From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Philadelphia Inquirer Religious Liberty Letter Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 23:27:34 -0400 (EDT) June 5, 1999 The Philadelphia Inquirer PO Box 8263 Philadelphia, PA 19101 Dear Editors: Linda Chavez demonstrates yet again that she has no understanding of religious liberty, religious diversity, or basic civility and respect. Despite what Ms. Chavez may think, the United States' tradition of religious liberty--formalized in Article Six and the First Amendment of the Constitution and later extended in the Fourteenth Amendment--is not to permit religious dissent. We don't have dissenters in this country because we don't have an official religion. The free exercise of religion is possible in this country precisely because we don't have an established religion, and to remain free we must make sure that free exercise is not allowed to create even the appearance of an established religion. Two-thousand people reciting the Lord's Prayer at a government-sponsored event (a public school graduation) as a protest against Constitutional protection for the religious minority are setting an example that neither those students nor any other American should be asked to follow. Those graduates may be going off to colleges and universities where they suddenly find themselves in the religious minority, wishing they had the protection that was being protested. The protesters have a constitutionally-guaranteed right to free exercise, at any time and at almost any venue that they choose, but they chose to do it at a time when the minority is forced to either sit silently or join in, and they did it for no apparent reason other than to demonstrate their superior numbers. It is bad enough when adults set such an appalling example for their children, but it is even worse for a nationally-syndicated columnist to suggest that such behavior is in the spirit of the Constitution and should be emulated by others. Sincerely, Barbara Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators The above letter went out on IWG letterhead listing 17 congregations and organizations and 65 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 http://www.libertynet.org/iwg and clergy supporting gay rights, iwg@libertynet.org reproductive freedom, and the voice: 215-235-3050 fax: 232-0829 separation of church and state.