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Gay
Equality Riders
Targeted
In Hate Attack
by
365Gay.com from the Web, March 18, 2006
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Cleveland, Tennessee, Mar. 17
-- Police are investigating homophobic graffiti spray painted late Thursday
night on the side of a bus being used by LGBT rights activists on a cross
country trip to promote equality at Christian colleges.
“Fags Mobile” was painted in foot-high pink letters on the side of the bus as it
was parked at a Cleveland hotel. The graffiti was discovered by the bus
driver when he went out to make a late night check of the vehicle.
The driver said he saw a middle-aged woman and a teenager drive away from the
scene. Police are investigating the incident as a case of vandalism.
The attack occurred as members of the Soulforce Equality Ride were inside the
hotel planning strategy for the second day of their visit to Lee University, the
third of 18 schools that bar gay enrolment.
The riders are spending 51 days traveling across America hoping to engage
students in debate.
Thursday members of the group were allowed onto the Lee campus but under strict
conditions. Riders were told they could not carry signs, hand out
literature or hold a prayer rally while at the university.
“The attack on the bus is hate speech, plain and simple, spelled out for
everyone to read,” said Jake Reitan, Equality Ride co-director.
“But a more subtle form of hate speech happens when students at the schools we
are visiting are told they are sick and sinful just for being the
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people God made them to be.”
Despite the restrictions the reception was better than riders received at their
first two stops.
Tuesday seven riders were arrested as they tried to enter Regent University in
Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Regent, which is affiliated with Christian Broadcaster Pat Robertson, says it
does not bar gay enrolment, but its student handbook states "...homosexual
conduct or any other conduct, which violates Biblical standards, is prohibited."
Last week Last week 24 members of the group were arrested when the entered Jerry
Falwell's Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
(Emphasis Added)
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