Date: Sat, 16 Jul 1994 18:03:29 -0600 (MDT) From: CENDO RICHARD Subject: Days 4 & 5 of Mel White fast: the play by play Thursday & Friday, July 14-15, 1994 Colorado Springs, CO -- Mel White began his fourth day of his Fast For Understanding as the guest of a popular morning talk show. He responded to callers by cellular phone from the Ground Zero RV parked in front of James Dobson's Focus on the Family world headquarters. The flood of calls praising and cursing Dr. White's presence in Colorado Springs made it clear that the whole town was talking about this UFMCC clergyman's charges against Focus, one of the cities largest indutries, and the other approximately 60 organizations from the radical religious right headquartered here. "Jim Dobson is not an evil man," White said quietly. "Focus on the Family is not an evil organization. In their misunderstanding of gay and lesbian people, they are victims of superstition and prejudice that have been passed down to them over the ages. It took me more than 30 years to understand and accept myself," he added. "Now, I have to give Mr. Dobson and the others the time they need to know and understand me. But, in the meantime, whether his motives are good or bad, we cannot remain silent in the face of Dobson's anti-gay rhetoric and his national anti-gay political campaign. His words and actions lead directly to the suffering and death of innocent and loving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Americans." Just after White's noon luncheon of more Lemon-Lime Gatorade on ice, Focus Vice-President H.B. London appeared at the fat site to hand deliver a 5-page letter to White from James Dobson (who was writing from France). The letter had already been released to the nation's media. After accusing White of "distorting the truth," Donson wrote, "It is clear from your manipulations of the pre4ss (which has collaborated willingly) that your pupose in this campaign is to capitalize on the visibility of Focus on the Family to publicize your book and to promote yourself. What we have here is an elaborate publicity campaign wrapped in the cloak of human rights. . .Admittedly, the distortions in your letter and in the recent pronouncements go beyonf self-promotion. You have twisted the truth, deliberately I assume, with regard to my writings and the subject of my broadcasts." Dr. Dobson went on the claim that in his 4,000 radio broadcasts over 17 years, "only a handful have been devoted to the subject of homosexuality, and on all ocassions, the comments made were respectful and caring, and compassionate. . .Nor have there been instances of hatred in my writings. I believe you know that it is true, but you've claimed otherwise to generate the desired publicity." Dobson took the next four pages to say why he was concerned about gay activists and their campaign "to utilize the public schools to undermine the public schools heterosexual marriage and the institution of the family. In some cases, he adds, "pro-gay literature and programs like Project 10 have been used for the purposes of homosexual recruitment." After quoting in lurid detail a local conservative columnist's attempt to "expose" the sex education program with inner-city youth ny the New York-base Gay Men's Health Crisis, Dobson continues, "Exposure to children of this kind of outrageous and immoral material MUST be stopped, Mel. Those who would do such things should never again have access to young minds. . .I will fight this campaign as long as I have breath within my body." At this point, while reading the letter to friends and supporters gathered at the fast site, Dr, White groaned and looked angry. "I get so tired of these ridiculous charges against Project 10 and the other corageous folk who risk everything to provide real services to those in need. While Focus talks about molested children, Ground Zero, the tiny gay-civil-rights organization in Colorado Springs, raised $30,000 this year for molested children being treated at Children's Hospital in Denver. I can't help but wonder," White asked, "what actual good does Focus do with it's $97-million-a-year, or is it all talk?" After raging against "the attempt by gay activists to capture the hearts and minds of children," Dobson claims, "Homosexual activists enjoy such incredible support in the media and within the entertainment industry that they have become heady with power. Any visible person who has the temeridy to disagree with the party line is subjected to lies, intimidation and ridicule. It appears," he accuses Mel White, "that your foray into Colorado Springs is an expression of that political pressure." To Dr. White's charge that Dobson's current direct-mail, anti-gay, fundraising campaign "has gone far beyond malpractice. . ." Dr, Dobson replies, "I rarely mention money in my letters or on the air Hard sell fundraising does not occur within this ministry and certainly, the requests for money have never been linked to fear tactics of any kind." Dr. Dobson ends his letter by accusing Dr. White of "profound hypocrisy," insisting that he "fight fair" and demending that he "document his charges." At 3 PM that same day, Dr. Dobson's letter was read on the air by a local "Rush Limbaugh type" talk show host. Immediately, listeners called in to condemn Dr. White. "Somebody ought to go up there and shoot him," a caller exclaimed. Others agreed. By early evening, there had been enough on-air death threats that the sponsors of Dr. White's fastmoved him and his life-partner, Gary Nixon, out of the RV and into a nearby motel for the night. Franklin Whitworth at Ground Zero announced a press conference to reply to Dr. Dobson's letter for noon the nest day. On Fast Day 5, Mel roase at 4 AM to write his letter resonding to Dr. Dobson's charges. "I've never questioned your sincerity," he began. "I am sorry you have questioned mine. . .This Fast For Understanding is not about self-aggrandizement nor selling books. It is far too dangerous and costly for that. . .For years we have monitored your anti-gay rhetoric," White explained. "In the 13-pase case I made against you, every one of my examples is taken directly from your words or the words of your broadcast guests, from Focus on the Family letters, books, audio tapes, video tapes or direct mail, fundraising appeals. . .I stand by my charges that [your] anti-gay rhetoric leads directly to discrimination, suffering and death for gay and lesbian people." To the claims of Dobson and his staff that they "love homosexuals" and have "never advocated violence against them," White replied, "Do you think by saying you 'love us' just before repeating your litany of false charges against us, that you can declare yourself innocent of the hatred and violence that your anti-gay rhetoric sets in motion? And if you think that you can ease the suffering that you help cause by directing your false charges at some imaginery 'militant homosexual activist,' you are wrong." Your listeners hear your charges and think that all homosexuals have 'an agenda that threatens American family values,' that we call 'recruit and molest children,' that we call participate in 'ugly and dehumanizing sexual practices,' that we all are 'carriers of dread diseases,' etc., etc., etc. "It isn't enough for you to caricature and condemn us falsely," Dr. White continued. "Now you and your staff have joined with your powerful collegues from the Christian Coalition [Pat Roberton's group], American Family Association, Traditional Values Coalition. . .and dozens of other national and local radical right organizations to put your anti-gay rhetoric into political action." Dr, White went on to remind Dr. Dobson of his staff's primary role in the secret May 15-17, 1994, Glen Eyrie conference where leaders from 40 organizations from the radical right gathered. According to Ground Zero presidnet , Bobby Mone, who has complete transcripts of the meetings, "they came to Colorado Springs to plot their strategy to end all homosexuality from the national scene." White's letter to Dobson continues: "I believe in your first Amendment right to say what you believe," he writes to Dobson, "but your non-profit status clearly prohibits this kind of political action. And your commitment to Jesus and to the Constitution of this nation should prohibit your participation in any national strategy to eliminate the rights of others, even the rights of those with whom you disagree. . .You have stopped talking about Jesus and you've started a political campaign to superimpose your fundamentalist agenda over the rights of every American who disagrees. Your actions are unChristian and unAmerican. Worse, in your obsession to eliminate abortion and homosexuality (for just two examples) you have become a primary voice for intolerance in the land." After decribing the death threats that he received directly after Dobson's letter was read on radio, White continued, "I know you get death threats, too. But your death threats don't come because you've talked about Jesus, or preached the Gospel, or given wise counsel to your listeners. Your death threats come because your covert (and sometimes overt) call for intolerance against this imaginary "militant homosexual agenda." My death threats come because I call for tolerance and love and understanding for my gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered brothers and sisters. We disagree about homosexuality, Jim. It's OK to disagree. That right is guaranteed us both. But what can we do before your militant fundamentalist agenda leads to terrible consequence for us and for this nation?" After delivering the completed letter to Focus on the Family offices, Mel did another hour-long talk show appearance, this time on a Denver radio station that covers the entire state of Colorado. The swithboard was swamped with callers supporting the fast, encouraging Dr. White in his campaign against the radical right. Dozens of Coloradans visted the fast site that day bringing flowers and more Gatorade. More than 80 E-mail messages of encouragement were received from the US, Canada and as far away as Turin, Italy. The Reverand, Elder Troy Perry, founder of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churces called the Fast site to express his support for Mel, for Nori Rost, the MCC pastor in Colorado Springs, and all the others who were fasting. "We are in solidarity with you, brother," Troy shouted over the noisy static. "And to prove it, we are holding a service Saturday in support of your Fast For Understanding at Lou Sheldon's Traditional Values Coalition headquarters in Santa Ana, California." Mel White was visibly moved by the call. "Besides founding our UFMCC movement," he explained, "for 25 years Troy Perry has been a leading activist against intolerance of every kind. Before Stonewall, he chained himself to a public building in Los Angeles and fasted to protest the imprisonment of an innocent gay man. I am here in Colorado Springs in large part because of his example. One of the most memorable Fast site visitors that day was a Jewish family from Colorado Springs. "We have called all our friends to make posters and come to your Love Makes A Family rally tommorow," the mother said. Then, after sharing their mutual concerns, she added quietly, "We are here to support you because we remember that the last time they took you first as well. It must not happen again." That courageous Jewish family left the Fast team with tears in their eyes and sad memories of what can happen to a nation when rhetoric leads to intolerance and intolerance leads to holocaust." [A complete record of Dr. White's 7-day Fast For Understanding, including the 13-page charges against Dobson and Focus on the Family, a complete record of the correspondence between Dobson, Focus and Dr. White, the Fast "Diary," and a 5-page summary of the secret Glen Eyrie meeting by leaders of the radical right "to plot an end of gay rights and to eliminate homosexuality," can be obtained by sending $15 to the Dean's Fund, Cathedral of Hope MCC, P.O. Box 35466, Dallas, Texas, 75235. After printing and shipping charges are covered, profits will go to help pay off the expenses of the Fast For Understanding. Dr. White adds, "of this sounds as though I'm offering an appeal, so be it."]