***Please feel free to post this message in other forums where appropriate.*** I am currently considering creating a new group and am looking to the Internet G/L/B community to see: a) what reaction there is from the G/L/B community generally towards the positions that would be advanced by this group and b) whether there's sufficient interest in other parts of the country that would let us quickly build a national organization... I sent out the original proposal yesterday, and response has already been tremendous... However, there have been some fairly consistent suggestions, which are being incorporated into this version of the proposed group's platform... The proposed name of the organization would be the "American Values Network" (The proposed name was originally the "Christian Values Coalition," but since the group was always intended to network both Christians and non-Christians, the name seemed overly limiting. The new name still seems to carry the flavor that was originally intended.) The idea is to create a network of individuals and organizations who believe that bigotry and hatred are *not* acceptable American values; and who will promote the concepts of brotherhood, equality, and care for the sick. In short, the idea is to build a network that would stand as a line of defense against those individuals and organizations who invoke the concepts of "values" or religion in order to be able to promote bigotry and hatred. This organization would have a 3-part agenda: 1) Actively oppose bigotry and hatred, particularly in the forms of hatred towards homosexuals, racism, and sexism. Potential activities would include opposition to legislative initiatives that codify bigotry and prejudice (CO-2 - type legislation); promotion of legislation that elevates human dignity (DC Human Rights Act type legislation); and holding rallies in opposition to individuals and organizations that invoke the concept of values in order to promote hatred. (I see getting religously inclined people together to hold "prayer meetings" to pray for the souls of those people whose souls have been filled with hate. I have a particularly vivid image in my head of G/L/B groups together singing "They'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love...") 2) Promote care for the sick and the disabled. This organization would push for continued efforts to reform healthcare; would promote more research into diseases such as HIV infection (possibly by pressing for full funding of the Ryan White Act) and breast cancer; and would seek to promote active enforcement of such legislation as the Americans with Disabilities Act. 3) Seek to reduce the necessity for abortion and the number of abortions performed by advocating responsible behavior *before* conception occurs. (While I personally advocate effective prophylaxis and clear, accurate sexual education, some who may join us might not be willing to go that far... these are debatable issues...) Please Note: This organization *would not* take a stand on the question the morality or legality of abortion itself, except to say that, as a procedure, abortion is not a particularly appealing option, and that avoidance of the need to have an abortion is preferable to having to make a choice. [Originally, this agenda included an effort to repeal tax-exempt status for religious institutions. Such a plank would have been primarily aimed at pseudo-religious, pseudo-business type organizations, such as religious television and radio stations... Based on advice from several legal sources, the consensus seems to be to remove this plank at this time, in favor of potentially raising a research effort aimed at rationalizing the taxation of religious institutions and members of religious orders. Such a research effort might also take a look at the possibility of advocating voluntary contributions by religious organizations towards the national debt, in lieu of taxes...] OK: Here are the questions: 1) Does anyone out there support these positions, or am I whistling in the wind? 2) If anyone *does* support these positions, are you willing to step forward and serve as a preliminary coordinator to start getting some measure of activity started in your area? 3) Is there some major component (particularly in the nominally Christian hate-monger agenda) that we should address (and haven't)? Is there something we shouldn't address? If there's support, I'd like to get this up and running *soon* ... The sooner the better... I'm doing this on my own time, not the contractor that I work for, nor the government agency that has hired us; these opinions are largely my own, but encompass the views of several others who have been helpful in putting this idea together... If you need to reach me, you can call me at (202) 332-7755. That number is at my home, and we're on Eastern time. (No collect calls, please...) I'm generally available until around midnight. --Bill Kirkner (a.k.a William A.J. Kirkner, Esq.)