Date: Thu, 16 Feb 1995 08:20:46 -0500 (EST) From: David Casti Subject: ACTION ALERT: Mel White Press Kit for 2/15 Hi folks, Rev. Mel White is continuing his fast for understanding in Virginia Beach, Virginia today. Unfortunately, this event is being overlooked by many media sources, and Mel needs your help to turn up the heat. In this press kit you will find: 1. One press release 2. Two open letters from Dr. Mel White 3. One open letter from Rev. Bob Bradford 4. Contact/ACTION information ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- David Casti Pager: (800) 980-6227 Information Scientist http://www.casti.com/casti/David.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches Ministry of Justice PRESS RELEASE Rev. Mel White Arrested At CBN Complex At approximately 12:30, today, Gene Kapp, spokesperson for CBN, accepted a letter to CBN Founder Pat Robertson and then requested that Rev. White and his delegation leave. Rev.White replied, "As an act of civil disobedience in the name of Christ I choose to stay". At that time, Rev. White was arrested and placed in handcuffs by Lt. Boswell of the Virginia Beach Police and removed from the CBN property. He was charged with trespassing at an institution of higher learning. Rev. White remains incarcerated at the Virginia Beach jail under $2500 bond. He has vowed to fast until Robertson agrees to meet with him. His fast continues. Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches The Reverend Troy D. Perry, Founder UFMCC 5300 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 304, Los Angeles CA 90029, Tel (213) 464-5100 FAX (213) 464-2123 The Reverend Dr. Mel White, Minister of Justice ***** THIS OPEN LETTER FROM DR. MEL WHITE WAS RELEASED BEFORE HIS ARREST An Open Letter to Pat Robertson February 15, 1995 Dear Pat: Yesterday, February 14, 1995, when our delegation of 12 Christian leaders tried to meetwith you at CBN (as we have been commanded by Jesus in Matthew 18:15-17), we were met at the gate by a small army of security officers who informed us that we were not welcome. And though they allowed us to proceed to CBN's visitor center, after a few moments there, your spokesman, Gene Kapp, asked us to leave. Because the Virginia Beach Police Department had warned us that they had been called to arrest us if we insisted on waiting to see you, the delegation embraced and left quietly. I refused to leave, went to the lobby bookstore, purchased the book I had written for you, America's Dates With Destiny, and sat down to read. Your security officers sealed the area from the media and from my friends. When Dr. Jack Aja came to bring me my topcoat, even he was hurried away. Your people were polite but firm, anxious to resolve this matter without more confrontation. I want to thank them for their courtesy. In an effort to explain your unwillingness to meet with me for these past 20 months, your CBN Chaplain, Mark Johnson, explained it this way: "Homosexuals represent the cult of death," he said, "because you don't procreate. If Pat meets with you, he would give your movement credibility." It is that kind of false and inflammatory claim against us that we have come to discuss. At 5:30 PM, after four and one half hours in your lobby, I was forcibly ejected out the back door by your security personnel. Just before I was physically removed from CBN Center, your corporate attorney warned me that if I returned, I would be considered a trespasser. How sad. CBN is not your property, Pat. It is God's property. Thousands of Christian people like my Grandmother, Noni, and my Mom and Dad have given to money to build that impressive campus. Would Jesus have called the police to keep us out? We came in His name, asking for one thing only, to talk to you about the suffering of God's gay and lesbian children and how your false claims against us help contribute to that suffering. We don't come to change your mind about the nature or theology of homosexuality. Wecome simply to talk to you about the plight of gay and lesbian Americans who, because of their sexual orientation alone, are abandoned by their families, excommunicated from their churches, fired from their jobs, evicted from their apartments, robbed of their earned benefits, discharged from the military service, cut off from their own children, deprived of the rights guaranteed themby the Constitution, harassed in public and private, terrorized, beaten and murdered. Our primary concern, Pat, are the hate crimes against us increasing at an alarming rate innumbers and in brutality all across the nation. You have a national news service at CBN. We thought you would be interested in the anti-gay hate crime statistics we have gathered. And because we know that you deplore violence, we wanted to demonstrate to you how, inadvertently, your false charges against us contribute to that violence as they are repeatedendlessly on The 700 Club, in your fund raising letters, and in the materials of the Christian Coalition. We just want to talk to you, Pat, about the suffering of our brothers and sisters and howyou might help us end the suffering. We believe that you are a reasonable man and that eventually you will find one hour in your busy schedule to see us. You wouldn't make an appointment to see us yesterday. Maybe, today, you will see us or make an appointment to see us in the days or weeks ahead. And though your attorney has warned us if we come back today we will be considered trespassers, we must come back today and tomorrow and for as long as ittakes until you find it in your heart to see us. Lives are at stake. Please, in the Name of God, meet with us, hear our case, and then decide for yourself what must be done. Sincerely, Mel White ***** THIS OPEN LETTER FROM DR. MEL WHITE WAS RELEASED AFTER HIS ARREST An Open Letter to Pat Robertson February 15, 1995 Dear Pat, Today, once again, when I returned to CBN with our delegation of Christian leaders (as Jesus commanded us in Matthew 18: 15-16), your security force met us at the gate. After warningus that we were not welcome, your spokesman, Gene Kapp, ordered the Virginia Beach Police to arrest us. At that time, I spoke with my delegation and told them to go ahead and leave the property, respecting your wishes and said to Mr. Kapp, "As an act of civil disobedience in the name of Christ I choose to stay". I was then handcuffed and led off the CBN property, while the delegation softly sang a hymn. It is growing more apparent, even to the eternally optimistic, that for some reason you have decided never to meet with our small delegation of religious leaders who come to you on behalf of God's gay and lesbian children. For twenty months I have asked for such a meeting, first in a private, off the record discussion, then in a more public forum. When you refused to meet us on Tuesday, February 14, I began a fast for understanding, hoping that this small sacrifice would convince you of my sincerity. And though I will continue to hope and pray that you will meet with us to review the hate crime data, let me summarize our simple request. First, acknowledge the growing number of hate crimes against gay and lesbian Americans. Second, condemn those hate crimes and the people who incite or commit them. Tha's what we came to ask. Will you use your powerful voice to take a stand against thesuffering of innocent Americans? When I hear that you have taken this simple stand, I will end my fast. Is it too much to ask of you to report the hate crimes and to do your best to end them? In the name of God, please, Pat, help us end the suffering ***** THIS OPEN LETTER FROM REV. BOB BRADFORD WAS RELEASED BEFORE WHITE'S ARREST An Open Letter to the world February 15, 1995 As a retired Presbyterian minister and parents of a gay son, we, my wife and I, are joining with Dr. Mel White and our lesbian and gay friends in going to see and talk with Pat Robertson. Now in my seventies, this is the first time I have ever stepped forward in such a manner. Today, as I go for the second day in the attempt to get Pat to talk with Mel, it is in the same spirit as yesterday. But I go out of a determination to help not only to stand with lesbian and gays, but also with the parents and siblings of these our sons and daughters and our brothers and sisters. We are simply tired, sick and hurt in seeing our loved ones maligned and treated as evil and second level human beings. We earnestly hope that Pat will find time in his busy schedule to see and to talk with Mel. Bob Bradford ***** WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP 1. Let Mel know you support his efforts. Time is of the essence, so here are three ways to send your message quickly: FAX: +1-804-625-6024 Email: mel@casti.com <-- messages sent to this address will be collected and faxed at the end of every day Telegram: Call Western Union at 800-325-6000. Send your telegram to: Don Rankin-Phelps -- 3164 Petre Rd., Apt. 102 Chesapeake, VA 23325 phone: 804-543-2460 2. Ask your local religious leaders to issue a statement of support for Mel's efforts. It is very important that the world knows that Mel is not doing this without the support of religious leaders everywhere -- from parish priests to patriarchs, apostles, and prophets. Please ask the leaders in your community to send a fax, email, or telegram in support of Mel's fast. 3. CONTACT THE MEDIA! Mel's supporters who are at Ground Zero in Virginia Beach are faxing to national papers and broadcast journalists, but they aren't responding. You can help in two ways -- * Fax the press kit (above) to your town paper, newsletter editor, radio call-in host, and TV anchor person. Let the journalists in *your* community know that you want to be kept informed about this important event. * Select some national and international media sources that you rely on for your information (for example, CNN, ABC, and AP) and either call or fax them with the press kit again. They already have a copy from Virginia Beach, but it seems like they don't think anyone cares about what is going on. If you contact them and ask why they aren't reporting on the events, it will help raise their consciousness. Interviews are available either by phone or in person. The contingent in Virginia Beach includes everything from PFLAG mothers to MCC ministers, so there is an angle for everyone. To request an interview, contact Don Rankin-Phelps; her contact information appears above in #1. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!