March 1, 1995

Homosexual Minister on Day Sixteen of Fast in Virginia Beach Jail

The Rev. Dr. James Melville "Mel" White is the former ghostwriter for
Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Billy Graham, Ollie North and other
leaders of the so-called religious right. Dr. White now serves as
the Minister of Justice of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan
Community Churches. He is currently in solitary confinement at the
Virginia Beach City Jail, Virginia Beach, Virginia, and entered day
sixteen of a fast today. On Tuesday, February 14, White attempted
to set an appointment with Pat Robertson, founder and CEO of the
Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). On Wednesday, February 15,
White was arrested for trespassing at the CBN compound.

Each afternoon since Dr. White was arrested fifteen days ago, a
group of delegates from Bearing Witness have attempted to arrange
a meeting for White with Robertson. Bearing Witness is a coalition
of religious leaders and community organizations who support White's
belief that gays and lesbians are being physically, emotionally,
and spiritually damaged by some religious rhetoric and untruth.
Bearing Witness is supporting White's efforts to get Robertson to
do two things: to acknowledge that anti-gay rhetoric, such as used
on Robertson's television program 'The 700 Club', results in violence
against the gay community and to denounce those acts of violence.

Today's delegation included Fr. William Starkey, retired Episcopal
priest and Rev. Julie Loomis-Dorsey, Assistant Rector, both from 
Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach, and Rev. Maj-Britt
Johnson, pastor of the Unitarian Church of Norfolk. Rev. Johnson
handed a single white rose to a stone-faced security guard and
extended a hand of friendship which the guard refused to shake.
Rev. Loomis-Dorsey stated that she felt a pain in the pit of her
stomach when she saw the guard refuse to shake hands. After the
security guard said that no meeting with Robertson was possible,
Fr. Starkey read a passage from the Bible and the delegation joined
the group of supporters who accompanied the delegation.

Since his incarceration, Dr. White has received over 12,000 pieces
of mail supporting him and his vision to see the suffering of God's
gay and lesbian children stopped. Mail is being sent to him both
at the jail and at New Life MCC in Norfolk.

Bearing Witness will hold a Truth Vigil at the Unitarian Church of
Norfolk on Sunday, March 5, 1995 from 4 to 6pm, ending in a candlelit
time of meditation in support of Dr. White. Marvin Lieban, author
of 'Coming Out Conservative', Letha Dawson Scanzoni, author of
'Is the Homosexual My Neighbor?', and Lt. Wray Boswell of the
Virginia Beach Police Department will be among the speakers at the
Vigil. Boswell was White's arresting officer and is the brother of
the late Dr. John Boswell, author of 'Christianity, Social Tolerance
and Homosexuality' and 'Same-Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe'. Churches
from around the nation have called and said that they will be holding
similar vigils at the same time in their own cities.
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(Mail to Mel and donations for expenses involved in supporting this 
effort in Virginia Beach are actively solicited. E-mail messages for 
Mel may be sent to: NewLifeMCC@AOL.COM. US Mail for him may be sent to: 
James Melville White, P.O. Box 6098, Virginia Beach, VA 23456. Donations
to help defray expenses may be sent to New Life MCC/Fast Fund, P.O. Box
1026, Norfolk, VA 23501. In addition, letters and faxes to Pat Robertson
requesting that he reconsider his refusal to meet with Mel may be sent
to: Pat Robertson, c/o CBN Center, 977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia
Beach, VA 23456 (fax) 804-579-2775.)