Date: Thu, 09 Dec 1999 23:52:27 -0500 From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Daily News Violence Coverage Letter December 8, 1999 Philadelphia Daily News PO Box 7788 Phila., PA 19101 Dear Editors: In response to Timothy Dowling’s December 2 letter regarding the Jesse Dirkhising case: It is difficult to understand why some stories get national coverage and others don’t. Matthew Shepard was murdered because of who he was, right after the national anti-gay ad campaign had created a great deal of media attention on gay-related issues. Lynn Vines, a transgendered African-American in Baltimore, survived being shot multiple times for wearing a dress soon after Shepard’s murder, and the case barely received any media attention in Baltimore, let alone nationally. The murder of Billy Jack Gaither (which had many similarities to the Shepard case) received some national attention. The murder of Anthony McCullough has gotten no coverage outside of Philadelphia. Andrew Cunanan’s killing spree received a great deal of attention, and his orientation was frequently mentioned in headlines. The Dirkhising murder and the Shepard murder have nothing to do with each other, and, contrary to Dowling’s letter, neither of them has anything to do with the ACLU. Sincerely, Barbara Lamond Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators The above letter was sent on IWG letterhead listing 17 congregations and religious organizations and 62 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