The National Organization for Women plans a protest as a Promise Keepersconference starts tonight in Des Moines. The conference is expected to draw11-thousand men from around the state who want to become better fathers,husbands and Christians, but a NOW release says the group has a “patriarchalagenda.” Promise Keepers national spokesman Steve Chavis (CHAY-vis) says theprotesters don’t understand what his group is all about.Chavis says the 11-thousand men who are expected to attend the two-dayconference at Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium from up to 300 miles away.He says the men are asking many of the same questions about themselves,their faith and their lives.Des Moines NOW President Jean Classon says the Promise Keepers agendatargets women, homosexuals and “anyone who supports abortion rights oropposes an authoritarian, religion-based government.” Chavis says that’sjust silly.The Promise Keepers conference runs from 6:30 to 10 tonight and tomorrow from8 a-m until 5:30 p-m. The NOW protest begins at 11:30 a-m Saturday.
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