DNC organizers reassure Denver's faith community

By Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 4, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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On Aug. 24, the eve of the Democratic National Convention's opening gavel, the convention committee will hold its first official kickoff event - a huge Sunday afternoon gathering dedicated to religious inclusiveness and diversity.

Final plans for the event in the 5,000-seat Wells Fargo Theatre will be announced soon, said DNCC spokesperson Natalie Wyeth.

Since the early planning stages of the convention, Democrats signaled that they planned to seek out "many voices" of faith. The party's commitment to religious issues was highlighted by its choosing the Rev. Leah Daughtry, of New York, as CEO of the convention committee.

Yet, despite its early hopes, one group has felt left out of the loop - Denver's interfaith community.

"We wanted to make sure we were in on the ground floor and that we would have a voice at the convention, since it would be held in our city," recalled the Rev. Ralph Beechum, leader of the Denver interfaith group.

Beechum, who is also head of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance, a coalition of black leaders, said in an interview last week that over the past few months he and other committee members began to feel "shelved for a little bit." He said they became concerned when there didn't seem to be interaction with the DNCC.

Then, about a month ago, Beechum and some on his committee secured a meeting with Daughtry, which he described as "joyful and receptive." He said his group was assured that Colorado would be represented in the final plans.

Beechum said he is waiting for details, and stressed that he doesn't believe the Democratic Party was "shelving" the local people deliberately. "I don't think it was personal; I think it was a bureaucratic whatever," he said.

Wyeth said the local faith community has been an "incredibly important partner" in the planning of the event and will be again "when we do roll out details for this program."

Beecham said, "We're here to support them. We'll do whatever we can to help them."

• August 4, 2008

  4:15 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  STOPUSAGiveaway writes:

  Make certain ALL citizens of generations step up and support Right March for the US & Colorado Constitutions: and against AMNESTY.
  How dare we send and that is continue to send our sons or other people's sons as US Troops to other nations to be systematically sacrificed while we are forced to have OPEN BORDERS USA for criminal illegal alien heathen breeders; drug runners(while US border Patrol agents are in jail or dead or attacked; diseased; terrorists; world's overpopulation; and numbers invading without fear due to gutless wonders aka traitors from within aiding and abetting ILLEGALS....
  Blood is on our souls...
  STOP the USA Giveaway...stand up for One Nation UnderGOD
  it my be your last chance or you can die with the TRAITORS

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