Day: August 20, 2013

Oak Park’s own Rep. Lilly in Franklin Park July 30

Oak Park Chronicles

At the July 30 town hall forum in Franklin Park,five legislators faced an audience of 80 or so in park district headquarters, a very nice building next to Metra tracks.

They were:

* Two senators: Oak Park’s Don Harmon (D_39th) and

John Mulroe (D_10th), officed at 6107 B Northwest Highway. He has four kids, three in college. Ran, “new to politics,” in 2010, because the state was (is) “on the brink of disaster,” he said, using language Harmon used in none of four forums this summer, and as one of the first things he said, for that matter.

* Three representatives:

Kathleen Willis (D_77th), in her first term, a onetime Elmhurst College librarian officed in Northlake; Oak Park’s Camille Lilly (D_78th), officed in the city at 5755 W. Division; and Mike McAuliffe (R_20th), in office since July, 1996, officed also in the city at 5515 N. East…

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Why Christie has it wrong about same-sex therapy

Gov. of NJ forbids it, making inaccurate claims. Here’s capsulization of what he says and what’s wrong with it, according to the National Assn. for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH):

(1) there is no evidence that people are born gay

(2) the APA [American Psychological Association]cites and reports no evidence that individuals are harmed by professional therapy for unwanted same-sex attractions and

(3) that there is absolutely no evidence that children who might be seen by a therapist – in some cases because of abuse or neglect – and are having confused or misdirected feelings of same-sex attraction experience any suicidal feelings or depression related to (SOCE [Sexual orientation change efforts]) therapy.

In fact, it is just as likely that any feelings or confusion surrounding same-sex attractions – confusions that could now receive only gay affirming therapy – are just as likely to be the cause of depression, and the professional help provided by NARTH clinicians the solution.

Think about it.

And if you never met Christie, here he is explaining things: