Equality Ride bus defaced during Dordt College stop, first stop on East Bus
by Matt Comer, March 8, 2007, 9:18 am
Be sure to check out the update, and read about our wonderful day on the Dordt College campus.
The Equality Ride bus, or at least the one we are using until we get the one with the fancy bubble wrap, was painted last night with obscenities and hate words as we slept in our hotel.
Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, is the East Route’s very first stop on our 18 stop tour.
http://www.interstateq.com/images/dordtdeface1.jpg
http://www.interstateq.com/images/dordtdeface2.jpg
http://www.interstateq.com/images/dordtdeface3.jpg
http://www.interstateq.com/images/dordtdeface4.jpg
http://www.interstateq.com/images/dordtdeface5.jpg
You can see the official Soulforce press release on the subject here.
Technorati Tags: Soulforce, Equality Ride, Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa, graffiti, anti-gay
About the Author: Matt Comer
Matt Comer, 24, is an LGBT journalist, blogger and activist currently living and working in Charlotte, N.C., where he serves as editor of QNotes, the LGBT news, arts and entertainment publication of the Carolinas. A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Matt attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is still continuing to pursue his bachelors degree. He is the owner & editor of InterstateQ.com and has been active in LGBT advocacy work since the age of 14. Learn more about Matt, read his extended bio and see press clippings at MattComer.net.- View all posts by Matt Comer
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March 8th, 2007 at 9:52 am
How terrible, Matt. Hopefully things will look up as you guys continue on. If you have time, I’d love to hear how the school and other students responded to the vandalism.
March 8th, 2007 at 10:32 am
How much will the clean-up cost be?
March 8th, 2007 at 11:01 am
It appears that it was done with those window chalk kits. Those little plastic containers of paint chalk with a circular foam head on the end. You can tell because of the dots at the end of the strokes and the streaking that occurs in the center due to the paint leaving the foam head faster than the plastic container can supply the paint to the head. They’re specifically intended for writing on car and bus windows. You’ll see this type of stuff at high school homecomings as well as used car dealerships. Cleanup costs should be minimal at most. This stuff is designed to go on easy and come off just as easily. My guess is that if it doesn’t come off with some water and a little rubbing, then it will take nothing more than a straight razor and a little elbow grease, then the bus will be good as new.
March 8th, 2007 at 11:08 am
A “considerate” hate-crime. Go figure…
March 8th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Oh….but haven’t you heard? Anne Coulter (the Mother Theresa of the conservative lecture circuit) has informed us that the word “fag” is only meant as a joke, and has absolutely nothing to do with slandering gay people.
So, you should just assume that the pranksters who painted graffiti on your bus were only being funny. It was just their cute little way of welcoming you to Sioux City.
I suggest you leave the graffiti on the bus…as a testament to the open-mindedness of so many Anne Coulter/Sean Hannity/Bill O’Reilly fans.
March 8th, 2007 at 11:28 am
actually, “gay fucks” sounds kind of sexy, when you think about it.
March 8th, 2007 at 11:39 am
I would urge you not to clean up the bus until the end of the tour.. It is a sad but real testament to the homophobia and hate that exists out there.
Best of luck and godspeed on your trip
March 8th, 2007 at 11:56 am
I’m so sorry for what happened. It’s so sad and, actually, a bit surprising for me. But, although I recognize this is a little twisted, I almost see it as a good sign. If someone is going to get that angry, then you must be hitting a sore spot.
Either way, I’m praying for all of you and LOVE that you have this site so that I can’t live vicariously through your journey.
God Bless!
March 8th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
The writings on the wall or should I say bus.This is a perfect example of why we must stand up and speak up for this and all types of bigotry and hatred. As a mother of a gay son and in support of the gay community I am never going to be quiet until my son and all others have the same opportunities as others in America. Remember the words of Ghandi,”We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” I stand with you as I know God does. Continue on with your good works and know the prays of many are with you. You are doing the right thing and be thankful that you are far beyond with love and understanding than those who commited these acts of ignorance and hatred.
March 8th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
As a gay Iowan, I’m so proud of what you are doing to futher the cause of equality for all people. Please know that most Iowans do not feel the way the homophobe does; keep up the good work.
March 8th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
[...] A while ago, I came across Soulforce and their activism through some sort of news article. Basically, they work against religious oppression of GLBT people through activism and demonstration. Mostly, they bring attention to entities that do this sort of oppression. Currently, they’re doing two different bus rides around the country, stopping primarily at small religious colleges. Just today I was reading an article about how their bus was defaced in Iowa, which is really unfortunate. It reminded me that I wanted to donate to them and now seemed like a good time. Since they’re a 501(c)(3), my company apparently will even match the donation. [...]
March 8th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Can you not just FEEL the love of Jesus shining through when you look at the handiwork of so called Christians? The artwork is particularly fascinating coming from the very type people who freaked out about their children being exposed to the life-destroying, immoral sight of Janet Jackson’s boob.
I will gaurantee that, before the end of the day, the religious and conservative blogs will be saying that this was done by the Equality Riders themselves in order to gain sypathy and support for their wicked cause.
March 8th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
[...] Posted by Greg on March 8th, 2007 Interesting piece at InterstateQ, showing vandalism done to Equality Ride’s bus. The Equality Ride bus, or at least the one we are using until we get the one with the fancy bubble wrap, was painted last night with obscenities and hate words as we slept in our hotel. [...]
March 8th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
You ‘Gay Fucks” Rock! Nuf said.
March 8th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Oh! Godspeed! Oh! God Bless! Oh! I’m praying for you! Oh! God is good!
GAG
i’m gonna hurl
March 8th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
[...] Last night, as the riders slept in their hotel, the temporary bus the group is using was spray painted with hateful & bigoted remarks. Matt posted pictures this morning of the act of hatred towards the Equality Ride: [...]
March 8th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
I added a little PayPal contribution to help keep the bus rollin’. What a great way to spread the word and become more visible. “Equality Ride” is a good choice for a tour name, too.
March 8th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
It is unfair and misleading to say in your headline that the bus was defaced at Dordt College. It happened, in fact, at the HOTEL where the bus was parked, according to your own text. Fight for your cause, but do it fairly!
March 8th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Knowing what we now understand about homophobes most commonly being deeply repressed same sex oriented individuals*, looks ta me like the graffitti is a not yet out to him/themselves love note. Hey, keep ALL the graffitti on as part of the celebration. Celebrate all diversity including the confused and lost. That is what third sex is all about. If we chose. Gay fuck rocks! Right on!
Blessed be
John
*(studies of sexual arousal demonstrate that same-sex oriented and ‘phobes are both sexually aroused viewing gay pron, while opposite sex oriented males are not AND, simultaneously, ’straight” porn only arouses the hetero identified, and not the ‘phobes. These are studies of brain activity and those parts of the brain that activate when arousal occurs.)
March 8th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Please correct the headline that reads “bus defaced at Dordt College”–it happened at the ———-. [Hotel name removed for safety reasons, ~Matt]
It is also uncertain who vandalized the bus–it may not have been Christians.
March 9th, 2007 at 3:50 am
I would have to agree with the comments above that mention the fact that this did not happen on the Dordt College campus. From what I read of the bloggers, the actual Dordt stop was quite well recieved, and the students and faculty were very accomodating.
March 9th, 2007 at 7:52 am
Matt: Well, it’s unfortunate, but look at it this way, guy: You’re not patrolling around Iraq right now where the daily danger is a roadside bomb blowing your arm off or shredding your face, so…..just wipe the childish name-calling off the bus (or DON’T wipe it off) and drive on.
March 9th, 2007 at 8:24 am
Hang tough, y’all. We’re still praying.
March 9th, 2007 at 10:54 am
Thank you all so, so much for your comments and thoughts of support. I am so sorry I have not been able to reply and dialogue with each and every one of you; I wish I could.
To those who want to stress that this did not happen on the Dordt College, you are correct, as my post stated as well: the bus was vandalized while we slept in the hotel.
To Michael… Thanks for your comments. The Vice President of Student Services Ken Boersma addressed this concern with me on the campus. I changed it as quickly as I could last night (I was away from the hotel all day long). In our work it becomes very common for us to say things like “our stop at Dordt,” as the schools are where our main activities take place, but, yes… the vandalizing of the bus occurred at the hotel, not the school.
I’ll have another post coming up VERY soon on how our day went on campus yesterday. It was quite an experience and a lovely one.
March 9th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
as a member of dordt college.. i’d just like to express that it sucks that someone did that to your bus. hopefully it wasn’t a member of the college (that chalk stuff they used to write with is common with what the local high schoolers consistently use to write on eachother’s car windows)
i’d also like to say that everyone i talked to from dordt was very interested and willing to listen to what you had to say. i have not heard from a single person that you were not welcome here.
good luck on the rest of your tour
March 9th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Thanks Mike… I agree…. Dordt was very accepting of our visit. Check out my latest post…
http://www.interstateq.com/archives/1936/
March 12th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Glad Dordt went well !!
Next comment I might be getting ahead of the tour, but the email about students possibly waiting with stones at Central Bible reminded me immediately of a student film done by a friend at NCSA a few yrs ago which depicts that same sentiment…namely, stoning of those we don’t approve of and/or cannot or will not understand. Reading this really upset me…and then the strangest thing happened…I turned on the radio and John Lennon’s “Imagine” just at that very moment began playing…kinda makes you wonder. Thx again Matt.
April 16th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
[...] Last night, as the riders slept in their hotel, the temporary bus the group is using was spray painted with hateful & bigoted remarks. Matt posted pictures this morning of the act of hatred towards the Equality Ride. [...]
June 7th, 2007 at 3:49 am
[...] Last night, as the riders slept in their hotel, the temporary bus the group is using was spray painted with hateful & bigoted remarks. Matt posted pictures this morning of the act of hatred towards the Equality Ride. [...]
September 23rd, 2007 at 9:25 am
Good luck to you. I am one of the few atheists that understand your non-violent protests, having once lived in the mountains of North Carolina and was trained in non vilent resistance by Soulforce. Thanks
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