Following swift denunciations by prominent political personalities of the Friday night bombing of a lesbian/gay bar, the Otherside Lounge in Atlanta, The Human Rights Campaign, one of the nation's leading lesbian and gay organizations, has called on Ralph Reed, Executive Director of the Christian Coalition, and Gary Bauer, head of the Family Research Council, to denounce the bombing also.

Both the Coalition and the Family Council, front groups for such fundamentalist religious agendas as Pat Robertson's, originate major political attacks against gay men and lesbian women. Reed and Bauer, were quick to issue denunciations of a similar Atlanta bombing, one which took place on January 16 at a women's health clinic in the city's northern suburbs. Thus far, the Coalition has been mum about the lesbian/gay bar bombed while a group calling itself the Army of God has claimed responsibility for both the free-choice clinic and the gay bar bombing.

HRC Director Elizabeth Birch, said in a letter to Reed, "Last Friday night, as I'm sure you know, a bomb went off in a predominantly lesbian bar in Atlanta, injuring five people. Minutes later a second bomb was detonated outside the bar by police. Law enforcement officials have noted the similarity between this bombing and the bombing of a women's health clinic....The day of the Georgia clinic bombing, you quickly issued a statement condemning the act....I am writing this letter to ask why you have not issued a similar condemnation in the bombing of the gay bar?" Leaders, says Birch, including the President, the House Speaker and Atlanta's Mayor have denounced Friday night's bombing. President Bill Clinton and Mayor Bill Campbell both stated they believe "the incident was motivated by hatred."

Ms. Birch notes that Reed, who seeks mainstream credibility, has, recently, urged Christian Coalition members not to demonize gay people. "I am not sure, however, that all of your members have heard that message. That is why I am asking you to issue a statement." On Monday the FBI received a letter from the Reuters news agency, purportedly from the Army of God, and sent to the agency on Saturday. The letter threatened "total war" against the federal government, said abortion would not be tolerated and promised future attacks on homosexuals. It also sought to set up a system so that claims of responsibility could be confirmed after future bombings, according to Reuters.

HRC Director Birch also told Reed that "today, some people of faith cite the Bible to justify abhorrence of gay people....The distance between hurling an anti-gay epithet and planting a bomb in a gay bar is far too short. I urge you to join with other leaders in condemning this bombing and, I hope, fostering an America where it is unacceptable to vilify people because of their sexual orientation."