Date: Thu, 17 Aug 1995 10:09:06 -0400
From: PLAGALOne@aol.com


The Rutherford Institute has volunteered to assist PLAGAL in avoiding
incidents similar to that which occurred at Boston Pride in the future.
 Though news of the incident was well publicized by PLAGAL -- and ignored by
much of the lesbian and gay media -- no one else came forward to help
preserve everyone's freedom of speech at lesbian and gay events.

The Rutherford Insitute made it clear that they support PLAGAL's pro-life
position and PLAGAL's first amendment and free speech rights, but that they
do not agree with our queer orientation.  PLAGAL does not believe that it is
necessary to agree with an individual on all issues in order to work with
them on our one important issue.  Therefore we have decided to accept their
assistance.

Though many within the lesbian and gay community voiced support for PLAGAL's
free speech rights (support that was very much appreciated), the Rutherford
people were the only ones who were willing to provide actual assistance.

Last year, a pro-life publication, Life Advocate, published a rather fair
account of PLAGAL's participation in the 1994 March for Life, and caught so
much grief from anti-gay elements within the pro-life community that they
were forced to back away from their open-mindedness.  Nevertheless PLAGAL
appreciated their initial sentiments.

Similarly, PLAGAL appreciates Rutherford's opening to the pro-life element of
the gay community, and suspect that they -- and we -- will profit from this
first encounter and working together.  Undoubtedly, Rutherford will catch
grief from the anti-gay element of their own constitutency.  We hope that
this does not scare them away.

PLAGAL obviously has caught grief -- and will in the future -- from elements
in our own community for accepting their help, but we will not be scared away
from working with individuals because they do not agree with us on issues
other than abortion.  Neither the lesbian and gay community nor any lesbian
and gay organization should allow itself to be so isolated.

Regards

Joe