Date: Sat, 13 May 2000 14:46:44 -0400 From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Cleveland Protest letters to Philly papers. May 12, 2000 The Philadelphia Inquirer PO Box 8263 Philadelphia, PA 19101 Dear Editors: Your one-paragraph coverage of the United Methodist General Convention was woefully inadequate. The vague reference to the protests against anti-gay church policies hardly captured the fact that there were one-hundred seventy arrests outside the convention center on May 10 in a protest by three-hundred or more, including Yolanda King, Arun Gandhi, the Rev. James Lawson, the Rev. Bob Graetz, and Rodney Powell; and on May 11, twenty-seven people, including two United Methodist Bishops, were arrested on the convention floor. Sincerely, Barbara Lamond Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators May 13, 2000 Metro 100 S. Broad St. Suite 1210 Philadelphia, PA 19110 Dear Editors: You reported on a march by hundreds of thousands in Washington with an extreme close-up of one man; now you have completely failed to mention the protests against anti-gay church policies at the United Method General Conference in Cleveland. One-hundred seventy were arrested outside the convention on May 10, in a protest by three-hundred or more, including Yolanda King, Arun Gandhi, the Rev. James Lawson, the Rev. Bob Graetz, and Rodney Powell. On May 11, twenty-seven, including two United Methodist Bishops, were arrested on the convention floor. Your condensation of the news has progressed to condensing it out of existence. Sincerely, Barbara Lamond Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators May 12, 2000 Philadelphia Daily News PO Box 7788 Phila., PA 19101 Dear Editors: Since you usually do excellent coverage of religion, civil rights, and sexual minority issues, we were shocked that you failed to mention the protests against anti-gay church policies at the United Methodist General Convention in Cleveland. There were one-hundred seventy arrests outside the convention center on the morning of May 10 in a protest by a crowd of three-hundred or more, including Yolanda King, Arun Gandhi, the Rev. James Lawson, the Rev. Bob Graetz, and Rodney Powell, and on May 11 twenty-seven people, including two United Methodist Bishops, were arrested on the convention floor. Sincerely, Barbara Lamond Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators The above letters were sent on IWG letterhead listing 19 congregations and religious organizations and 65 clergy from 16 religious traditions. Marching in the Light 2000 Songs of love and justice from many musical and religious traditions May 21 4 pm, 3700 Chestnut St. Philadelphia Tickets $10. All proceeds benefit the IWG. http://www.iwgonline.org/concert/ -- Interfaith Working Group PO Box 11706 Philadelphia, PA 19101 http://www.iwgonline.org/ iwg@iwgonline.org voice: 215-235-3050 fax: 215-232-0829