Release Date:	March 5, 1995
Contact:	Dawn Rankin-Phelps
		(804)543-2460

Vigil Held on Day 20 of Fast for Jailed Homosexual Minister

Today, while Rev. Dr. James Melville "Mel" White spent day 19 in isolation
cell #276 of the Virginia Beach City Jail, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Bearing
Witness and around 320 supporters held a Truth Vigil at the Unitarian
Universalist Church of Norfolk.  As Dr. White continued his fast, now in its
20th day; those attending the vigil feasted on the stories of trials and
accomplishments, fear and hope delivered by speakers from near and far.
Speakers included, Marvin Liebman, author of Coming Out Conservative, Pat
Heck, chair of Virginians for Justice, Letha Dawson Scanzoni, co-author of Is
the Homosexual my Neighbor, Rev. Arlene Ackerman, District Coordinator (Mid
Atlantic District) in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community
Churches, and too many others to name.
One such speaker, Lt. Wray Boswell, arresting office of Mel White on Feb.
15th and brother of the late gay-historian John "Jeb" Boswell, said this in
comparing White and his brother, "Both men are seeking to reveal the truth,
about being gay and being Christian.  I am neither, but I am a believer in
truth and justice, and I only hope that in my life I can make a fraction of
the difference that these two have made and will continue to make:.  He ended
his speech to a standing ovation with these words to Bearing Witness, "By your
 commitment, your compassion and your kindness, you have shown a lot of
cynical people that you aren't the same as everyone else; you're better than
most."
Don Davis, newest board member of the NGLTF stated, among other things,
"Those who believe that all people are created equal and are willing to stand
up for their beliefs are the only ones who can stop the hurt...stop the
violence...and stop the HATE.  If every person in this room took on this
sense of social responsibility, we could see the fall of hate-mongering by
people like Pat Robertson and the triumph of tolerance and ultimately,
acceptance of the full human condition."  "Each one teach one."
Malina Waldo, of P-Flag, had this to say, "Mel White sits in jail, but how
many of our Les-Bi-Gay children, brothers and sisters, are in a prison of
sorts because they cannot live openly as they are meant to.  Mel White is on
a hunger fast and how many Les-Bi-Gay people are hungry for acceptance from
society."
Letters of support and courage were read from Ron Reagen, Jr., and Claudia
Brenner.  In a letter from jail, read by his attorney, Faye Spence, Mel White
wrote this, "Everyday my fast continues, we get closer to realizing even more
results, reaching even more people with the truth... For the days we have
left, keep on bringing flowers and notes to Pat every day at noon.  Keep on
sending faxes and making calls and donating funds.  Keep on working and
praying.  And in the next days, you're going to see even greater victories
for truth and justice and for God's children who suffer."
The Vigil ended with everyone lighting a candle in honor of Mel and his
vision of hope to stop the suffering of God's homosexual children everywhere.
Bearing Witness will return to CBN daily and continue supporting White's
efforts to get Pat Robertson to do two things: to acknowledge that anti-gay
rhetoric results in violence against the gay community and to denounce those
acts of violence.
Copies of letters and speeches from the vigil are available up request.

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