Jeannine Ouellette reverts to simplistic name-calling in her column about Promise Keepers [Wife, Interrupted, August]. Ms. Ouellette states that Promise Keepers has “misogynistic, homophobic, racist underpinnings.” If we examine these labels a bit more, Ms. Ouellette’s charges come up woefully lacking. First, PK has made racial reconciliation a cornerstone of the organization. One of its “Seven Promises” is the promise “to reach beyond racial… barriers.” Six out of seven of its key U.S. Ministries staff are people of color. Two out of three PK sources that she quotes are people of color. To call PK “racist” is, at best, irresponsible journalism. At worst, it borders on slanderous libel. Ms. Ouellette’s “misogynistic” label fares no better under scrutiny. If Ms. Ouellette actually listened to more than just a few sound bites, she would hear a recurring PK mantra exhorting men to stop acting like selfish jerks and start loving their wives and families with faithful, persevering, sacrificial, Christ-like love. Ms. Ouellette’s final charge of PK being “homophobic” is based on the same tactic of persuasion through name-calling. “If you don’t endorse my lifestyle, my beliefs, my sexual preferences, my whatever, then you’re being hateful.” I don’t buy it. We are allowed to take sides in politics, academia, sports, art, and business without our opponents labeling us as hateful. Why is it that civil society is not allowed to have diversity of opinion about the GLBT platform? PK is about strengthening marriages and families. From their perspective, that means one husband and one wife. Substantial social research does indicate that kids do best when raised in loving, intact families with their original father and mother. If nothing else, just think of the upcoming PK conference as a two-day “Celebrate Monogamous Heterosexuality” event. And if Ms. Ouellette has a problem with that, she should consider taking some diversity training.
Jeffrey Swanson
Minneapolis
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