LDS Mayor promotes Bible Week over ACLU opposition (Bible Week is a go, Gilbert mayor says)
(Phoenix) AZ Republic 8Oct99 D2
By Edythe Jensen: The Arizona Republic

LDS Church member Cynthia Dunham, Mayor of Gilbert, Arizona, is in a fight with the ACLU over her intention to name November 21-28 National Bible Week in the town. Last year Dunham made the same proclamation, as suggested and promoted by the non-denominational National Bible Association, only to be sued by two Gilbert residents with the assistance of the ACLU.

Last week US district court Judge Roslyn Silver dismissed the suit over last-year's proclamation because the plaintiffs had not shown that they were damaged by the proclamation.

While Dunham is just one of several LDS Mayors in the eastern part of the Phoenix metropolitan area, she is the only one that has made the proclamation. Gilbert councilman Mike Evans, who supports the ACLU's position, is surprised by Dunham's participation, "She must like involving the town in controversy. There's no other conservative Republican LDS mayor in the East Valley who sees the importance of it like she does."

The ACLU is actively fighting the National Bible Week proclamation nationwide. In response, the National Bible Association has changed the suggested wording of the proclamation in an attempt to meet the ACLU's reservations. The National Bible Association will mail thousands of requests for its proclamation to cities and states throughout the U.S. later this month.