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 34 Soulforce Members Arrested Protester's Report: Beginning a 2nd Year of Non-Violent Vigils Media Observes a Baptist President becoming Visibly Angered |
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By Cindy Hadden Seattle Soulforce Group Contact Photos: Soulforce
I arrived in New Orleans on Sunday afternoon June 10th. I watched that
evening and the next day Monday as dedicated people and Soulforcee's began
showing up one by one at the hotel and church training head -quarters.
Once again I found myself in the mist of awe and loving Spirit work through people. We trained in non-violence, broke up into vigil squads, met new people and our Soulforce family once again to take care of the business of bringing truth in love to the churches; for the second time to the Southern Baptists. On Tuesday June 12th, long, silent vigils began as everyone participated, then squads started taking shifts for day and evening vigils. As squad leader I was forced to confront on 4 occasions Southern Baptist Conference attendee's as they approached us to condemn and teach us their misinformation. Simply I directed them to our hospitality room where people where waiting to talk to them. I explained that we had written three letters to their conference president Dr. James Merritt who didn't have the courtesy to respond. That now we had to vigil in silence and had no intention at the moment to debate. It worked. They had to leave. I am sure none went to the hospitality house. On Tuesday late afternoon however, news came to us that a man from inside the conference had been harassing one of our squads. After 90 minutes of listening to his yelling, spiting and spewing his violent message to them, a detective interrupted and said: "That's enough. I am not going to allow you to harass these people any longer." The squad primarily made up of locals and newcomers to Soulforce never budged. He took the man to his squad car. The Soulforce squad leader asked police not to arrest the man. Since when asked if he would go on his way and quit harassing the group his response was "no", the officer informed us that he felt he had no choice but to arrest the man. The first arrest had been made.
We all walked again to the Superdome for an evening of silent candle
light vigil. Every time we were there, crowds approached from the streets and
from inside the conference. We handed out thousands of flyers.
On Wednesday morning at 7 a.m. we met for a time of peaceful thoughts, meditation and relaxation before beginning our planned "Jazz Funeral" march. The Spirit in the room was overwhelmingly present. We were ready. As we paraded in the streets, people joined us. There was media from everywhere. I and so many spoke with local news & live radio. We stopped and held our live press conference in front of the Superdome. The "on target-spiritual and physical violent" short stories from about 7 people were the most powerful I have seen yet in my travels with Soulforce. My friend Rembert Truluck (www.truluck.com) took it to the point of genocide. Some of the reporters and crowd cheered and encouraged us. We marched the casket full of letters to the door of the Superdome. After a couple of attempts to enter in with it to deliver the letters to the Southern Baptist President James Merritt, the arrests began. Thirty-four of us handcuffed. I saw people who were angry. I saw people in tears because they believed we were going to hell (and told the press that). I saw people in tears. I saw people truly at that moment examining their own spirit. As I passed the conference attendee's in handcuffs, I told them I loved them enough to bring them the truth. And that together we can CHOOSE to end the suffering and death. It was a moment I will never forget as I saw their faces of fear and doubt and soul searching.
Summer/Fall Soulforce Schedule: Evangelical Lutheran Churchwide Assembly, August 10-12, 2001, in Indianapolis, Indiana The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints General Conference, October 5-7, 2001, in Salt Lake City, Utah National Conference of Catholic Bishops, November 12-15, 2001, in Washington, D.C. Cindy Hadden: Seattle Soulforce Group Contact: Articyn@aol.com |
