This from World Net Daily. With this story from World Net, the other 19 need to do exactly what Liberty did and Equality Ride will not make it to the other 18 stops.
1 March 10 Liberty University Lynchburg, VA
2 March 13-14 Regent University Virginia Beach, VA
3 March 16-17 Lee University Cleveland, TN
4 March 18 Union University Jackson, TN
5 March 20-21 Oral Roberts University Tulsa, OK
6 March 23-24 Oklahoma Baptist University Shawnee, OK
7 March 27 Abilene Christian University Abilene, TX
8 March 29 Texas A&M University College Station, TX
9 March 31 CCCU Conference Dallas, TX
10 April 4 Biola University La Mirada, CA
11 April 4 California Baptist University Riverside, CA
12 April 5 Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA
13 April 10 Brigham Young University Provo, UT
14 April 13 Colorado Christian University Lakewood, CO
15 April 14 U.S. Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, CO
16 April 17 North Central University Minneapolis, MN
17 April 18 Bethel University St. Paul, MN
18 April 20-21 Wheaton College Chicago, IL
19 April 24 Eastern University St. Davids, PA
20 April 26 U.S. Military Academy West Point, NY
Liberty University is a private institution, these thugs have no right to force themselves on a private institution. It is time for the Christian community to stand up and be counted and quit letting individuals with a worldly culture define us.
On the first stop of a 51-day “gay-rights” bus tour aimed at bringing media attention to the non-admission policies for gays at 20 Christian colleges and military schools, 24 members of the Soulforce Equality Ride found themselves sitting in the Lynchburg, Virginia, jail, arrested for trespassing at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University and facing possible $2,500 fines and a year in jail.
The group of 35 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and straight 18- to 28-year-olds had been warned ahead of their arrival they would not be welcome on campus.
“It is now our firm belief that Soulforce is not acting in good faith and is simply trying to use such encounters on Christian college campuses as a media attraction and for their ultimate purpose of fundraising,” Chancellor Falwell said in a written statement.
Liberty had been targeted by an earlier version of the Equality Ride last year and has a long history of dealings with Soulforce, the homosexual group started by Mel White, a writer who once worked for Falwell.
Equality Ride is modeled after the “freedom rides” of the 1960’s civil rights movement and the group, many wearing buttons reading “Learn from history,” says its cause is the same as ending racial discrimination was a generation ago.
“It just so happens that now the other and the outcast are [gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered] people,” Monica Carmean, 20, a self-described Christian, straight ally from Northwestern University told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “We want to come to the school today to say, ‘Learn from history,'” Equality Ride’s co-director, Jacob Reitan, 23, of Eden Prairie, Minn., told the crowd. “We have a right to be here, because this school teaches that being gay is being sick and sinful. We have a right to question and to show how we are children of God.”
Their ranks swelled by local supporters, the 80 homosexual-rights demonstrators were met by a wall of campus police as they walked onto campus in single file, each reading from written statements. When they ignored Liberty campus police warnings to leave private property, 24 were handcuffed and arrested without incident. Two face additional charges of inciting to trespass.
Soulforce members told the Advocate, a homosexual newspaper, they had not intended to be arrested and had simply hoped to talk to Liberty students.
With 19 schools yet to go, Equality Ride may find the cost of putting up bail and paying fines a strain on the project’s budget. Equality Ride’s founder, Reitan expressed pride over those who confronted Liberty University and were arrested, but says he’s hoping for “productive dialogue” at the remaining stops.
“I hope that schools down the road won’t make the same choice that Liberty made,” Reitan said.
It is time to be David to the liberal Goliath.
Your use of the word, “thugs,” is extremely unfortunate. These young adults are not thugs–they did not bully, they did not commit acts of violence. Of all people, those of us who call ourselves Christians should select our words carefully when we enter into debate with those with whom we might disagree. I teach at a Christian university which, to its credit, has invited Equality Ride to visit because we take seriously our mission as a university–to engage in conversation about serious issues in our society and to explore different perspectives. A Christian university is not a church youth group. It is not a castle surrounded by a moat to keep out any supposedly ‘dangerous’ ideas. It is dismaying to me that you have such a narrow view of Christian higher education.
Umm. . . I assume you don’t mean that the Equality Riders should be slain. Analogies work and sometimes don’t. This one doesn’t.
“thugs” may be strong…however I view a thug as someone that tries and bullies their way or their view on another.
According to you, this group has been invited to a Christian University, fine go there. But they were told what would happen at Liberty..so they chose that one first. Why? For the publicity, of course.
Fortunately, Falwell and all did what they said they would do and bunch of them found themselves in jail. I hope that Falwell doesn’t cave in and that Liberty does prosecute them for a fine of $2500.00 and they get to spend a year in jail.
There are consquences for your actions and these people should pay for violating the law.
I am assuming the second comment by alienresident is targeted toward Dave’s comment about a david to take on liberal Goliath.
I am sure he is referring to the liberal ideology, however, I am sure sure Dave will respond to your comment.
Just for clarification, when you say, “fine go there,” (a statement which reminds me of something a higher schooler might say), I teach at the university. And the Virginia taxpayers will foot the bill for paying for these folks to spend a year in jail, these folks which posed no threat at all to public safety.
alienresident, what I said is if they were invited then go where they are invited.
They knew beforehand what would happen in going to Liberty before any other University, they would receive the media attention and pay several thousand dollars in fines and never carry out the rest of the tour.
If they prove me wrong by still attending the other 19, that is great, they prove me wrong.
You created your blog profile within the past 11 days, indicating that you are only following this story.
You are probably affliated with Equality Ride. If not, Why do you not reveal what Christian University you are affliated with? My guess is if you are with a University on the list it is probably the 18th, 19th or 20th on the list.
For too long, we have stood by and watched while those on the Left have taken over the media, the schools (NEA anyone?), and they control our culture, whether we like it or not.
As Brian is aware, I am a Catholic. Our Church, though standing firm for Life and for traditional marriage, attempted (at least in the U.S.) to give “toleration” or “accomidation” to the other side back in the 60’s. The end result is that traditional Catholics are now a minority in their own schools which their anscestors founded: Georgetown, Boston College, Xavier, Mount St. Mary’s, Notre Dame, the list goes on. The deluge was so great that entirely NEW schools have had to be founded that stayed true to the Faith, and keep the liberals out. Evangelical schools are the next target for these people.
If you value your faith and you value your school’s Christian identity, you will take this threat seriously.
The anti-family Culture of Death is now the dominant culture: it is Goliath. The Christian David needs to lead the way in “slaying” that culture.
What a terrible loss.
They should have been invited in, so that they could be witness to Christian love instead of ungodly hate.
How much further were they pushed from Christ by these actions that were never the intenion of our Lord who proke bread with publicans an sinners.
If you only have time, patience and tollerance for those already in the fold then you are sure to be barren in your harvests.