A FAX MEMO
May 24, 2002
T0: Sergeant William G. Swiderski, Intelligence Division, St. Louis Police Department
Sergeant Scott A. Gardner, Operational Planning, St. Louis Police Department
FAX: 314-444-5450
Dear Sergeants Swiderski and Gardner,
First, may I thank you for your courtesy, patience, and understanding. Bill Carpenter, our Soulforce liaison officer for the Southern Baptist Convention in St. Louis, June 10-12, 2002, has passed on to our entire Soulforce leadership team his respect and appreciation for you and for your fellow officers with the St. Louis PD. Thank you. We are grateful.
Second, we apologize in advance for the inconvenience and extra worry that our presence in St. Louis might cause you and your colleagues. We understand that your commitment is to public safety FOR ALL. Because we are committed to the principles of NONVIOLENCE (as taught by Gandhi and King), we too are committed to public safety FOR ALL. For that reason, we are coordinating our every move with you and with our Southern Baptist adversaries.
Third, on the second page of this fax you will find the copy of a letter we are faxing today to Dr. James Merritt, the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. For three years we have phoned, faxed, written, begged, urged Dr. Merritt to simply meet with us, to hear the stories of Southern Baptists who are suffering because of the false and inflammatory teachings and actions by Southern Baptist leaders. And for three years he has refused. This latest letter makes our requests for St. Louis explicit.
1. We are asking him and 4-5 of his Executive Committee to attend one hour of an eight hour hearing we are conducting at the Centenary United Methodist Church in St. Louis on Monday, June 10. More than two dozen Southern Baptists, clergy and laity alike, will be telling the stories of suffering that they know first hand that flow out of the anti-homosexual teachings and actions of the SBC.
2. We are asking him to join with us at a press conference on Tuesday, June 11, at 10:45 AM outside the America’s Center to repudiate the words of his fellow Southern Baptist, Roy Moore, the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court who wrote in a recent decision against a lesbian mother that the courts should use imprisonment and execution to protect children from homosexuals.
If he accepts these two requests, we will conduct NO direct action at the SBC convention. If he refuses both requests, we tell him clearly that we will kneel in prayer at the entrances of the America’s Center while a small delegation of our Southern Baptist friends approach the podium inside hoping to be given a few minutes to address the delegates. That small delegation, mostly clergy, will be dressed in suits and ties and will approach the podium from the audience and with no violent words or actions, simply ask to address the Southern Baptist "Messengers." If they allow us that opportunity, we will share our concerns calmly, quietly, and briefly (4-5 minutes) and then leave the Center.
I will be arriving in St. Louis on Thursday, June 6, at 12:24PM, on AA3154. I would be delighted to meet with you that afternoon or any time Friday, June 7, to share the latest information from our side and to hear your questions and concerns.
I will be calling you later today to see if you received this two page fax and to discuss its contents with you. Again, thank you for your patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
Mel White, Executive Director, Soulforce, Inc.