Walk into the home that Ed Hamilton and Gary Magruder have shared (in fact, built together) in Plainfield, and one easily spots their shared passion. The walls of the home are filled with art work that Gary painted. One entire room is given over to a massive compact disc collection of music and a large piano. Books can be found everywhere. The home has an easy, comfortable feeling of things being settled, peaceful.

It should. Gary and Ed have been together for more than 48 years – without interruption.

They met at the party of a mutual friend in 1964 and began what Gary describes gleefully as a “courtship.” Gary grew up in Kankakee County and spent time on his grandparents’ farm as a youth, so he was impressed when Ed took him to the theater and to the opera. After a few months, they found an apartment together and remained inseparable.

Both Ed and Gary are retired educators, and both still love teaching and sharing their knowledge with others. During many of their years, they describe the difficulty of living almost “double” lives – one at school where they never talked about their relationship (they taught at different schools) and the other at home.

At the urging of friends, Gary and Ed travelled to Canada in January of 2004 – on the 40th anniversary of their meeting – to be married. Gary smiles in telling about saving the lapel flowers from the wedding. They want their marriage, which is the pinnacle of their nearly half century relationship, to be recognized in Illinois.

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After civil unions were adopted in Illinois, they went to the Will County courthouse to get a civil union (not realizing that their marriage already qualified them as having a civil union in Illinois). Ed and Gary were struck by the differences in the experience between their wedding and the perfunctory nature of getting a civil union. The clerk at the Will County courthouse acted as if they were getting “a fishing license.” That struck Gary, especially, as being different from how they felt at their wedding.

Ed, almost 75, and Gary, nearly 70, recognize that having their marriage recognized will help insure that they are able to care for each other through the duration of their life and protect the remaining spouse after one passes on.

Most of all, they simply want to spend their “golden years” recognized as married in Illinois. After 50 years, it is “about time” they say.

Next: Tanya & Liz

Tanya Lazaro and Elizabeth “Liz” Matos live on Chicago’s far Northwest side with their two children, Jaiden (2), and a newborn daughter, Sophia.  Like many Chicago families, their choice of a home neighborhood was guided by family connections – the couple lives in a two-flat shared with Tanya’s aunt, just three blocks from the home where Tanya’s mother grew up.  When they walk Jaiden to the park or around the neighborhood, they often encounter friends and acquaintances that Tanya has known for her entire life.

Since meeting more than fifteen (15) years ago, Tanya and Liz have built a life together, based on what they describe as their “shared values and a common commitment to one another and their family.” Tanya knows a lot about commitment and service – after finishing college, she took a job teaching in Chicago Public Schools.  After a year in the classroom, she decided she wanted something that was “easier,” so she joined the Chicago Police Department, where today she is a Detective in the Violent Crimes Unit.  “It is remarkable that Tanya risks her life serving and protecting the people of Chicago, but Illinois does not fully recognize the family we have built together,” says Liz.

Liz's family is from Puerto Rico, the youngest of 6 children, she was the only born in Chicago.  Today, she works as a senior software analyst at a software company that supports trading firms in downtown Chicago.

Liz and Tanya focus their lives today around their two children.  They describe Jaiden and Sophia as their “greatest source of joy and satisfaction” for the two of them, a description on which most young parents would agree.  Tanya and Liz are fortunate to be able to arrange their work schedules so that they work staggered shifts so that one of them is always home with the children.  Their home is filled with toys, books and other items for children – making it easy for anyone visiting to see their priorities in life on display.  They are a couple who put family first.

When Illinois approved civil unions, Tanya and Liz talked about seeking the legal benefits of such a union.  In the end, they decided that a civil union was not enough for them.  “We didn’t want to get a civil union just to have some legal benefits and protections,” says Tanya.  “We love each other; we are committed to one another – anything short of marriage just does not recognize that love and commitment.”

Liz and Tanya look forward to the day they can get married.
 

Next: Lynn & Kathie

The photos and video over the past few days in Chicago have been remarkable -- from the Irving Park on the North side, to Chicago's iconic Daley Plaza to the far South Loop, demonstrators have gathered in concert with the NATO summit to express their views on a host of local, national and international public policy issues.   In most of the photos and videos, there are a group of people keeping a watchful eye, clad in bright orange t-shirts and hats. These folks are not fans who have wandered away from a University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign football or basketball game (the school's colors are bright orange and blue).

These "standouts" with the demonstrators are ACLU observers, a group of volunteer lawyers and law students from across the Chicago area who gave their time this weekend to insure that free speech and free expression is respected during the protests. Words do not capture the depth of appreciation that we feel for the work, the energy and the sheer joy that volunteers bring to this project.   Friday night, after a long afternoon, a group of the orange-clad lawyers stood on the corner of Michigan and Jackson watching Occupy Chicago's General Assembly. Even though it was late - and many of these folks already had worked a full day in the office -- they smiled happily, spoke with protestors and passersby and generally had a great time.On Saturday, a group of ACLU observers, led by our executive director Colleen Connell, followed the demonstration for healthcare as it wound its way through the Irving Park neighborhood and (twice) past the home of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.  One volunteer finally had to leave because she had blisters on her feet that no longer were tolerable.

Another group of ACLU observers spent late Saturday afternoon and into the evening following various groups of protestors as they made their way back and forth, up and down, across Chicago's Loop.  Most were hot, tired and had sore feet, but when they returned to our offices in the evening, there remained a senses of fervent energy and commitment to the work that is being done this weekend.

We believe that these ACLU Observers are making a difference.  Our colleagues in other cities that have hosted these events tell us that the presence of clearly-marked Observers (hence, the orange) often moderate police behaviors, making free expression more widely available.  Additionally, the presence of the observers mean that we have a direct record and knowledge of what is happening on the streets without relying on second or third hand reports.
In addition to our ACLU Observers in the orange shirts, we have a smaller group of lawyers in business casual dress who are out with the Observers.  These lawyers are prepared to communicate with lawyers for the City of Chicago and the police in order to directly address situations as they arise on the streets.   And, we have had a group of Free Speech volunteers out in force this weekend, sharing information about our "Know Your Rights" materials and other materials.

We are pleased and proud of the presence that the ACLU has had on the streets of Chicago this weekend.  It also is obvious that we could not have this impact without the devotion and time of volunteers, especially the volunteers who have been out on the streets for us.  There has been an enormous amount of free speech with multiple messages across Chicago during these days.   Assuring that speech was the point of all this work.  We thank our volunteers for making this happen.