Subject: IWG Maine/Randy Tate letters
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 00:13:00 -0500 (EST)

The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 12 congregations and
organizations and 53 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.

Note: identical letters, minus the comment about the Post's coverage,
were sent to the Philadelphia Inquirer and New York Times.

February 14, 1998

The Washington Post
1150 15th Street NW
Washington, DC 20071

Dear Editors:

Randy Tate, executive director of the Christian
Coalition, made some comments that could only be
characterized as "extreme" in reference to the repeal
of a law in Maine that would have banned
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
The vote was not in any way a victory for people of
faith as Tate claims.  It was, however, a victory for
people who, like Tate, think of sexual orientation
only as "sexual behavior behind closed doors," and
who therefore refuse to recognize the hostility that
sexual minorities face for being open about whom they
love.  The Post's coverage of the vote, which
concentrated on the religious beliefs of those who
favored the repeal, making no mention of the many
people of faith who were against it, reinforced
Tate's misstatement. 

There were people of faith on both sides of the
debate in Maine, just as there are people of faith on
both sides of most social debates.  The Christian
Coalition does not represent all Christians, much
less all people of faith, and we do not appreciate
Tate's attempts to speak for us. 

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.