New LGBT Resource: Faith in America

Uber-connected Democratic Party activist Steve Hildebrand has helped a group called Faith in America launch its new web presence.

On the board of Faith in America are businessman Mitchell Gold, singer Chely Wright, humorist Janis Hirsch, former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey and a number of ministers of various faiths.

I like this group because it takes on directly religion-based bigotry in the United States against gay men and women. This bigotry was rampant and used as an election tool in the 2004 presidential election when The Washington Note helped put out on the internet the anti-gay flyers the Republican National Committee had sent to thousands of folks on church pew rosters in Arkansas, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and other states. Ed Gillespie was, of course, then head of the Republican National Committee and is now out as a gay man.

I'm a secularist and really have problems with the creeping blurriness between religion and state, but I do think that showing the gay community's strong representation within faith communities is vital, and also providing a home base for those who want support in knocking back bigotry from tax-advantaged institutions in this country is quite needed.

Congrats to Hildebrand, the Board and Faith in America, and Executive Director Brent Childers.

-- Steve Clemons