Title: ELCA Asks Parties to Stop Politcal Gay Bashing
ELCA NEWS SERVICE - NEWSBRIEF

April 24, 1996

STOP POLITICAL GAY BASHING

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is asking the
Democratic and Republican parties to discontinue "discriminatory
speech aimed at gay and lesbian people" in political campaigns
and not to allow it to taint their party platforms.  In letters
to planners for the Democratic National Convention and the
Republican National Convention, the Rev. Charles S. Miller,
executive director of the ELCA Division for Church in Society,
says such rhetoric has already been used in the political process
leading up to general elections in November 1996.  "Anti-gay
speech, while wrong in itself, is additionally harmful when some
members of our society interpret it as legitimating physical
violence against gays and lesbians," he wrote.  Miller cited ELCA
documents opposing "all forms of verbal or physical harassment or
assault of persons because of their sexual orientation" and other
forms of housing or employment discrimination.  "We believe that
political speech should call forth the best in our citizens: the
virtues of tolerance, justice, humility, responsibility and
loyalty to the nation," said Miller.  "Such responsible rhetoric
may not be a short-cut to political success, but in the long term
it preserves human community."

For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir., (312) 380-2955; Lia
Christiansen, Asst. Dir., (312) 380-2956