Dear Marriage Supporter,

A week from today, the Illinois General Assembly will be back in Springfield to begin their lame duck session . . . one in which gay marriage advocates hope to pass a same-sex marriage bill.

The vote is expected to be close, particularly in the House, and activists are counting on votes from several retiring lawmakers to help pass the bill.

Please click here to send a message to your state lawmakers today. Let them know the people of Illinois are watching, and will hold them accountable for their vote on marriage.

The broken promises from Springfield keep stacking up.

It's only been 2 years since activists passed a civil union law, claiming it would provide much-needed equal rights for same-sex couples . . . now many of these same groups are claiming the very law they helped pass is discriminatory and demeaning to same-sex couples.

When the civil union law was being debated, the bill's sponsor explicitly promised that bill would not "impede the rights religious organizations have to carry out their duties and religious activities." Gay marriage activists even claimed that "the Act would not impact faith-based adoption agencies or adoption procedures."

Yet within months, Catholic Charities of Illinois, whose adoption agencies served 2,500 children, was forced out of adoption and foster care services when it became clear the state of Illinois' new law required them to place children with same-sex couples in violation of their religious convictions.

And they're not the only ones. Smaller businesses and organizations have been hit hard, too. The owners of Timber Creek Bed and Breakfast have spent the better part of two years defending themselves against a lawsuit for refusing to rent their privately-owned and family-run business for a civil union ceremony and reception. Other private businesses in the state have faced similar threats.

Please use this link to email your state senator and representative today, urging them to give the people of Illinois the right to decide the issue—instead of ramming a radical, unpopular bill redefining marriage through in a lame duck session.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Success or failure will likely hinge on the outpouring of opposition to this bill that politicians receive over the next week. After you take action, PLEASE IMMEDIATELY FORWARD this email to all your friends and family in Illinois, or use the social networking buttons below to post to Facebook or Twitter.

Thank you.