Ask The Mormon Church To Remove Pepperdine's Name From Yes on 8 Commercials

ACTION ALERT October 17, 2008 Contact: Fred Karger 619-592-2008

Mormon Church President Called Upon to Honor
Pepperdine University President’s Request
to Have Their Name Removed From Yes on Prop 8 Ads

LOS ANGELES, CA – Californians Against Hate today sent a letter to Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and asked him to use his influence to have the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign remove any reference to Pepperdine University in its advertising. Pepperdine University President Andrew K. Benton released a memorandum on October 15th to all University Students and Staff explaining Pepperdine’s neutrality and its desire to have its name pulled from all advertising. Pepperdine first made this request two weeks ago, but as Mr. Benton states in his memorandum, the campaign has “refused” to do so. Pepperdine’s name is used in conjunction with one of its Assistant Law Professors, Richard Peterson who is also a member of the Mormon Church.

The Mormon Church has made the passage of Californians Proposition 8 its major priority. Mormon Church members have given in excess of $18.8 million as of October 1st – over 77% of all the money raised by the Yes on 8 campaign since June 1, 2008.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW!

CALL THE MORMON CHURCH PRESIDENT AND ASK HIM TO USE HIS INFLUENCE TO HAVE THE YES ON 8 CAMPAIGN REMOVE PEPPERDINE’S NAME FROM ALL ADVERTISIING – THEY ARE NEUTRAL. THEN CALL RON PRENTICE AND FRANK SCHUBERT, THE LEADERS OF YES ON 8, AND DEMAND THAT THEY REMOVE PEPPERDINE’S NAME IMMEDIATELY.

PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL, BUT LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY SHOULD HONOR PEPPERDINE’S REQUEST.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!!

Contact Information for Letter Recipients:

President Thomas Monson 801-240-1000 email: OwenTL@LDSChurch.org

Ron Prentice, Chairman Yes on 8 Campaign 951-354-8362

Frank Schubert, Campaign Manager 916-448-4234 email: frank@schubertflintpa.com


Copies of both the letter from Californians Against Hate to Mormon Church President Thomas S. Monson and the memorandum from Pepperdine President Andrew K. Benton are below:

October 17, 2008

Thomas S. Monson
President
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
50 W North Temple StSalt Lake City UT 84150
VIA FAX 801-240-1899

Dear President Monson:

I am writing today to ask your immediate help in honoring the most recent request of Pepperdine University President Andrew K. Benton of October 15, 2008 (see memorandum below) to remove the name of Pepperdine University in connection with all Yes on Proposition 8 advertising on television, radio, the internet and direct mail. The University first stated its neutrality right after the Yes on 8 commercials featuring Assistant Law Professor Richard Peterson began airing over two weeks ago. Pepperdine officials have repeatedly asked the Yes on 8 campaign to remove their name from all advertising. The Yes on 8 campaign has “refused” their request. As the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a man of decency and honor, I would hope that you would do everything within your power to have the Pepperdine reference removed from all Yes on 8 advertising immediately.

The Mormon Church has made this campaign their number one priority since your letter was read to all church members on June 29, 2008: http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/california-and-same-sex-marriage

The Mormon Church has by all its actions over the last 4 months assumed nearly complete control over the campaign to eliminate same-sex marriage in California.

Members of the Mormon Church have contributed over $18.6 million -- 77% of the $22.8 million raised by Yes on 8 since June 1, 2008. The Mormon Church is organizing all its members, issuing press releases, sending out millions of hand addressed letters to voters, using its missionaries and former missionaries to walk nearly every precinct in California, phoning millions of voters, asking college students from BYU and other schools to come to California to work on the campaign, broadcasting messages to all your members http://www.preservingmarriage.org/videos.html and I am sure many more activities of which we are unaware.

Even Assistant Law Professor Richard Peterson, who is the subject of the Pepperdine request, is a member of the Mormon Church. http://www.pepperdine.edu/pepperdinepeople/2005fall/features/advocate.htm

We at Californians Against Hate hope that you will apologize to President Benton and every Pepperdine student, faculty member and alumni for this blatant disregard of their request and honor it immediately.

We look forward to your response.


Sincerely,

Fred Karger
Campaign Manager
Californians Against Hate
http://californiansagainsthate.com/
619-592-2008

cc: President Andrew K. Benton, Pepperdine University
Ron Prentice, Chairman, Yes on 8
Frank Schubert, Campaign Manager, Yes on 8

M E M O R A N D U M

TO: University Students and Staff
FROM: Andrew K. Benton
RE: University Neutrality and the 2008 Election
DATE: October 15, 2008

As many of you are aware, a series of political ads on radio and TV has drawn much unwanted attention to Pepperdine. The ads, advocating for Proposition 8, feature one of our professors and lists his affiliation with the University.

I want to convey the following concerning this matter: Pepperdine University remains steadfastly neutral during election periods in all political campaigns, and this includes the debate over Prop 8. We respect our faculty, staff, and students' right to be involved in the political process; indeed, we encourage engagement in the political process.

The Yes on 8 Campaign is using the Pepperdine name in a manner in which we do not approve. We asked the campaign to separate more clearly their partisan cause from our University's name, but they refused. We ask all who are affiliated with the University to take care not to implicate the University in their respective political causes.

Finally, we ask our students, faculty, and staff to help clear up misunderstandings with those who may ask concerning Pepperdine's perceived role in a campaign in which it is not involved. We appreciate your understanding, assistance, and patience during what has been a trying time for many at Pepperdine. I urge you to familiarize yourself with the 2008 candidates and issues, and vote your conscience.

-- end --