The late Rev. Jerry Falwell always insisted that he spoke for “the moral majority.” However, it appears that his university, Liberty University, is equally interested in silencing what they consider to be the “immoral minority.” The school this week shutdown the the Liberty University College Democrats as inimical to their moral mission. The Republican Student organization was retained.
Club president Brian Diaz was told that his club would have to shutdown in the name of good morals. If he continued his corrupting influence, he was told that he could be expelled.
In a May 15th email, Vice president of student affairs Mark Hine said the Democratic party violates the school’s principles by supporting abortion, socialism and the “‘LGBT’ agenda.” It appears, however, that support for torture and war crimes fits neatly in the school’s mission. This seems to support polls that show that torture is more likely to be supported by the most religious citizens.
What is particularly amazing is that the law school dean at the school, Mathew Staver, supported the crackdown on free speech and association. Ultimately, as a private institution, Liberty University is allowed to be as intolerant and hateful as it wants. Indeed, Mr. Diaz chose this controversial school and can now appreciate why it is viewed with such contempt by academics.
Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. (yes, the school has added nepotism to its other sins) says that the move followed “lots of complaints from parents and donors” about the club’s existence.
For the full story, click here.
Mike A:
“fred, I’ve wracked my brain, but for the life of me, I can’t think of a single community destroyed by a commitment to education. Perhaps you could enlighten us.”
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Come on there Mike. Surely you know the one ol’ fred is thinking about. It’s the one that was destroyed by that nasty talking snake and his tree of knowledge. When you base your entire philosophy and moral system on a lie, it’s hard to break the habit or see the truth!
fred, I’ve wracked my brain, but for the life of me, I can’t think of a single community destroyed by a commitment to education. Perhaps you could enlighten us.
Ernie J. Pagels Jr. gets your vote eh Freddie?
Yep.
More theocrats with a sub-par education is just what this country needs after nearly a decade of war against people who didn’t attack us that was started by a “born again” dry drunk nutbag for his family’s personal profit because “God told him” to invade Iraq.
Liberty University is not about liberty or an actual education.
It’s about Neocon brainwashing and an attempted Christofascist overthrow of the United States from within.
God bless the university and I don’t blame them for keeping their college a great place to learn with traditional values. They like the way their town and school operates and aren’t interested in seeing that ruined or destroyed like many other schools and towns.
I think this is very unfair to the staff of Liberty University. The School as an institution has the right to allow or disallow any organisation. If any organization poses a threat to the ideals of the school as an Evangelical Christian University its leaders are well within their rights to take action. This is not a matter of whether you are democrat or republican. It is not a matter of political leanings. It has everything to do with the ideals and philosophy of the school. Even if the Repubican group advocated abortion, homosexuality and socialism, regardless to whether it called itself republican it would have been disallowed.
It is important to note that when one chooses to align himself with a particular organization, he does so because of the ideals they carry. Liberty University is a distinctively Evangelical Christian University and while the school does not discriminate against students of different persuasions by not allowing them to study there. It must uphold certain values that will demonstrate its philosophy(ies).
To get upset with such a precedent is to deny the right of every individual and institution to have, hold and propagate its biases…something that all of us have no matter how we try to make it all relative.
Ah, the battle has been joined. In this corner the Very Reverend Jerry Falwell, Jr., and across the squared circle, Barry Lynn and AUSCS. The celebrity referee..the famed IRS. Ding, ding!
http://www.examiner.com/x-5697-Grassroots-Politics-Examiner~y2009m5d29-Liberty-University-vows-to-fight-back-to-protect-right-to-discriminate-and-keep-tax-break?cid=examiner-email
Mike S:
I agree this leopard has very distinct spots.
Mespo,
Nice background on the Dean. The Lynchburg/Orlando locations say a lot, as does his client mix.