Date: Tue, 04 Jun 1996 22:41:09 -0400 From: Maggie Heineman Subject: Pennsylvania Expose - 6/4/96 ================================================================== Pennsylvania Expose - 6/4/96 Pennsylvania Expose is a project of the Fight the Right Network and the People for the American Way Action Fund. The two-page formatted faxletter version is on the web at http://www.liberynet.org/~exposepa/ We are soliciting voluteers who will download the acrobat version to be a part of a statewide fax-tree network. ================================================================== A. Two Voices, One Movement B. A Window of Opportunity In Pennsylvania C. Parental Rights Legislation - Federal & State D. Gay Legal Center Opened E. Calendar ================================================================== A.Two Voices, One Movement by People For the American Way The opening publicity salvo for Christian Coalition Executive Director Ralph Reed’s new book features his call for humility and tolerance in public debate; but the organization he leads is one of the nation’s foremost practitioners of the rhetorical divisiveness and extremism he criticizes in others. Pat Robertson’s powerful political group, has spoken with two voices for years. To members, activists and recipients of direct mail, the organization has employed stern, sometimes shrill rhetoric, righteously condemning political adversaries (including the President of the United States), openly hostile to gays and lesbians, vitriolic on abortion-related issues and more. Typically, that correspondence has been signed by Pat Robertson, the group’s president. Similarly, on his daily television program, Robertson has routinely employed rhetoric that can only be considered extremist. To mainstream audiences, however, the group has a gentler voice, and it belongs to Ralph Reed. Since embarrassing himself with quotes boasting of the group’s "stealth" campaign strategies, Reed has reformed his rhetoric, and now is a study in how to describe an extreme agenda in mild tones. With the publication of his new book, "Active Faith," Reed takes this strategy one step further: promoting himself as the champion of rhetorical moderation, he chastises his Religious Right colleagues for employing harsh rhetoric against gays, for personally attacking the President of the United States, and for seeking to impose their own moral principles on the rest of America. Ironically, his message might most usefully have been delivered to his own organization. Some examples of Reed and Robertson’s contrasting rhetoric: "Calling gays ‘perverts’ or announcing that AIDS is ‘God’s judgment’ on the gay community is not consistent with our Christian call to mercy," says Ralph Reed in "Active Faith." But Pat Robertson stated on The 700 Club, 9-17-93, "I have known few homosexuals who did not practice their tendencies. Such people are sinning against God and will lead to the ultimate destruction of the family and our nation... and [I] will do everything I can to restrict the freedom of these people to spread their contagious infection to the youth of our nation." Additionally, Ralph Reed commented in his book, "To change public attitudes, we must also repudiate the demonization of women who are pregnant out of wedlock...and pour our greatest efforts into education, persuasion, and prayer" not politics alone," however his boss (Robertson) expounded during The 700 Club, 8-7-95, "These girls are not stupid. If you want to pay them five hundred, six hundred dollars a month, or whatever it is, to have a baby, they’ll have babies. And if they’ll stop paying them, they’ll stop having babies. It’s that simple. It’s not heartless, it’s not cruel, it’s an intelligent use of money." Finally, Ralph Reed remarked in Active Faith, "...When one of the nation’s leading evangelical preachers suggests that the president may be a murderer, when a pro-life leader says that to vote for Clinton is to sin against God, and when conservative talk-show hosts lampoon the sexual behavior of the leader of the free world...this reflects poorly on the gospel and on our faith," although Robertson stated on The 700 Club, 12-23-93, "The president is the leader of the country. He is supposed to be the role model for every human being in this nation. We set him on a pedestal... But you don’t expect the President to be a sleazy liar." These selections represent only a fraction of the Christian coalition’s long and well-documented record of intolerance. For more information on the new publication from People for the American Way, Two Voices, One Movement, contact, , 1.800.326.7329. ================================================================== B. A Window of Opportunity In Pennsylvania by Paula Xanthopoulou My recent trip to PA confirmed what "c.c.watch" had been reporting on since February--that the Christian Coalition (CC) of Pennsylvania is in disarray. The Erie-based leadership of the Pennsylvania Christian oalition, namely Richard Schenker et al, split from the Pat Robertson camp at the end of December to start another organization called the Pennsylvania Coalition--forcing the CC to regroup, adopt a new name for PA (The Keystone Christian Coalition), and vie for money and members from the same pool of conservative Christians. Schenker kept the data base that he had developed since 1992, when the PA chapter was touted as a model for CC state organizing. CC activities are described as being "on hold" in Erie County. The bottom line is a black eye for the CC in a very important election year. The Pennsylvania split has gone practically unnoticed by some and questioned by others, but the facts all point to its reality. Schenker alienated CC members when he backed pro-Choice GOP candidate Tom Ridge for governor in 1994--a strategy that got him a state job, but also destroyed his viability as CC leader and slowed CC activity to a snail's pace. He further muddied the waters by serving as campaign manager for Republican Robert OKicki's successful bid for Erie County Council last fall. Schenker is described by an Erie CC apparatchnik as "practically anathema," reviled by some for misrepresenting Ridge's record on abortion on CC "voter guides." There simply was no future for Richard Schenker in the Pennsylvania Christian Coalition. That the CC is reorganizing in Pennsylvania and is not so well-organized right now was verified yet again in a May 29, 1996 telephone conversation with Sam Zeisloft, Erie-based board member of the Keystone Christian Coalition. He also told "c.c.watch" that the Keystone Christian Coalition is mostly made up of people who support Pat Buchanan and are not happy that Pat Robertson/Ralph Reed have been backing Bob Dole. The "c.c.watch" reportage on the CC in PA and Richard Shenker's questionable election activities led to the invitations to speak about Pat Robertson and the Christian Coalition--at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia(5/18), Temple Anshe Hesed in Erie (5/19),and Temple Beth Am in Abington (5/20). The Erie event --because of the "c.c.watch" expose based on S chenker's activities --turned out to be the most revealing. Ninety-nine people attended, listened intently and asked many questions. The audience included both Richard Schenker and Robert Okicki. Okicki wanted to assure me that says OKicki earlier Schenker had received only $500 for working for him and that he didn't know about any CC improprieties. Richard Schenker also didn't have much to offer in the way of dispelling what "c.c.watch" had published--only that some legal review allowed him to work on the campaign and that the CC had let him do it because they were "desperate" to keep good people. A telephone conversation the next morning with Family Forum Roundtable organizer, Kathy Preston, offered more insight into the Erie situation. She steered away from any thinking that there is much going on in the way of real CC activity or Catholic Alliance organizing, largely due to dissension caused by Schenker. But she did confirm that there is a significant group of "pro-family" voters in Erie who could be a force when election time comes around...if they are mobilized and if they will work for the selected candidates. Yes, there is definitely a window of opportunity for progressive organizers in PA this election season--largely due to documented dissension in Christian Coalition/conservative ranks. Victory on November 5th will go to the best organizers. Stay tuned. Paula Xanthopoulou is the editor of "c.c.watch" a unique electronic news service dedicated to tracking and reporting the activities of Pat Robertson, all of his enterprises. For more information or to subscribe, call 305.751.5001 ====================================================================== C. Parental Rights Legislation - Federal & State by Laura Montgomery Rutt The PA House Education Committee will vote on HB 2105, The Local Control Restoration Act, on June 5! now is the time to flood your state representative with phone calls opposing this legislation! PA House Switchboard: 717-787-2372 The U.S. Senate Judiciary markup of the Parental Rights Amendment has been delayed by successful lobbying efforts. However, delay is not defeat-the vote could occur any day. We have a real chance of defeating this piece of legislation in the Judiciary committee...but we need the calls and letters to keep flooding the Senate! Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 ============================================================= D. Gay Legal Center Opened by Andrew Park The Center for Lesbian and Gay Law and Public Policy recently announced its opening at a Press Conference held at the Philadelphia Bar Association. The formation mission of the Center is to oppose homophobia in the interpretation and administration of the law, to help gays and lesbians understand the laws that affect them and take charge of the legal aspects of their lives, and to advocate on behalf of gays and lesbians before law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, the media, and public policy groups. The Center will initiate three projects in the near future. The Partners Project will seek legal recognition of and marital-type benefits for lesbian and gay couples. The Work Pride Project will oppose workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Legal Empowerment Project will assist lesbians and gays to understand Pennsylvania law and to take charge of legal problems that arise in their lives. The methods used by the Center will include counseling of lesbians and gays in need of assistance, lawyer training, media and public education, educational handbooks, judicial education, impact litigation, monitoring of administrative agencies charged with enforcing relevant laws, and legislative advocacy. Andrew S. Park, Esq., is the Executive Director of the Center. 215.413.0509, CLGLPP@aol.com, Fax 215.592.1782. ================================================================== E. Calendar June 12 Wednesday 7:00 PM - Witness for Peace - Haiti, Robin Hoy speaks on life in poorest nation in Western Hemisphere & action based solutions, sponsored by Bucks County Peace Center, for info call 215.750.7220 June 22 Saturday 1:30 PM -10:30 PM - Picnic & Candlelight Vigil in response to Ku Klux Klan rally, sponsored by Punxy Unity Coalition, Picnic will take place at Sportsmans Park and the vigil will take place at the town square in the center of Punxy from 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Bring candles.call 717.234.4978 for directions or more info. =================================================================== Pennsylvania Expose - June 4, 1996 Pennsylvania Expose is published two-four times a month. It is based on postings to the pa-expose@critpath.org E-mail list. To subscribe to the main list (daily announcements, discussion) mail to: listproc@critpath.org in the body: subscribe pa-expose To subscribe to the low-volume list (newsletter, occasional alerts) mail to: listproc@critpath.org in the body: subscribe pa-explv ===Pennsylvania Expose Project -- http://www.libertynet.org/~exposepa ---FTRN Communications Working Group --- 215.389.1400 http://www.critpath.org/ftrn/ ---People for the American Way Action Fund --- 800.326.7329 http://www.pfaw.org/ ==================== Permission to Repost ========================