The Idaho Statesman 8-21-93 p1A
ICA brings campaign
to the fairgrounds
Marianna Forester, center, signs the Idaho Citizens Alliance's
anti-gay rights petition at the Western Idaho Fair
Friday afternoon. She said she wants to prevent gays from
getting "special protections."
Troy Maben/The Idaho Statesman
As alliance tries to get more
names on anti-gay initiative
petitions, opposition uses radio
spots to air views.
By Kim Eckart
The Idaho Statesman
Surrounded by booths hawking spas,
jigsaw puzzles and massage pillows, a
booth adorned with American flags
asks Western Idaho fair-goers to "stop
special rights."
Lee Madril believed she was doing
just that when she stopped at the
booth promoting the Idaho Citizens
Alliance anti-gay initiative. Without
hesitation, Madril signed a petition
and picked up Alliance literature before
continuing through the Exposition
Building.
"We don't need another special interest
group," said Madril, an Indian
Valley writer. "What two consenting
adults do behind closed doors is their
business. I'm tired of them shoving it
down my throat."
The Alliance hopes another 5,000 to
10,000 people at the fair will sign petitions
for an initiative that would prevent
the state from granting civil
rights protections based on sexual orientation.
Alliance leaders say they can exceed
the 32,061 signatures they need to put
the initiative on the November 1994
ballot by taking it to the state's three
regional fairs.
Chrla Butler/The Idaho Statesman
Jill Kuraitis, head of Idaho Voices for Human Rights, watches as Bill Irvine
tapes a radio commercial opposing the anti-gay initiative Tuesday morning.
"We're very optimistic about the
fairs' ability to generate the minimum
amount of signatures," alliance Chairman
Kelly Walton said. He would not
say how many signatures the group
already had collected.
"What better place to defend the
institution of the family than at a state
fair?"
But that turns a family event into a
political one, initiative foes say. That's
why Idaho Voices for Human Rights,
the umbrella group for opposition to
the initiative, doesn't have a booth at
the fair, they said.
Instead, the group on Friday an-
See ICA/Back page
