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(Washington) Thirty-five young adults
will begin a national journey for gay rights Thursday when they set off
from Washington for a national ride that will take them to schools that ban the enrollment of
LGBT students.
Organized by the non-denominational group
Soulforce the Equality Ride was inspired by the Freedom Rides of the 1950s and
60s.
“We must cut off the
suffering at its source. The source is religion-based oppression, and it
has taken place for centuries,” says Jacob Reitan, Founder and
Co-Director of the Soulforce Equality Ride.
Equality Riders will travel by bus
across the country to engage students in conversation about LGBT bias on
the Christian college campuses.
The ride will depart from outside the offices of the
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) which fifteen of the
eighteen schools on the Equality Ride route.
"We
share some hopes even though neither I nor our presidents are going to
embrace some of your ultimate goals,” Andringa said. “But we can
agree that the ride should advance education, civil dialogue, learning
to respect differences, and making safe places for students exploring
their own sexual identities."
But one school is already warning the riders that
they are not welcome.
Liberty University has told Soulforce to stay
away from its Lynchburg campus.
The Rev. Jerry Falwell, the university's
chancellor, said the Ride is nothing more than a fundraising ploy and media
event.
"The parents of our students have entrusted
their sons and daughters to our care," he said in a statement.
"Liberty has an obligation to these parents not to expose their children to
a 'media circus' that might present immorality in a positive light."
A university spokesperson would not say whether
the activists would be arrested if they went onto the private college's property.
Soulforce said Wednesday that it has been issued
a permit to demonstrate on city property bordering the campus.
It is not the first time Soulforce has
demonstrated at Liberty University.
Last spring the group was greeted with cookies
not police when members met with Liberty students on campus.
The Soulforce Equality Ride is expected to take 51
days.
©365Gay.com 2006
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