Baylor University is the largest Baptist university on the globe. Our fourth stop on the ride, we arrived not knowing just what to expect. The administration took a most effective position on our visit, from their perspective at least. In effect, they decided to ignore us—to put their heads to the sand like ostriches and hope we just passed on by. No police, no swat cars, but also no panels, no classroom visits. We were permitted to be on campus while forbidden from entering buildings or handing out literature.

Initially, I think a lot of the riders found our position on the Baylor campus incredibly frustrating. Sure, we could walk around, approach people and chat with them. However, the very nature of our interactions with students provided them with tactful means of avoiding or dismissing us (e.g “Sorry, I’m late for a class” or “Gotta make a meeting”). However, it seemed that as the day wore on, word got around to students and many of the riders found ourselves involved in meaningful conversations with many students.

What caused the shift? I believe part of it was thanks to the university, albeit they provided aid unintentionally. The morning of our visit a cryptic mass email went out to students. The purpose of it was to reassert the university’s viewpoint (i.e. that Baylor follows Biblical teachings on human sexuality, and thus imply that we do not). What it ultimately accomplished was sparking curiosity among much of the student body.

Late in the afternoon we moved from campus to a nearby park in order to hold a rally of sorts. I was part of a presentation group that was scheduled to speak. About half an hour before the rally was slated to begin, the group and the organizers of the Baylor stop decided that we needed to provide something different. This decision was a heartening one, and we made if for the best of reasons. We had encountered so many supportive students that to offer a presentation targeted at those who still view lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons as “sinful” was pointless. Instead, we used the time alloted for the presentation to talk with students about forming a gay-straight alliance. Hearing students talk about ways in which they were prepared to cohere into a unified community of affirmation was one of the best parts of the visit.

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.

Today the Equality Ride hit a bump in the road. We ran into police intimidation in Clinton Mississippi. Prior to leaving the town of Clinton Mississippi, the Equality Ride bus was confronted three times by the same police officer who told the Equality Ride bus driver to “go on and get out of town.” The final time the officer interacted with the bus driver he threatened to arrest him if he did not follow his order.

The right to peaceably assemble without fear of arrest is a central right protected by our constitution. Moreover, the behavior on the part of the Clinton Mississippi police officer concerns not only the civil rights of the Equality Riders, but more importantly the general safety and well being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people within the town of Clinton, Mississippi.

Below is a letter that Jarret Lucas and Katie Higgins, the two co-directors of the Equality Ride east bus, sent to the Mississippi Attorney General expressing our concerns.

The Equality Riders will be returning to Clinton today for a preplanned community forum and picnic.

March 23, 2007

Attorney General Jim Hood
MS Attorney General’s Office
Carroll Gartin Justice Building
450 High Street
Jackson, MS 39201

Sent Via: Facsimile

Re: “Get out of town”

Dear Attorney General Hood,

We write today out of deep concern for the actions of the Clinton Mississippi Police Department. We are the Co-Directors of the Soulforce Equality Ride, a bus tour of college students who are crossing the country to advocate for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender equality. As a group we are committed to and trained in the principles of nonviolence, and have a history of peaceful dialogue and respectful interaction with college students and administrations across the country. Soulforce has an outstanding relationship with many police departments and honors the hard work that law enforcement officials put into their lives everyday.

Last night, while in the town of Clinton, Mississippi, we experienced a distressing form of police intimidation. After a day of dialogue at nearby Mississippi College, we parked our bus in downtown Clinton. We were waiting for the return of some of the members of our tour from area coffee shops. While waiting, a police vehicle approached the bus with its lights flashing, signaling us to move. Our bus driver immediately turned down the nearest road and into a church parking lot to await the Equality Riders. The same officer once again followed us into the parking lot, with his lights on and asked our driver to speak with him. The officer was quite aggressive in demanding that we “go on and get out of town.” Our driver explained that we were still waiting on the remainder of our group, but was still forced to move the bus. At that time, we drove and parked the bus in a lot that was previously designated by the city of Clinton. For the third time, a police vehicle approached us with flashing lights. The officer who approached us was extremely indignant and asked us “what is your problem? We have already given you breaks today.” Our driver explained that we were in the space the City provided for us. In response, the officer asserted that our driver would be arrested if he were to take us anywhere else and not leave the city of Clinton immediately. Soon after, a community member arrived with the rest of the Equality Riders and we left promptly. We are prepared to provide sworn affidavits from ten people who can attest to the above series of events.

This behavior on the part of a Clinton police officer is unacceptable and we consider it a violation of our civil rights. Law abiding citizens should be allowed to safely assemble in any town in America. Such actions on the part of a law enforcement agent serve to make gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people feel unsafe in the city of Clinton. The role of a police officer is to protect members of the public, not threaten or intimidate them.

These concerns are augmented by the fact that several days prior to our arrival in Clinton, we received a document from the Clinton Police Department that set restrictions on our First Amendment right to assemble. After being contacted by the American Civil Liberties Union, the city rescinded the unconstitutional restrictions and shamefully applauded Soulforce for “playing the game well.”

We are planning on returning to the city of Clinton today for a preplanned community picnic and we will not tolerate a repeat of this sort of behavior from the Clinton Police Department. If threatened with arrest for lawful assembly today members of the Soulforce Equality Ride are prepared and willing to submit to such an arrest. Any arrests for lawful assembly would be challenged by us in court and followed up with a lawsuit on our behalf against the city of Clinton for violation of our civil rights.

We hope that you will take swift action by informing the city of Clinton that such behavior by the Clinton Police is unlawful and will not be tolerated in the State of Mississippi.

Jarrett Lucas & Katie Higgins

cc. Dunn Lampton, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Mississippi
Chief Don Byington, City of Clinton Police Department
Sheriff Maclom McMillin, Hinds County Sheriff Department
John S. Williams, Staff Attorney, ACLU Mississippi

Day 2 at Baylor began with the group splitting in two. About half of us headed over to the nearby coffee house, Common Grounds, while the other half went to the Truett Seminary chapel service with our gracious 3rd year seminary host, Daniel. Fernando Ortega was the special guest, singing hymns and some of his own piano-driven Christian tunes. Our re-congregation in the hotel lobby led to a fascinating discussion of our plans for the day. For the first time on the ride, we lacked unanimity in deciding how the day should proceed and how we could best serve our goals and the LGBT community at Baylor. Should we follow up the apparent good will shown us with another day of small-sided conversation on campus? After all, our first day on campus had led to many positive interactions and a couple prominent, encouraging articles in the school newspaper. Or was Baylor simply attempting to appease us to the point where we were willing to acquiesce and become nearly invisible and inconsequential to the students and to the future of LGBT discussions on campus?

In an exceptional display of courtesy, clarity, honesty, and integrity, the Riders opened up about their concerns and thoughts on following through with our plan for civil disobedience, eventually deciding it was the correct course of action. A couple years after an underground GSA, Baylor Freedom, was finally forced into complete silence by the school, we wanted to bring back their spirit in messages chalked onto campus pavement. Chalking is a popular way for student groups to spread information about themselves and about their events to fellow students, faculty, administration, and other employees. But Baylor Freedom’s messages were always quickly sprayed away in passive-aggressive, cowardly displays of power and denial by the university. We wanted to write all the things Baylor Freedom had been kept from expressing, what every LGBT student at Baylor could never see written at their school: words of Christ’s love and affirmation of LGBT people. God loves you as you are. God loves this gay man. Christ is an ally. I am gay and a Christian. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, gay nor straight, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

After 5 minutes of chalking, the police showed up (in street clothes, apparently to follow us in secret) to put an end to our messages of love and peace. A few of us stopped after they made their demands. Josh Polycarpe, Amanda Harris, Mandy Matthias, Vince Cervantes, Shawn O’Neil, and a courageous Baylor student would not quit. They refused to allow an oppressive policy upholding the climate of fear on campus to dictate when they would stop spreading their messages of truth. Each was arrested in front of Baylor’s chapel, in plain view of many students. Tears were shed by Riders and students alike as we sadly broke into songs of freedom, love, and equality. The arrestees were held for over 24 hours on charges of criminal trespassing.

The story will not end there, however. The following day, the Soulforce Young Adult symbol, “Q”, was chalked in 3 prominent campus locations along with a message about the beginnings of a new underground group. There are hundreds of LGBT students at Baylor, and I know that this time the university will not be able to silence them. The time is right and the truth will no longer remain veiled. It is encouraging to know that our brief presence and civil disobedience were not in vain. Indeed, our short visit may create the impetus for a strong, steady community push toward achieving open, fearless, equal, first-class status for all Baylor students.