Subject: IWG Lynn Johnston Letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 16 Aug 1997 23:03:09 -0400 (EDT)

The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 10 congregations and religious
organizations and 45 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.

August 16, 1997

Dear Ms. Johnston:

We were pleasantly surprised to learn that you are
reintroducing the character of Michael's friend
Lawrence to "For Better or Worse."  We though his
coming out was very powerful, especially when his
father told him "to go wherever it is you people go,"
and he stood outside the house yelling, "I live here."  

While we realize that you received many complaints
over the inclusion of one sexual minority character in
the strip, you have shown over the years that you are
capable of dealing with real life and death topics
which are not normally seen in the comic pages. 
Lawrence's sexual orientation may make some people
uncomfortable but it can also bring comfort to many
children and families who believe they are doomed to
struggle alone.  Lawrence was a regular if minor
member of the cast of the strip before you revealed
that he was gay. His disappearance simply reinforced
his father's unfortunate notion that sexual minorities
must have somewhere else to go. We urge you to rectify
that impression by making him a regular again,
treating his life with the same reality and
sensitivity that you bring to the rest of the strip.

Sincerely,
Barbara Purdom     Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators

-- 

Interfaith Working Group                Religious organizations, congregations
[email-masked]                      and clergy supporting gay rights,
http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/         reproductive freedom, and the 
215-235-3050                            separation of church and state.
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Subject: corrected letter
        [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked],
        [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked],
        [email-masked], [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 1997 12:05:56 -0400 (EDT)

The corrected Lynn Johnston letter with the actual name of the strip
and the mailing address are at http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/august/6.txt

Sorry about that.

-- 

Interfaith Working Group                Religious organizations, congregations
[email-masked]                      and clergy supporting gay rights,
http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/         reproductive freedom, and the 
215-235-3050                            separation of church and state.