No Soulforcee Responses to Gay.com UMC 2000 Article

[m~dgray]

As typical, I've been reading GLBTA news and articles on the net, especially Soulforce related-ones, since I have habitually collected them since my first 1999 negotiation in Lynchburg with Soulforce. Today I stumbled across a 6 year old one on Gay.com that no one ever responded to. I decided to write (in 4,000 characters or less--which is not my style at all to be so brief, and it took most of the day to cut it down, down, down) what I recall of our
2nd direct action, 2nd arrest, and 1st Soulforce march. These took place at the UMC General Assembly May, 10th, 2000, in Cleveland. Perhaps you'll want to post parts of your memories there too. It would be interesting to read them in a collection on Gay.com. It might be a good idea to read what several writers have posted in response to an article about Mel's new book: they are calling Soulforce "fascist," and Mel, more or less a GLBT traitor for having been the former ghost writer for primary guys in the right wing. Here's what I posted, for those of you who want to reminisce Cleveland 2000, and for those who weren't there:

by gray1955, Today 12/16/06

"191 were arrested at the UMC Assembly in a direct action, 1st march &
2nd arrest w/Soulforce, May 10th, 2000. Our message, "the Holy Spirit cannot remain where all God's childern are not welcome," inscribed on a banner dignitaries carried: UMC bishops; leaders of King's Civil Rights group & eldest daughter, Yolanda; MK Gandhi's grandson, Arun, of the MK Gandhi Institute of Nonviolence. So many GLBTAs uncounted who couldn't be arrested, that together we encircled the UMC Assembly holding a rainbow ribbon we wrapped ourselves within. Singing, at times, civil rights freedom songs, we remained otherwise silent in vigil.

I went to support GLBTA UMC delegates & the Truth that the UMC I was born into as a charter member is doing religious violence to all GLBTAs not just defrocked GLBTA ministers who bless same-gender couples; a denomination approx. 1/3 GLBTAs who, by the UMC Book of Discipline, are to be served equally; who by Baptising congregations & a denomination sworn to support throughout our lives, forces its clergy to break sacred vows of Ordination & Baptism.

Our march went to the UMC Assembly. Tension in the cool air was hot with anti-GLBTA supremacists shouting filth such as "F... God." Spewing Untruths to marchers of faith, hundreds of supporters, it is obvious who people of peace, Truth & justice-seeking are & who sexually obsessed, violent tongued & religious supremacists are. Farce shouted anti-GLBTA obscenities at silent straight UMC Allies; Elderly married straights; straight parents & grandparents of GLBT adults & teens; celibate & senior aged GLBT's. People of faith prioritizing spirituality in everyday lives.

I was in the 1st squad arrested. A sign 1 of us held read "No Exit Without Jusitce." Preparing us for marching & 2nd arrest, Rev. Dr. Mel White, co-founder of Soulforce, told why march to block the UMC's exit?: paraphrasing him, 'you've been in there for 30+ years, stay there until you get it right'. They didn't: voting not to fund HIV/AIDS outreach, or allow same-gender blessings & to continue to defrock GLBTA ministers like they had Nov 17th, 1999: defrocking Rev. Jimmy Creech, a UMC minister for 29 yrs., with no retirement benefits because his ministerial calling is to serve all of his congregation not just straights. Blessing a 15 yr. union of two men whose love was long blessed, Creech followed the Holy Spirit of the UMC Book of Discipline by serving them equally well. Once defrocked, Creech became the 1st Chair of Soulforce's Board.

Inside the Assembly, UMC clergy disrupted it & got arrested a 2nd time. Risking $10,000.00 fines & six months in jail, watching their bus taken away, there was hardly a dry eye. Once arrested, police put us in a stand-up cell. I was shoulder to shoulder stuffed in. It was hours long to be processed. When a large officer called, "Gandhi," he stood pale faced for a man of color outside the alcohol, vomit & urine smelling cell. Gandhi stepped forth with a large silver heart dangling center chest, the guard asking again, "Gandhi?" more humbly. Arun replied, "Yes, I am his grandson," referring to MK Gandhi, inspiration of nonviolent spiritual disobedience which led to Indian freedom from the British in 1948. The guard said, "Oh Sh.., we've arrested Gandhi." Before, Arun was on his cell phone talking to an airline agent saying, "I believe I am going to miss my flight since I have been detained." In our seriousness these were moments of comic relief.

As I represent millions of GLBTAs, it fulfills me doing what is morally right & legally justifiable. I am a GLBTA honor guard in jail w/Soulforce. My spirit is liberated from feelings of helplessness, national betrayal, supremacism, isolation & silence. Returning home, I am cleansed of layers of religious violence, after going to denominations where religious violence is generated, perpetuated & spread as a viral form of religious gender-sexual supremacism."

The article I responded to is 5 pages long. I decided not to take issue with some of the basic facts that the journalist got wrong, instead, telling my own story from today's memory of being there. Kindly, m~d

[NathanATX]

Thanks for sharing your story. Sometimes it takes hard work... and some guts... to be heard.