HERE is Richard Lindsay

[awediot]

Okay- I sent this to Richard, because it seemed an obvious thing to do and I could not tell if anyone else was going to do it...

Dear Richard,
I am a nobody on the SF forums who so far supports this group at arms
length.
I can only hope this is redundant and you have been made aware of the
reaction to the eq riders at NCU, and the current discussion regarding
it presently going on on the forum... Please take a look and do what
you think is appropriate. You can't miss the thread...

Thanks for all the good work and hard effort. Glad to have you out
there fighting for us...

Dean (awediot on the forum) Tues. May 16th.


This was his reply:

Thanks Dean,

NCU is a strange place. The administration at that school so
brainwashed their students about us that even the gay ones seem to be quoting the
party line (e.g. we were at NCU for “fundraising” -- whatever that
means.)
If the closeted student who is making the comments on the forum wishes
to contact me, he can do so the same way you did. He can also e-mail
David Coleman, who was expelled from NCU and is very interested in
continuing work with LGBT students there.
Thanks for the heads-up.

- Richard Wed. May 17th.


First, I can only hope Richard and all at SF, takes this disclosure within the context of a higher purpose, honesty and simply a step to clear up a few questions. Were it more provocative or personal, I would not print it here, and I hope if it is seen as any sort of betrayal of privacy, that it was done so with the best of intentions (which paves the way to you know where).

A couple thoughts- I understand that SF is largely a volunteer group, and at best, a part time involvement for most. However, I cannot help but be amazed that such little thought was put into the 'follow up' or recourse phase of the equality ride. It is true that the target institutions may be guilty of the abuses SF charged them with, but to undermine even their misguided support for their students, which they do care about, without being there afterward to guide them to some sort of substitute, is rather reckless and self-serving. You do not kick a crutch from under someone to facilitate strengthening them, and not stick around to catch them if they fall. It was not their doing and not fair that they should have to look around for you as they drop to the ground. The unwillingness of Richard to put this fire out himself after I informed him, the instant dismissal of Venari's criticism as merely sour grapes (personal relationships aside) and now, the self-congratulatory tone already erasing this episode, is for myself disillusioning and I hope at least internally recognized as a less than proud moment for this group... I am at a loss as to why this doesn't inspire more of a dialog toward "how could we/can we do this better" and tie up the loose ends so they can't be used to strangle us next time? -If it doesn't, cage rattling will be the only activism SF will be known for...

Was there ever to be a summary of results, good or bad, brought about by the ride?

So, solutions?

1. As Jamie offered, books, tapes and a resource list is a good idea.
2. A specific area on this site for students to access (this forum is too scattered for such dialog. Few students inspired by the ride have stuck around)
3.Perhaps SF playing a more active liaison role between students willing to mutually out themselves to each other for a small support group to be left, but supported once SF moves on.
4.Better press beforehand, as to the nature of SF's motives. Firstly to support students, NOT destroy Christian institutions (or is it?)
5. A 'sticky' thread/suggestion box insuring this opportunity not fade away.

If this group cannot create a way of dealing with its own fallout, it has no business blowing things up in the first place. Please think about it and post any possible solutions, or think twice about exactly why your here and just what you are supporting.

[Dash]

There's so much in this post...and this has been an uncomfortable day... I don't know how to adequately respond. I have just picked one point of thought before I lay down my head for the night...

Originally Posted by awediot

4.Better press beforehand, as to the nature of SF's motives.

I guess I understood that one of the major points of this journey was to garner some press. How do you publicize an event beforehand that is itself the attempt to create publicity?

That's all I got right now...

But, I'm sorry that you are feeling disillusioned and are less than proud of the Equality Riders. Hopefully, with the continued fellowship and conversation here we can all find mutual encouragement.

[DColeman]

Absolutely! So much more needs to be done. I don't see it as a shortfall of the Equality Ride or of Soulforce, however. It simply reflects the massive need that existed whether or not we did anything. And that should be a driving force for individuals to come on board and help create change with us.

Honestly, we gave it our all and did our best. But sadly, our best is not good enough. Our best doesn't scratch the surface. What we're seeing is a deep and profound need that isn't being met, rather than the shortfall of one organization.

I gave it my best; Soulforce gave its best; the Riders gave their best. That's all we can ask. The great need will be met someday, though. We are the catylists-- the ones who illuminate the need.... We see the need so profoundly now!

To get where we were:
The Equality Riders spent 6 months participating in conference calls, creating what we know as the Equality Ride. Before that, Jake Reitan laid the groundwork for a year and a half. We did two test runs. We met in Dallas to train. We had a week-long planning session in Washington DC.

I watched Jake and Haven work themselves silly the whole month before the ride when things began to culminate. I, myself, spent countless hundreds of hours filling out boring spreadsheets, contacting schools, looking up potential donors, stuffing envelopes, and more.

Other riders spent countless hours preparing presentations.

We then spent two months on the road, sometimes spending 14-hour days at one school and giving everything we had within us. Then, we'd spend the whole next day on the bus, having gotten little sleep.

Yes- we absolutely gave everything, leaving time for little else.

Yes, we could do better... We could have a huge movement... we could have more people... I see that dream. Let's make it happen.

(By the way, this is the movement Jake Reitan is trying to put together. He's talking about a "Soulforce Youth Nonviolence Committee")

Current follow-up actions I'm aware of:
1. A small team of Equality Riders worked tirelessly to make business cards listing an affirming coalition of churches and organizations for students in various towns. One coalition now has regular meetings at Oklahoma Baptist!

2. Jamie St. Ledger spent a whole week at Lee University after the ride instead of going home to Washington. She is probably the greatest embodyment of selflessness in this regard. Similar follow-up is happening in the hometowns of other Equality Riders.

3. Equality Riders are making efforts all around the country to keep contact with some of the people they encountered.

4. Soulforce is prepared to follow up with every administration we encountered.

.. and yet there is so much more....

(This is a recruitment call! Get on board! Make the change! Be an activist!)


Now-- let's talk about Richard. It could have easily been any one of us targeted, so let me say this: Richard Lindsay is one of the sweetest and caring human beings you'll meet. He cared a lot about the students, and even gave up an awesome job at the Task Force (NGLTF) to create this social change.

He was the person we all talk about who held up the cell-phone number at Regent University and got students to meet with us. He got students to meet with us even when they were blockaded behind an army of police.

I see him as an example of somebody who should be praised; not ridiculed.

I don't see this as self-congratulatory, either. I see this as realistic. It's easy to criticize, but you have to start somewhere. Something like the Equality Ride has never been done before. We didn't have as much of an idea of what needed to happen as we certainly will have in the future. Next time, it'll go better. And the next time, even better than the last. (Go Equality Ride 2007! Woo! Oops... Was I supposed to mention that?)

We are the Model A, carving a path for others to create a Model T... Then eventually it's the Volkswagon Passat and whatever else... (Okay, it's late and I'm getting abstract. lol)
Of course, maybe the first Soulforce meeting was the Model A, and later Soulforce actions were builds of that. Then, the Equality Ride must be some early breed of Formula 1 racecar . . . Of course I'd like the Equality Ride to be a really cool bus with a $10,000 wrap. But that already happened... boy I'm tired.

[NathanATX]

Awe,

I believe that Venari is not participating on these boards because he thinks things should have been done better. It's clear to all of us that there is always room for improvement.

I believe Venari actually feels the action should not have happened at all, ESPECIALLY as revealed through his recent posts. He is trying to divide people here using some very valid points, i.e. the need for followup, but his intent is malicious and manipulative.

I think all of us need to realize that... and 1) start responding only to his good ideas and not his drama... and 2) use this as a growing opportunity, i.e. to speak the truth in love.

He's clearly hurting, but we're letting him cause hurt and strife here. We should be able to detect behavior like this... and support the person with understanding and compassion without engaging the "mess."

[awediot]

Nathan,
This has nothing to do with Venari. The observations of how SF could have done a better job, and the follow up dialog as to how this can come about next time are my only concern. His motives are a distraction to a real topic that should have been anticipated.

Thanks DColeman, your past few posts have filled in alot of gaps that hadn't been addressed yet. I am not so much angry at SF, and think the Riders have done some fantastic things... The immaturity and pettiness with which the messenger of bad news was met with, and the instantaneous deflection of any truth to what was being said is what ticked me off...The speed this forum digressed back to Jr. High is ridiculos... You've done much to get that back on the right track.
More to say, but gotta go...