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Loading ...Equality ride arrests mount up
11.06.2008 1:46pm EST
(Conway, Arkansas) Four more members of the nondenominational Soulforce Equality Ride have been arrested attempting to enter the grounds of a conservative Christian college.
The latest arrests came at Central Baptist College, in Conway, Ark.Upon their arrival, Riders were met by President Terry Kimbrow, who informed Riders that they were not permitted onto campus and that they would be arrested for trespassing if they proceeded.
Riders began a vigil just outside CBC property but four Riders, who said they wanted to speak with students who had gathered on campus several yards from the vigil, entered onto college property and were arrested for trespassing.
They are identified as Lauren Parke of Seattle, Wash.; Alex Lundy of Syosset, N.Y.; and Katie Higgins and Enzi Tanner, both of Minneapolis, Minn.
They were released after formal charges were pressed.
“It is unfortunate that the school chose to deny us the opportunity to create dialogue on campus,” Lundy said after his release.
“We feel that the message of safety and inclusion for all students, including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender is too important to be limited by property lines.”
Following the arrests, a number of students crossed out of the campus to speak directly with the Riders. They were later joined by students from nearby Hendrix College and by Arkansas residents Bob and Mary Lou Wallner, who are featured in the film “For the Bible Tells Me So.”
“I think it’s unfortunate that they intentionally went to jail to make a point,” said college president Kimbrow. “What they are espousing is opposed to our beliefs. That’s why I denied having them on campus.”
The Equality Ride plans to return to the campus on Friday, when the Baptist Missionary Association will be meeting at the college.
The Equality Riders are attempting to enter Christian colleges in the deep South to engage students in a discussion on gay inclusion. This is the third year of the “ride” and young members of the group are visiting 15 campuses.
Last month three Riders were arrested when they entered the campus of Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Tex. Two others were charged when they walked onto the Mississippi College campus. Three Riders” were arrested at Heritage Christian University in Florence, Ala. And six members of the group were arrested when they attempted to enter the chapel at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla.
More than 200 U.S. colleges and universities have explicit policies that discriminate against LGBT students.
Since 2006, the Equality Ride has visited 50 schools, hosting public forums, participating in panel discussions, and taking part in worship services and Bible studies. The goal is to inspire further conversation and to empower students, faculty, and administrators to make their school welcoming to all students.
But the bus tour often has been met with opposition from schools, resulting in the arrests of some Soulforce members.
Two members of the group were arrested last year at the headquarters of Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs.
Ten other riders were arrested on trespassing charges after they entered the Bethany Lutheran College campus in Mankato, Minn.
In 2006, 24 Soulforce demonstrators were arrested at a gay “die-in” at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Three others were arrested at Bob Jones University in South Carolina, other were arrested at Covenant College in Georgia, University of Cumberlands and at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky,
Soulforce members also were arrested at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University in Lynchburg, West Point, the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia which is affiliated with Christian Broadcaster Pat Robertson.
The organizers of the Equality Ride said they use a collaborative approach, writing to college administrators months in advance and inviting them to work together to design programming that examines diverse points of view – including points of view that affirm gay and transgender students.
While we’re on the subject of religion, this is an opportune time to remember that the Salvation Army is a Christian fundamentalist organization that officially discriminates against gays in its hiring practices.
Its charitable activities are also vehicles for converting the needy to its anti-gay religious teachings.
As the holidays approach and the red kettles appear, you can say no to religion-based anti-gay bigotry by refusing to donate, and by encouraging others to do the same.
And, if you see stories on your local TV news promoting the SA, you might want to contact the stations and let them know about the organization’s hateful nature.
whats sad is the ones that seem to or claim to supposedly know about jesus and love, etc… are the ones that make me not ever want to be a “christian” again. Such fake, hateful bunch! “Southern” Baptists are the worst of the bunch. Hateful People, white or black. they disgust and make me nauseous.
I agree with Spectator. Im sorry but it is possible to have meaningful disscussions without breaking the law. It is just stupidity to break the law just to make a point. It is private property. Plain and simple. As a gay man I dont agree with the schools point of views or beliefs but I do respect their right to them. If the school went into a gay bar and just started preaching, you would want them thrown out and probably arrested, so not to expect the same treatment is absurd. Have your talks with students on public property, im sure they would be willing to talk off campus.
Now THIS is what I’ve been talking about. These young people are heroes!
We need to take action. Talk is cheap. Get out there and make your point to the public.
We owe so much to the couples who have brought lawsuits, to these riders, to the sign holders and phone bankers. there are so many more of us, however. We need to show our force and we need to embarrass people out of their religions and the dogmatic bigotry that comes with it.
Ask yourself, have I spoken out against religious bigotry today? If we aren’t willing to do the difficult and uncomfortable work these very brave riders are doing, we will never win.
Pick someone and start a conversation. You know who they are….introduce yourself, tell them to stop praying and ask them why they feel it is ok to hate you based on millenia old fairy tales. Ask if they are educated, if they think for themselves.
Sorry, no more appeasement here…these riders inspire me, and they are so young. How brave. Let’s get behind them.
“…they wanted to speak with students who had gathered on campus several yards from the vigil, entered onto college property and were arrested for trespassing.” This statement is a complete lie. I was at CBC when Soulforce visited the campus and approximately 50 CBC students were engaging them in dialogue where they stood on the sidewalk…in front of them and all around them. There was no reason for them to try to enter the campus and be arrested…other than for the media attention. The CBC students who were talking with them when they did this felt “blown off” because they just walked away and were arrested instead of finishing their conversations. Soulforce sure has a way of twisting the story!