THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 10, 1995 TAG: 9503100367
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ESTHER DISKIN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
The day after Pat Robertson visited the Virginia Beach city jail to meet with gay minister Mel White, both sides held news conferences Thursday to announce what had been accomplished by the short meeting.
``Mr. Robertson exhibited the kind of Christian love and compassion that has been the hallmark of this ministry for 35 years,'' said Robertson's spokesman, Gene Kapp. ``The meeting did not bring compromise to Mr. Robertson's Christian convictions, nor credence to the homosexual lifestyle, but, instead brought compassion to the issue.''
White, who worked as a ghostwriter on a Robertson book in 1986, chose to stay in jail on a hunger strike for more than three weeks to pressure Robertson into discussing his statements against homosexuality.
White was arrested Feb. 15 for trespassing at the Christian Broadcasting Network complex. After the men met Wednesday night, Robertson dropped all charges.
``The whole world saw Pat sitting down with a gay person. Now, they won't be afraid to sit down with one,'' Mel White said Thursday to a roomful of 30 supporters. ``Once you know a gay person, you know they are not a threat to anyone.''
Kapp, who went with Robertson to the jail and tape-recorded the private meeting, released a transcript. In contrast to their public statements in recent weeks, Robertson and White showed a calm politeness in their conversation.
Robertson did not commit to White's requests for him to publicly acknowledge and repudiate hate crimes against homosexuals, as well as meet with a group of parents of homosexuals.
When White asked him, Robertson said: ``I'm going out of the country, and I just don't know whether I . . . this has been rather trying . . . this whole experience, and I don't want to prolong it.''
``I'm sorry,'' White replied. ``No, I'm out of here no matter what. Just to see your smiling face, and I'm out of here.''
On Thursday, White said: ``It took a big man to come down there and meet with me. It took a big man to fast for 23 days. . . . We all won today.''
White's supporters said they will monitor Robertson's ``700 Club'' news broadcast and his publications in the next month to check whether he softens his statements against homosexuality and publicly repudiates violence against gays.
White is a leader in the Metropolitan Community Church, a 32,000-member Christian denomination for homosexuals.
Bob Bradford, a retired Presbyterian minister whose son is gay, said that his support of White marks the first time he has been inspired to take such a public stand on gay issues.
On Sunday, Bradford is preaching at a local church as a guest. The church, he said, traditionally has been unwilling to discuss homosexuality.
This time, the church's minister invited Bradford to discuss his support of White.
``This is an example of a door opening,'' Bradford said. ``It is a wonderful thing.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos
The jailhouse conversation Wednesday night between gay minister Mel
White, left, and CBN leader Pat Robertson was calm and polite.
by CNB