wfn.org | No Subject

Predominantly Gay Church in Vancouver,
Washington Receives Bomb, Death Threats
Man Arrested In Plot to Bomb Church, Kill Openly Lesbian Minister

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 31, 2002

WASHINGTON STATE, USA -- A 44-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday, May 21, 
after threatening to bomb the predominantly gay Metropolitan Community Church 
of the Gentle Shepherd in Vancouver, Washington, and kill the pastor.

According to Rev. Dianne Shaw, senior pastor, the man phoned the church seven 
times over the past year. "The early calls were rambling and disoriented, but 
last week the calls turned overtly hostile and threatening," said Shaw. Two 
of the messages threatened to bomb the church and one contained a death 
threat against Rev. Shaw.

Shaw saved three of the messages and turned them over to police, including 
one in which the caller said: "I'm going to burn your [expletive deleted] 
church to the ground because you're gay and lesbian homosexuals."

Police traced the calls to Casey Gene Peirsol, who has been charged with 
malicious harassment and making a bomb threat. Vancouver police say they 
believe Peirsol was plotting to blow up the church to kill Shaw. It is not 
known if he intended to carry out his plan during a service when the church 
would be filled with parishioners. Peirsol is being held on $50,000 bond and 
is scheduled to appear in Superior Court on June 11.

Shaw says her church is coping well in the face of the threats. The church 
has remained open and no services have been canceled.

MCC of the Gentle Shepherd is a member congregation of Metropolitan Community 
Churches, a Christian denomination with more than 300 churches in 22 
countries. MCC churches have a primary, affirming ministry to gays, lesbians, 
bisexuals and transgendered persons. Founded in 1968 by veteran human rights 
activist Rev. Troy D. Perry, MCC churches are no strangers to threats and 
hate crimes.

Perry, an official delegate to the 1997 White House Conference on Hate 
Crimes, notes that 21 of the predominantly gay MCC churches have been targets 
of arson and fire bombing, and more than half have been targets of threats, 
physical attacks, hate calls and hate mail, vandalism, graffiti, or 
desecration.

"MCC congregations have been the targets of hate crimes at a level virtually 
unparalleled in American society. Seven percent of MCC congregations have 
been targets of arson or fire-bombing over the last three decades, a rate we 
believe to be higher than for any other institution -- religious, political 
or civic -- in American society.

Perry added, "Hate crimes against our churches and people have been virtually 
ignored by the press and broadcast media, and reflect a systemic, societal 
view which devalues gay and lesbian citizens."

"At the same time, I want to publicly recognize the civil officials in 
Washington State, and in the Vancouver area, who took these threats seriously 
and who took immediate steps to protect the lives of gays and lesbians there. 
We are thankful for their help."

Perry has witnessed more than three decades of hate crimes against gays and 
lesbians. He notes, "In 1977, I attended the first-ever White House meeting 
with representatives of the gay and lesbian communities. In meetings with 
members of the White House staff and in conversations with President Jimmy 
Carter, I pleaded for the use of presidential leadership to protect and 
affirm the equality of America's gay and lesbian citizens."

"I am saddened that 25 years later, our members still lose their jobs solely 
because of their sexual orientation... our worship services are still 
threatened... our churches are still victimized by the hate crimes of 
vandalism, intimidation and desecration. Our nation is better than this. Our 
people deserve better than this. Acts such as these are reminders that our 
work on behalf of social and spiritual justice is still far from finished."

Additional information on Metropolitan Community Churches can be found on the 
Internet at www.MCCchurch.org.

(END)

For Additional Information, Contact:
Jim Birkitt
MCC Communications Director
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, Second Floor
West Hollywood, CA  90069
Tel. (310) 360-8640, Ext. 226
E-Mail: info@MCCchurch.org
Website: www.MCCchurch.org