Subject: URGENT: HRCF ACTION ALERT: ANTI GAY HEARINGS
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 1995 11:59:53 -0400

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ACTION ALERT             ACTION ALERT             ACTION ALERT

                 THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND

  The Nation's Largest Lesbian and Gay Equal Rights Organization
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To contact the HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND, please call us at     
(202)628-4160, fax us at (202) 347-5323 or write to us at PO Box
1396  Washington, DC  20013.
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30 1995
7:00 p.m. (EST)

                 HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARINGS ON 
                   "THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA IN SCHOOLS"

                       CALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS NOW!

WASHINGTON --  Anti-gay extremist Lou Sheldon, who has called for
men, women, and children with AIDS to be confined in
concentration camps, has succeeded in pressuring Congressman
Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), Chairman of the Oversight and
Investigations Subcommitee of the House Education Committee, to
hold taxpayer-funded hearings on public school programs which
deal with issues of sexual orientation. These hearings are part
of his mean-spirited Radical Right agenda to dehumanize gay and
lesbian people by singling them out for discrimination.  

The hearings are scheduled to be held on Tuesday, September 12 in
a subcommittee which has no actual jurisdiction over the content
of curriculum and programs offered by public schools.  We must
urge Chairman Hoekstra to reconsider his decision and to continue
to allow local communities and state education boards to set
guidelines for curriculum, counseling, and materials.  

The programs Sheldon is singling out are necessary to keep young
people safe and healthy.  They help prevent AIDS, violence, and
suicide among young people. They are designed to save lives and
keep families together -- not to "promote homosexuality." 

Please use the following sample letter to write Chairman Hoekstra
and urge him to reconsider the hearings.  Then call the
subcommittee members through the Capitol switchboard at (202)
224-3121 and ask them to do the same:  

Republicans
Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) - Chair
Bill Barrett (NE)
Cass Ballenger (NC)
Randy (Duke) Cunningham (CA)
Howard (Buck) McKeon (FL)
Micheal Castle (DE)
Dave Weldon (FL)
William Goodling (PA)
Harris W. Fawell (IL)

Democrats
Thomas Sawyer (OH)
Matthew Martinez (CA)
Jack Reed (RI)
Tim Roemer (IN)
Robert Scott (VA)
Gene Green (TX)
Mel Reynolds (IL)

                          *** SAMPLE MESSAGE ***
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August 30, 1995

The Honorable Peter Hoekstra
1122 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Hoekstra,

I was very disappointed to learn today that you plan to hold a
hearing on September 12 at the request of extremist Lou Sheldon
of the Traditional Values Coalition.

This hearing, on the so-called "promotion of homosexuality in
public schools," will prove to be nothing more than an
opportunity for Lou Sheldon to continue his campaign of targeting
lesbian and gay Americans with hateful rhetoric.  Sheldon has
gone so far as to advocate that men, women and children with AIDS
be sent to concentration camps.

Clearly, this is not an individual in step with mainstream
America, but rather an extremist intent on raising money
on hate and misinformation.  It was, in fact, from a TVC
fundraising letter that we learned of these hearings.

Earlier in the year a constituent spoke to Chairman Goodling
about the hearings Sheldon was advocating.  Chairman Goodling
wisely rejected any need for such hearings.  I strongly urge
you to reconsider your plans in regard to this matter.  If you do
decide to go forward, I hope you intend to present a balanced
look at the issue.  HRCF is prepared to assist in identifying
expert witnesses to discuss school programs designed to address
the epidemic of violence faced by lesbian and gay youth in public
schools.

I look forward to hearing from you and can be reached at
(202)628-4160.

Sincerely,

Daniel Zingale
Political Director

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    1101 14th Street, NW  Suite 200  Washington, DC  20005      
         phone:(202)628-4160      fax:(202) 347-5323