policies on lake use.

If we welcome one group’s request, we have to welcome them all.

She related that the park district was formed 75 years ago to protect the Main Beach.

It was to preserve it for Crystal Lake residents. We don’t have to showcase Crystal Lake to anyone. It showcases itself.

Ann Fredericks of Broadway, a 16-year resident, complained about the quality of the lake.

Let’s stick to the rules and regulations in place to protect the lake.

Twenty-two year gay Jaycee Bob Donolly (probably spelled wrong) said he was a 44-year Crystal Lake resident who had helped out with junior bowling for 21 years.

It upsets me to see the reaction to the rowing (contests).

He talked about the distortions by objectors, e.g., how the whole lake would not be closed and how the park district was not ordering Crystal Lake or Lakewood to do anything.

A member of the board said, “Let the courts decide.” I don’t want my money going for that.

Remember the separation of church and state. I’ve heard a lot of Bible thumping here tonight, but it has nothing to do with what you’re being asked to do here tonight.

Crystal Laker Doren Patton (spelling?) said he had moved from California to Crystal Lake after researching towns throughout the Northwest Suburbs.

One thing I’ve learned is that we don’t have very long summers.

He pointed to problems with prior Gay Games, concluding,

I really hope you have done due diligence. I urge a ‘No’ vote.

Crystal Laker Diana Collins supported the Gay Games, saying she had

moved here six years ago hoping this was a diverse community.

Drawing positive reaction, she said,

You guys host what I call the ‘drunkfest.’ The rowing regatta is on a Sunday. Roads will only be closed a few hours in the morning and the evening.

Southside resident Kathy Pribyl disagreed with Commission Michael Zellman’s statement about human rights being at the core of the issue.

I’m a thirty-year resident and you have brought us out of the woodwork.

I’m a boat owner, too. Holding an event like this will take a day away from us.

If the park district wants to sell the use of our lake to others, is it willing to give us a rebate?

I would appeal to you to keep the best interests of the residents in mind and vote against this.

County Club Additions Property Owners Association resident Diane Searles asked whether the park board would grant a regatta permit to the Polish American Union or an Irish ethnic group (her own).

I don’t think so.

Our beaches and our neighborhoods bear the brunt of your decision.

A McHenry woman whose name I did not catch supported the Games, suggesting

Your son or daughter could come up to you and say gut wrenching words. “Mom, Dad. I have something to tell you. I’m gay.”

Brenda Klockenga said

We are worried about public decency. (I have seen) videos of a sex act being performed on a float (in a Gay Pride Parade) on full public view. If we are going to read the law, we should read all of it.

If it’s all about rowing, why not just talk about rowing?

Criticizing some public official who has had media exposure on the issue, Klockenga added,

I am so disappointed at the comments made about opponents, especially by public officials.

She also suggested that people ought to look at what is on the blogs. (I'll post something mild on a blog about Commissioner Scott Breeden, who said that when he got to his computer at six AM Friday.

I found I had made a terrible, terrible mistake. I made my decision based on the activity on the lake. It’s protecting the people who live near me. I believed you when you said it was about rowing.

It is not about rowing,

he concluded after reading his email.

If you want to see me get upset, threaten me.

Check out the blogs for yourself by clicking here.

Sixty-year resident attorney Jim Bishop led off the comments. A participant of “lake wars,” he said,

All I every heard was the lake was too small. Never before has the lake been closed for an event that takes up the whole lake so the people from outside of the Crystal Lake Park District and our community (can use it).

We have had an ordinance for twenty years to prohibit powerboats…(No other) event closes 20% of the lake.

We don’t give a rat’s (next there was a significant pause) about the social issue. I urge you to vote against this proposal so the residents of this community can use the lake.

Joe Edwards made his second presentation on the Games.

To the board I direct not a request, but a demand that the decency laws are followed in Crystal Lake.

He pointed out that the sexual preference anti-discrimination law said that neither actual nor “perceived” orientation could be discriminated against.

If I chose to take a shower in the female shower, that would be protected.

Just because the law is on the books does not make it a wise law,

Edwards concluded.

Pat Pierce of Crystal Lake put a face on those participating in the Gay Games. She will play softball in Chicago.

We just want to have a chance to participate and meet new people.

First to incite the crowd was Woodstock resident Tim Williams.

My concern for you as a board is that you make the right decision.
He then went on to talk of a fruit found in the south side of the Red Sea. When eaten, “it was filled with sulfur,” he said. “If you bite this, I…

and I didn’t catch the rest, but the park district attorney interrupted, saying,

If people are going to get up and shout out, we are going to have to ask people to leave. We have police officers here.

Sue Nushel (spelling?), an 8-year resident, complimented the crowd on its graciousness.

I stand pro the Games. It’s (use of the lake) is a privilege, but it’s something we can offer with conditions. But, I trust the board and its police. If there are problems, they (will take care of them).

New Darlington Court resident Grant Croll (spelling?), who has just moved from Hawaii, said,

I agree the Gay Games is about more than games. It’s to catch attention.

“It’s not about sexuality. It’s about conduct,” added Croll, who said he had attended two Gay Games. “Overall, it was entertaining.”

Kevin Coles, a Crystal Lake resident since 1991 was brief.

I’m opposed. I think the board has done a lack of due diligence. I would suggest the off-calendar meeting is suspect…

He did not finish his sentence. He just let it hang there.

Dan Diamond, a 22-year resident expressed his opposition.

Under my perception Crystal Lake was owned by the park district, Crystal Lake and Lakewood. To bring a boat to Crystal Lake, you have to be a resident.

If you start breaking those rules, anyone could come and say, "You’ve done it before, (why not do it again)?"

Twenty-year resident Jeff Beebe, from the West End of the lake walked to the microphone wearing a black western hat.

I don’t think it’s a good idea for anybody. I’m against it.

Lakewood resident John Tuohy couldn’t understand why a special meeting should be held because one member

opted not to come to a meeting. I don’t care if he was on vacation or not…It was a done deal last week. But, because one guy who was down in Mexico didn’t like the results, we’ll here tonight.

This is BS!

Wife Martha was next up.

I’m with him.

She wanted to know how a man from Channel Two had gotten her letter to Board President Jerry Sullivan, but got no answer.

I planned a family part that weekend. Now am I supposed to change my plans? Aren’t we residents supposed to have preference?

“The last two individuals must have looked into my pockets,” said George Staziak (spelling?). “I feel the Gay Games are offensive because of the name. They want to be separate and want to be gay. I think it does nothing for the City of Crystal Lake.”

28-year resident Ann Benard said,

I’ve never heard of the lake being loaned out to anyone. What benefit are we going to get from this group?

West End resident Tony Buonauro brought the most laughs of the night.

This is about rowing for God’s sake. It’s not about sex. It’s not about AIDS. It’s not religion. It’s about rowing. My family has lived here since 1946. I was conceived in 1946 when my parents summered here. It’s not about making blacks leave town at 5 PM,

he said to cheers.

Linda Rogen got off one of the most humorous comments,

Who knew there was so much interest in rowing?

One person I didn’t identify said,

You’ve had a lot of time to mull this over. Is it easiest just to vote ‘Yes’ and put it on someone else’s plate?

No way are you going to get three governmental bodies to say, ‘Yes.’

Perhaps the strangest appearance was by an employee of the Illinois Department of Public Health, whose name I did not catch. He was sent in case there were any health questions.

“I’ve never done an infectious disease consult on a rowing contest,” he said.

Resident Charles Biederman (spelling?) proposed an alternative use of the lake the weekend of July 15th and 16th—Family Fest 2006.

He asked that his proposal be considered before a second vote on the Gay Games. His request was ignored.

Also asking about a second vote was Andrew Weld.

I don’t understand. Why will you re-vote? This isn’t Chicago.

After the attorney tried to explain why a second vote was perfectly normal (my characterization), Welk said,

I would like to suggest you keep the vote as is.

As people were leaving Park Place, which was virtually packed with many forced to stand, self-identified street preacher Rick Barnes was handing out “The God Test.” He had previously said that, if the proposal received approval,

I’ll be at the Gay Games not as a participant, but as a street preacher.

The event is intended to promote an agenda. I belong to a Christian Motorcycle Association. We have an agenda.

When he said,

Will you be blameless when you stand before God?

there were catcalls from some.

“See. That’s the hate, the hate I spoke of.”

After the attorney tried to explain why a second vote was perfectly normal (my characterization), Welk said,

I would like to suggest you keep the vote as is.

As people were leaving Park Place, which was virtually packed with many forced to stand, self-identified street preacher Rick Barnes was handing out “The God Test.” He had previously said that, if the proposal received approval,

I’ll be at the Gay Games not as a participant, but as a street preacher.

The event is intended to promote an agenda. I belong to a Christian Motorcycle Association. We have an agenda.

When he said,

Will you be blameless when you stand before God?

there were catcalls from some.

“See. That’s the hate, the hate I spoke of.”

As people were leaving Park Place, which was virtually packed with many forced to stand, self-identified street preacher Rick Barnes was handing out “The God Test.”

He had previously said that, if the proposal received approval,

I’ll be at the Gay Games not as a participant, but as a street preacher.

Labels: ACLU, Brenda Klockenga, Candy Reedy, Dave Phelps, Gay Games, Harvest Bible Church, Jerry Sullivan, Joe Edwards, Lamda Legal Defense Fund, Michael Zellman, Peter LaBarbera, PFLAG, Scott Breeden