Letter from: Paul Pickett

Re: News Says Bush's Speech at Bob Jones U. Will Cost Mormon Votes

Dear Editor:

I don't believe that Bush's speech at Bob Jones U. will affect the Mormon votes at all. He is so conservative in most issues that most LDS voters will overlook that faux pas. What most LDS people are not aware of is that Governor Bush has thrown his support behind a lawsuit against an LDS church member.

The "Doe v. Santa Fe School District" lawsuit currently before the Supreme Court was filed by a female LDS member who was being harassed by her classmates and a teacher because of her beliefs. The teacher had to apologize but the students continued to taunt her for her beliefs. It all came to a head when the LDS student complained of their "Baptist" prayers at football games.

Bush's support of the defendants in the lawsuit and his visit to Bob Jones U. show his deliberate tendencies to discriminate against those religious groups that do not agree with his own. This is a dangerous tendency which he must correct in order to improve his ability to be elected. Paul Pickett Vancouver, Washington

ld Report 6Mar00 N2