MARCH 17, 2006
Falwell, Liberty U.
Arrest Equality Riders
Activists on a seven-week bus tour
designed to draw attention to the plight
of queer students at Christian colleges
and military academies have met with
Jennifer Jones basks in triumph as the duly elected
homecoming king of Maryland's Hood College.
perhaps predictable resistance at the
tour’s first stop.
WEST VIRGINIA
As a crew from MTV News looked on, approx
Opp Who Denied CPR to Dying Man
imately 25 members of Soulforce Equality Ride
Is Sued
wbre arrested March 10, attempting to enter the
The American Civil Liberties Union has filed
campus of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.
suit on behalf of the family of a West Virginia man
The university, founded in 1971 by televangelist
who died of a heart attack after a cop physically
and conservative Christian leader Jerry Falwell,
restrained bystanders from performing CPR on
denies admission to queer students.
him.
Earlier, the university had issued a release from
City of Welch Police Chief Robert K. Bowman
Falwell asserting that the g,;oup would not be wel
falsely believed the victim, Claude Green Jr., was
come on campus, as he considered the demonstra
HIV-positive and would present a health risk to
tion to be an effort to gain publicity for its cause.
The Soulforce Equality Ride plans to confront
anyone who tried to save him.
“It’s hard to say what was more shameful,”
a number of religious and military colleges that ban
the enrollment of sexual minority students. At
ACLU attorney Rose Saxe told the Web site
GayWired.com. “That Chief Bowman assumed
each stop, members of the Equality Ride will
Claude Green was HIV-positive solely because he
present their case for equality.
A statement from the group declares, “Bans on
was gay, or that Bowman was so ignorant about
gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender enrollment
HIV that he felt you couldn’t safely perform CPR
force students into closets of fear and self-hate.”
on an HIV-positive person?"
More information about the Soulforce project
According to the suit, Green was driving with
is available at www.equalityride.com.
a friend, Billy Snead, when he suffered the fatal
attack. The pair pulled over, and Snead began
KANSAS
performing CPR. When Bowman arrived on the
Militant Anti-Gay Church Will Obey
scene, he ordered Snead to stop, saying Green had
New Protest Laws
HIV. When Snead—who did not immediately
Westboro Baptist Church, the militantly anti-
recognize that Bowman was a police officer—failed
gay congregation that has raised hackles on both
to stop, Bowman physically pulled him away.
sides of the political fence with a series of high-
Bowman remained on the scene, waving away
profile protests at U.S. soldiers’ funerals, will obey
potential rescuers, until paramedics arrived.
new laws passed to curtail its activities.
Bowman allegedly warned the paramedics not
Speaking to The Associated Press, Shirley
to perform CPR on Green, either, but was ignored.
Phelps-Roper said: “We’re not going to get arrest
Green died shortly after arriving at the hospital.
ed. We obey the law.” Phelps-Roper is a member of
the Topeka, Kan.-based church and the daughter of
ILLINOIS
its controversial leader, the Rev. Fred Phelps.
Chicago Suburb OKs
The senior Phelps and his con
Gay Games Event
gregation have grabbed headlines in
After a deadlock that
recent months by turning up at the
threatened to thwart
soldiers’ funerals bearing placards
organizers’ plans, the parks
with such legends as “God Hates
board of a Chicago suburb
Fags" and “God Made lEDs.” The
voted March 8 to grant
latter slogan refers to the improvised
the 2006 Gay Games
explosive devices that are the
permission to hold a.row
preferred weapon of the Iraqi insur
ing competition within its
gency, and reflects the church’s stat
borders—but nor before
ed belief that the soldiers’ deaths are
controversy concerning
God’s judgment upon the United
the Games’ presence
States for tolerating homosexuality.
exposed deep divisions in
Shirley Phelps-Roper turns on the
With few friends on either end of
the community.
charm.
the political spectrum, the group has
While the prospect of
seen laws passed recently in Oklahoma, Indiana,
hosting the Games has drawn a generally favorable
Missouri and Wisconsin that would require funeral
response in the host city of Chicago, attitudes in
protesters to maintain their distance. Westboro has
the more conservative suburb of Crystal Lake were
since canceled scheduled demonstrations in all four
mixed.
states, citing various reasons.
“This is a request with an athletic event with
Phelps-Roper said the group will continue its
the title Gay Games. I oppose it, totally against it,”
protests but will comply with the new laws. She
resident Jeff Beebe told Chicago’s CBS television
also noted that the church is considering a legal
affiliate. Meanwhile, resident Sean Spoor attended
challenge. “We’re waiting until all the legislatures
the board meeting carrying a sign reading, “Out
are over to see what tattered shreds they’ve left the
with the bigots, in with the pride.”
Constitution
in,” she told the AP. ©
The proposal failed when the first vote dead
locked 2-2 but was revived when the tie-breaking
vote returned from vacation.
Compiled by M arty SMITH
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