and who restores ... that’s why we need Jesus." Reaction from within the GLBT community Jamie McDaniel, a spokesperson for Soulforce who works to change the antigay policies of the SBC, said: "It’s tragic that so many, like Rev. Latham, have never been told the truth that they can live with dignity and express their God-given sexuality in ways that are open, honest, loving and life-affirming. Trapped by Southern Baptist misinformation, many people of faith think their only option is to live a dark and secretive double-life. The SBC needs to be held accountable for causing this kind of needless suffering." Writes Leslie Robinson of the gay newspaper, The Dallas Voice, "Whew, good thing I’m not required to take such a high-minded approach. I appreciate that Latham has likely been suffering a long time, and that his family is in pain. But the man has been a colonel in the campaign against us, so I prefer to point, yell 'Hypocrite!' and resign myself to the fact that I won’t be on Soulforce’s Christmas-card list." In a January 6 press release, The National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce commented: "This isn't the first time he's been in the area, having received a traffic violation there a few years back. "Rev. Latham has been an outspoken opponent of...rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. And, of course, in recent years the Southern Baptist Convention - the nation's largest Protestant denomination - has become increasingly homophobic and aligned itself with the worst elements of the far right in working to stop Marriage Equality for gay people... "These kinds of situations involving anti-gay political and religious leaders being caught, literally, with their pants down are hardly uncommon. My instinctual reaction has always been one of smug satisfaction - "serves the damn hypocrite right." "...I only feel sadness for Rev. Latham and his family." Rev. Dr. Mel White, founder of Soulforce, an organization which works on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to oppose religious and political oppression, commented about Rev. Latham's arrest: "No one should have to come out via an undercover sting operation. That is its own evil. Until the Southern Baptist Convention ends their spiritual violence against gay and lesbian people, tragedies like this will continue." Results of criminal trial On February 2, 2006, Latham pleaded not guilty to the lewdness charge. The case was then heard in a non-jury