Date: Sat, 16 Jul 1994 18:05:36 -0600 From: CENDO RICHARD Thursday & Friday, July 14-15, 1994 Colorado Springs, CO -- Mel White began his fourth day of his Fast For Understanding as the guest of a popular morning talk show. He responded to callers by cellular phone from the Ground Zero RV parked in front of James Dobson's Focus on the Family world headquarters. The flood of calls praising and cursing Dr. White's presence in Colorado Springs made it clear that the whole town was talking about this UFMCC clergyman's charges against Focus, one of the cities largest indutries, and the other approximately 60 organizations from the radical religious right headquartered here. "Jim Dobson is not an evil man," White said quietly. "Focus on the Family is not an evil organization. In their misunderstanding of gay and lesbian people, they are victims of superstition and prejudice that have been passed down to them over the ages. It took me more than 30 years to understand and accept myself," he added. "Now, I have to give Mr. Dobson and the others the time they need to know and understand me. But, in the meantime, whether his motives are good or bad, we cannot remain silent in the face of Dobson's anti-gay rhetoric and his national anti-gay political campaign. His words and actions lead directly to the suffering and death of innocent and loving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Americans." Just after White's noon luncheon of more Lemon-Lime Gatorade on ice, Focus Vice-President H.B. London appeared at the fast site to hand deliver a 5-page letter to White from James Dobson (who was writing from France). The letter had already been released to the nation's media. After accusing White of "distorting the truth," Donson wrote, "It is clear from your manipulations of the press (which has collaborated willingly) that your purpose in this campaign is to capitalize on the visibility of Focus on the Family, to publicize your book and to promote yourself. What we have here is an elaborate publicity campaign wrapped in the cloak of human rights.... Admittedly, the distortions in your letter and in the recent pronouncements go beyond self-promotion. You have twisted the truth, deliberately, I assume, with regard to my writings and the subject of my broadcasts." Dr. Dobson went on to claim that in his 4,000 radio broadcasts over 17 years, "only a handful have been devoted to the subject of homosexuality, and on all occasions, the comments made were respectful and caring, and compassionate.... Nor have there been instances of hatred in my writings. I believe you know that it is true, but you've claimed otherwise to generate the desired publicity." Dobson took the next four pages to say why he was concerned about gay activists and their campaign "to utilize the public schools to undermine the public schools heterosexual marriage and the institution of the family. In some cases, he adds, "pro-gay literature and programs like Project 10 have been used for the purposes of homosexual recruitment." After quoting in lurid detail a local conservative columnist's attempt to "expose" the sex education program with inner-city youth by the New York-base Gay Men's Health Crisis, Dobson continues, "Exposure to children of this kind of outrageous and immoral material MUST be stopped, Mel. Those who would do such things should never again have access to young minds.... I will fight this campaign as long as I have breath within my body." At this point, while reading the letter to friends and supporters gathered at the fast site, Dr, White groaned and looked angry. "I get so tired of these ridiculous charges against Project 10 and the other courageous folk who risk everything to provide real services to those in need. While Focus talks about molested children, Ground Zero, the tiny gay-civil-rights organization in Colorado Springs, raised $30,000 this year for molested children being treated at Children's Hospital in Denver. I can't help but wonder," White asked, "what actual good does Focus do with it's $97-million-a-year, or is it all talk?"