I thought the SDL library was compiled as staticly linked library that uses
libdl to get the other libraries that are needed (eg. libSDLx11.so).
That is correct.
The original question was “How do I link all of SDL statically?”
The answer is: Go to the obj/x11 subdirectory and type "make static"
Then copy this new library to wherever you want to have your linker find
it, /usr/lib or whatever. Be careful not to type make from the main SDL
directory, because it automatically builds a dynamic library.
BTW, shouldn’t this thread be on the main SDL list?
Probably. 
Thanks for being patient. We’ll experience some growing pains
as we get these lists sorted out.
I posted this message to both lists, but please don’t do this in general,
even if the thread seems like it should go to one list or the other.
Instead, just request that follow ups be posted to the other list.
Please post followups to the main SDL list.