Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2000 00:12:13 -0500 From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Daily Oklahoman marriage letter December 29, 1999 Daily Oklahoman PO Box 25125 Oklahoma City, OK 73125 Dear Editors: We were confused by your December 22 editorial against the decision by the Vermont Supreme Court. The Court stated the fundamental legal rights of sexual minorities without actually redressing any grievances. In your editorial you wrote that "activists will press ahead with new vigor to create moral and legal equivalencies between homosexual and heterosexual unions." There are many religious traditions in which morals are currently a subject of much debate, and many in which moral codes reflect a belief in the fundamental equality of all people. Under the U.S. Constitution all people are legally entitled to equal treatment. Neither the Constitution nor a growing number of religious traditions make exceptions for gender or sexual orientation. There is no need for activists to create equivalencies which already exist. Sincerely, Barbara Lamond Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators The above letter was sent on IWG letterhead listing 18 congregations and religious organizations and 63 clergy from 16 religious traditions. For sexual orientation, gender identity, reproductive freedom, church/state separation, diversity, and radical religious right links go to http://www.iwgonline.org/links/ -- Interfaith Working Group PO Box 11706 Philadelphia, PA 19101 http://www.iwgonline.org/ iwg@iwgonline.org voice: 215-235-3050 fax: 215-232-0829