Dobson Gets Dissed

A colorful crowd of people of all ages, genders and sexual orientations came out to protest radio personality James Dobson's induction into the Museum of Broadcast Communications Hall of

Fame in front of the Renaissance Chicago Hotel last Saturday. Among the crowd of protesters were Roosevelt students. Members of RU Proud, Activist Alliance and Students for a Sensible

Drug Policy were at the protest, as well as students who came independently. For some, attendance was fueled by strong emotion. "Personally, I really hate James Dobson," said Abby Moore of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy. "I actually wrote an essay on him for one of my classes, so to actually go to a protest of him was amazing." For other students, the cause didn't matter as much as the experience. "It was intense," said Vince Johnson. "It was cool."

Dobson is the producer of a radio program entitled "Focus on the Family," which promotes anti-gay sentiments and the propagation of traditional families. Planned by Chicago's Gay Liberation Network and New York's Truth Wins Out, the protest was meant to solely oppose the museum's willingness to reward bigotry according to the organizations.

However, with the recent passing of Proposition 8 in California, the protest took a more political turn. Dobson has been at the front of anti-gay marriage legislation in California since he helped create the Proposition 8 campaign in 2003, and has given over $550,000 in funds to the campaign, according to the "Los Angeles Times." Rainbow flags flew over a crowd waving signs that read "Same Sex Marriage Rights Now," "Dobson Discriminates," "Hall of Shame," "Support Love," "Say No to Religious Bigotry," "Keep Your Church Out of My Government" and "Marriage is a Human Right." A toddler stood with a pink poster with the words "I [heart] my Gay Nanny," and protesters screamed, "We're here! We're gay! We won't go away!"

The Gay Liberation Network estimated over 500 people participated in the protest, which is more than the 450- 475 people who attended the Museum of Broadcast Communications event inside the hotel.