From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Inquirer letter Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 23:06:39 -0400 (EDT) The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 10 congregations and religious organizations and 41 clergy from 14 faiths and denominations. If you are in the general Philadelphia area and represent a congregation or religious organization or are clergy, let us know if you want to be added - all faiths are welcome. We will also be happy to help start similar organizations in other areas. June 23, 1997 The Philadelphia Inquirer PO Box 8263 Phila., PA 19101 Dear Editors: We found it interesting that you chose to cover two negative stories about religion and sexual minorities: the funding debates in Charlotte and the Southern Baptist Boycott of Disney. Both were covered fairly extensively in two separate articles in the Monday paper, but the good news that the Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly voted to rethink last year's constitutional ban on ordaining non-celibate single candidates was relegated to one paragraph over the weekend. In contrast, the editors and reporters of the Charlotte Observer have been extremely conscientious in reporting the religious convictions of people on both sides of the funding debate. The reporters of the Observer did not accept at face-value the commissioners' self-serving xenophobic portrayal of the issue as North vs. South, Americans vs. Foreigners or Business vs. Religion. Sincerely, Barbara Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators -- Interfaith Working Group Religious organizations, congregations iwg@libertynet.org and clergy supporting gay rights, http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/ reproductive freedom, and the 215-235-3050 separation of church and state.