The Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association (OPALGA) calls on all of our neighbors and friends to boycott Oberweis Dairy. We ask you not to purchase Oberweis Dairy products and not to patronize the Oberweis Dairy Oak Park Avenue store.
Calling for a boycott of an establishment in our village is not an easy decision. The decision was made after much discussion and debate. OPALGA calls for this boycott because of the rank bigotry displayed by Jim Oberweis, the company’s owner. Simply because Oberweis lost the Republican primary for governor does not mean we will end our boycott. Indeed, our boycott will be ongoing and continues to gain momentum. Throughout the history of our country, boycotts have been called to eliminate injustice, from the boycott of British tea during our pre-revolutionary history through the civil rights and labor movements’ calls for racial and economic equality.
Jim Oberweis has pledged his support to the Illinois Family Institute (IFI). The IFI is a far right extremist organization currently conducting a campaign to gather petition signatures for a statewide referendum to amend the Illinois Constitution to ban same-sex civil marriage. If successful, this would be the first time in the long history of our state that an amendment would be included in our constitution to discriminate against a class of citizens. It is pure discrimination and bigotry. Additionally Jim Oberweis presented the IFI with a substantial contribution to further their extremist work.
Jim Oberweis scoffs at corporate domestic partnership policies?#34;this despite the fact that the majority of the Fortune 500 companies have instituted domestic partnership policies. Jim Oberweis is opposed to adoption by gay and lesbian couples. This despite the fact that hundreds of children wait to be adopted by loving gay and lesbian couples. Jim Oberweis is opposed to the inclusion of sexual orientation in our hate crimes laws. During his past election campaigns, Oberweis’ policies on immigration bordered on racism against Hispanics.
Jim Oberweis has opened his checkbook to extremist organizations. We in Oak Park must slam shut our checkbooks on Oberweis. There are alternatives. Petersen’s Ice Cream has a long and excellent history in Oak Park. Ben & Jerry’s has an inclusive corporate policy. The new Cold Stone Creamery is on the Marion Street mall.
Let us continue the rich history of inclusiveness in Oak Park. Let us continue Oak Park’s zero tolerance of discrimination. Join us and say no to Oberweis.
Alan Amato
Public Policy chair, OPALGA
