Video from the occurrences at Mississippi College and Clinton, MS. For more details on how we were told to “get out of town,” see the previous post.

Three other OBU videos on the way this evening and in the morning.

Here is the video from our stop at Central Bible College, our first civil disobedience on the Eastbound Bus, in Springfield, Missouri.

Video from Oklahoma Baptist University will be up soon, I promise!

Equality Riders reflect on their visit to Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.

The Eastbound Equality Ride bus stopped in Sioux Center and at Dordt College on March 8-9, 2007.

Yeah… Had to use Google Video this time. YouTube has a 100mb limit… this video was, sadly, 107mb.

Also, one thing you may begin to notice: There is like a two-three day lag between when something happens and when the final version of a video can be released. Sorry about that.

Throughout March and April, the youth on the Equality Ride will bring you online videos and “podcasts.” We’re really excited to be able to do this, knowing that you all will be able to keep up with what we are doing, having the ability to see it through the wonder of the web.

Here is our first video…

In this video are numerous folks, including Jake Reitan (Founder of the Equality Ride), Haven Herrin (Co-Director of the Western Route), Minnesota State Senator Scott Dibble (DFL, District 60), Mrs. Kim Ellison (on behalf of Congressman Keith Ellison, D-MN), the Reverend Phil Lawson (Human & Civil Rights Leader) and Western Bus Rider Cylest Brooks singing “Love can build a bridge” by The Judds.

More will come as we move down the road (the buses leave Wednesday). You’ll be able to see video of events, video journals from the Riders, as well as audio journals in our podcasts.

During last year’s Equality Ride, the 33 youth stopped at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, and were escorted to a dirt mound behind and quite some distance from the campus (pictured left).

Here, the officials at Union University told the Equality Riders they could interact with students. Too bad the dirt mound was out of sight and out of mind for many of Union’s students.

Union University is once again a stop on the Equality Ride. The East Bus of the Ride will stop at Union University on Monday, March 26, 2007.

Us youth on the East Bus aren’t so happy about the dirt mound. To us, it just doesn’t seem very hospitable or welcoming at all. Really… If someone came to your home, even if you disagreed with what they were saying, would you, in good Christian conscience, tell them to go stand on your compost heap in the backyard? No… you, like Christ, would welcome them into your home and open a two-way dialogue and conversation.

We would like to give Union University and President David S. Dockery purple irises for every day on the Ride preceding our stop at Union on March 28th. We also want YOU to be involved!

The bouquet of purple irises will come with a little note from 1 Peter 4:9, “show hospitality to one another without grumbling” and a note encouraging President Dockery to let us on campus and engage in an honest, open conversation and dialogue.

You can be a part of this wonderful gesture of love and gracious hospitality!

For each person who donates to buy a purple iris to give to Union University, we will create a special page on the Soulforce website to thank you. Help us show Union University and President Dockery the loving support of folks just like you who cherish the importance of honest and open dialogue on these tough issues.

You can donate to help send this message by going to: https://www.soulforce.org/donate

Be sure to put “Flowers to Union University” in the comment section of the donation form.

Check out the what happened at Union University during last year’s Ride, as seen through the eyes of Rider Kayla Bonewell.