From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG SPLC Intelligence Report letter Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 22:19:01 -0500 (EST) December 15, 1998 Mark Potok Southern Poverty Law Center PO Box 548 Montgomery, AL 36104-0548 Dear Mr. Potok: Thank you very much for the excellent item on anti-gay hate crimes. We are very happy to see the Center, which is so well known for its work against all forms of hate crime, recognizing and importance of this issue and communicating it to your readers. However we did have one small linguistic quibble: the statement, "gays and lesbians are six times more likely to be the victim of violent hate crime than Jews or Hispanics, and twice as likely as blacks," could reinforce the unfortunate and inaccurate perception that there are no Jewish, Hispanic, or African-American sexual minorities. Thank you again for a generally outstanding and informative publication. Sincerely, Barbara Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators The above letter went out on IWG letterhead listing 16 congregations and organizations and 60 clergy from 15 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 iwg@libertynet.org and clergy supporting gay rights, http://www.libertynet.org/iwg/ reproductive freedom, and the voice: 215-235-3050 fax: 232-0829 separation of church and state.