Three gay
rights activists were arrested for trespassing at a
Christian university on Friday after attempting to deliver
letters advocating for the acceptance of LGBT
students. The activists, all women, are
affiliated with Soulforce's Equality Ride, which is
touring university campuses across the South this fall
to promote religious tolerance of gay students.
The Equality
Riders met with one student during their stop at Heritage
Christian University in Florence, Ala., who described the
atmosphere on campus as a "homophobic panic." Faculty
and students had been warned by school administrators
not to communicate with the Riders.
The three
arrested were Caitlin MacIntyre, 19; Katie Higgins, 26; and
Taueret Manu, 21. Equality Ride codirector Jarrett Lucas
said in a statement that the university is clearly
unwelcoming of LGBT people. "The school's
choice to arrest us shows just how far they will go to
suppress the message we bring," Lucas said. "HCU trains
missionaries to go beyond the walls of their school to
spread the inclusive gospel of Christ, but today they
chose not to uphold the principles they preach."
HCU is the sixth
school on the tour, which ends in November. The
Riders are also planning to visit Mississippi College, the
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the
Simmons College of Kentucky. (Michelle Garcia, The
Advocate)
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