Subject: IWG Inquirer Parade Coverage letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 20 Jun 1998 23:41:13 -0400 (EDT)

June 15, 1998

The Philadelphia Inquirer
PO Box 8263
Phila., PA 19101

Dear Editors:

We are continually mystified by your inability to cover
the annual Diversity of Pride Parade in a sensible
fashion.  You are clearly not opposed to covering
annual events; Flag Day, Odunde, and the Pride Parade
were all in your paper this year.  It was nice that you
mentioned the mayor's speech in the caption of the
photograph, but you could have taken a picture of the
cheering crowds lining both sides of Locust, or both
sides of Chestnut Street in front of Independence Mall. 
You could have mentioned the thousands of people who
watched the parade and attended the festival, or listed
the broad diversity of groups in the parade (including
many religious groups), or mentioned some of the
notable individuals participating, like Bishop Righter
and his wife.  

Every year people who get their news from the Inquirer
get an extremely inaccurate picture (and usually a
picture is all they get), of a joyous event that brings
people from all over to our city.

Sincerely,
Barbara Purdom     Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators

The above letter went out on IWG letterhead listing 15 congregations and
organizations and 58 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
[email-masked]                      and clergy supporting gay rights,
http://www.libertynet.org/iwg/          reproductive freedom, and the 
215-235-3050                            separation of church and state.