Subject: IWG Alexandria Falzarano response
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 00:05:20 -0400 (EDT)

September 20, 1998

Alexandria Journal
6408 Edsall Road
Alexandria, VA 22312

Dear Editors:

In a recent letter, Anthony Falzarano engaged in one
of the worst attacks on a minority group that we have
ever seen.  He cites real estate listings and the
establishment of  houses of worship as evidence of a
"prolific assault"  by a group that is "insidiously
gaining strongholds" partly through "books and 
newspapers that are subtly being placed on the
shelves of our public libraries." He says activists
are "working like termites beneath the floorboards"
to overturn the laws that have prevented them from
moving into your neighborhood.   Unless you stop this
"invasion," he says, you will be "living in the
basement."  And yet, he adds, "they have every right
to have a place to live and work."  (And where would
he propose they do that?)  What would be the
disastrous result of members of this group moving to
Northern Virginia?  The worst scenario he can think
of is their getting health benefits for their
families.

Anyone who belongs to any minority group, whether
racial, religious, linguistic, or political, should
recognize and abhor the type of language that
Falzarano is employing against gays and lesbians. His
sexual history and current religious beliefs may give
him a perspective that he considers unique, but they
do not give him an excuse to engage in xenophobic
fear-mongering. 

Sincerely,
Barbara Purdom     Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators

The above letter went out on IWG letterhead listing 15 congregations and
organizations and 59 clergy from 16 religious traditions. 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.

-- 

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.