From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG LA Times Letter Date: Sun, 7 Sep 1997 18:24:33 -0400 (EDT) The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 10 congregations and religious organizations and 46 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. September 6, 1997 Los Angeles Times Times Mirror Square Los Angeles, CA 90053 Dear Editors: Your September 6 article about Alveda Celeste King referred to Concerned Women for America as an organization "advocating the promotion of Christian and family values." Concerned Women for America is best known for the organization and promotion of demoralization campaigns against the staffs of corporations and educational organizations that they believe are anti-Christian and/or anti-family. These campaigns consist of purchasing ads that attack the organizations in question, and encouraging their members to write negative letters. Targeted organizations have reported receiving hundreds of such letters, many threatening eternal damnation. Concerned Women for America has a web page which reveals that they oppose "anti-Christian" and "anti- family" activities such as the production of comprehen- sive sex education materials, support for the United Nations, government funding for the arts, corporate advertising designed specifically to appeal to sexual minorities, recognition of historical figures as sexual minorities, and extension of corporate health benefits to same-sex partners. While a limited effort was made to find someone to dispute Alveda Celeste King's inaccurate claims that civil rights leaders were generally opposed to equal rights for sexual minorities, you accepted and repeated Concerned Women for America's self-definition without comment and without labeling it as such. 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.