Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 23:45:40 -0400 From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Lewiston Maine Christian Coalition letter April 15, 2000 The Lewiston Sun-Journal 104 Park Street Lewiston, ME 04240 Dear Editors: We hope that the religious community in Maine is as incensed as we were by your story about the Christian Coalition's attempt to shut gay teachers out of the schools by planting a fear of lawsuits in school administrators' minds. Statistical correlation between a single characteristic and a particular behavior is never a reasonable basis for discrimination. Stereotypes, even if based in reality, reduce the whole person to a single (usually unpopular) characteristic, and fail to take into account each individual. Thank you for mentioning that the studies by Paul Cameron which were cited by the Coalition have been widely discredited by reputable researchers and critics, and have been shown to have no basis in reality whatsoever. Hopefully, the administrators had the sense to throw the letters out. Sincerely, Barbara Lamond Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators The above letter was sent on IWG letterhead listing 19 congregations and religious organizations and 65 clergy from 16 religious traditions. Would you like to start an Interfaith Working Group in your area? http://www.iwgonline.org/regions/ -- Interfaith Working Group PO Box 11706 Philadelphia, PA 19101 http://www.iwgonline.org/ iwg@iwgonline.org voice: 215-235-3050 fax: 215-232-0829