Subject: IWG Norfolk VA religion and orientation letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 01:38:50 -0400 (EDT)

May 17, 1999

Virginian-Pilot
PO Box 449
Norfolk, VA 23501-0449

Dear Editors:

Unfortunately, in a world in which people refer to
minority sexual orientations as a "lifestyle" which is
"abhorrent and sinful at worst, and aberrant and
abnormal at best," it is sometimes difficult for gay
men and lesbians to receive the legal protection to
which we are all entitled.  Neil McNulty (letter, May
13) is correct in his assessment that we all have the
same rights.  But the reality is that some people are
denied those rights, and suffer violence and
harassment disproportionately on the basis of a
characteristic selected by those engaged in the
violence and harassment.  Fortunately, the view that
heterosexuality is an inherently morally superior
orientation is becoming less and less popular.

Sincerely,
Barbara Purdom     Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators

The above letter went out on IWG letterhead listing 17 congregations and
organizations and 61 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,
[email-masked]                      reproductive freedom, and the 
voice: 215-235-3050  fax: 232-0829      separation of church and state.