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.
BTW LU Law Dean, Pastor Matthew Staver’s, views on free speech should come as no surprise to anyone. Here’s his resume, in part, from the school web site:
“After completing his studies in religion and becoming a pastor, Dean Staver entered law school and the legal profession. Following law school, he worked in private practice with the law firm of Zimmerman, Shuffield, Kiser and Sutcliffe in Orlando, Florida. In 1989, Dean Staver became the Founder and President of Staver & Associates, a statewide law firm with offices in Orlando and Tallahassee, Florida. He also was the Founder and President of The Staver Group, a statewide governmental consulting organization. A few of his many clients included the Orlando Magic NBA basketball team, the University of Florida, Marriott Corporation, Hilton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Taco Bell, Denny’s Restaurants, AIG Insurance, The Florida Medical Association, The Florida Nursing Association, and Florida Hospital.
In 1989, Dean Staver became the Founder, President and General Counsel of Liberty Counsel and currently serves as Chairman of the Board. Liberty Counsel is a litigation, education and policy organization with offices in Orlando, Florida, Lynchburg, Virginia, and hundreds of affiliate attorneys in all 50 states. Liberty Counsel was one of the first religious liberty litigation organizations in the country. In the early 1990s, Dean Staver was one of the first to pioneer a new legal strategy and theory in litigating religious liberty cases, using the First Amendment Free Speech Clause.
As the Founder of Liberty Counsel, Dean Staver has been extensively involved in media. On average he conducted over 1,300 media interviews each year, resulting in several thousand print articles, radio broadcasts and TV programs. He has appeared on every TV and cable news network, on almost every network news program, and has conducted media interviews for many international media outlets.”
Pastor, TV lawyer, law school dean, Christian soldier … what’s next, butcher, baker, candlestick maker? How about Indian chief?
With all due respect to our conservative rabble on this issue, no one is arguing that a wholly private institution is legally required to admit diverse opinions on their campuses. They may engage in all manner of Dark Age thinking. The issue is one of identity. Universities are defined by more than laws; they are defined by purpose. Educational institutions flourish because they tolerate and encourage the clash of differing view points. To call yourself a university, but deny a forum to legitimate points of view because they differ from your own is the worst form of self-deception. You should more accurately call yourself a chorus since any discordant note sends you onto a tizzy. LU, a university? I think it more an anachronism.
Tom, you cannot defend the abolition of free speech at a university by arguing that other universities have also done stupid things. Ignoring the fact that you’re comparing apples to oranges, the only intelligent view is that university campuses should be open to all recruiting. As far as I am concerned, the KKK and mercenary military organizations can recruit if they wish. But it makes no sense to urge that the actions of Liberty University are somehow defensible because they are not unique.
Tom,
Wake me up when the Republican Party actually supports our homecoming veterans. Wake me up alternatively when the Republican Party has stopped supporting treason to the US and
businesses that cheat and hurt people. Perhaps though wake me up when someone like you stands for more than greed, power and lust.
Wake me up when you guys are concerned about universities barring ROTC programs and military recruiters on campus.
Anon:
Hillsdale is the college I had in mind. I subscribe to their free newsletter Imprimus, it is a pretty good newsletter and it looks at issues from a limited government free market position. Which is my favored perspective.
Bron98 1, May 26, 2009 at 6:12 pm
MatthewN wrote-
“Liberty University is a non-profit that is afforded special tax status (AFAIK). Their students qualify for federal grants and education loans, and obviously many of them use this funding to pay their tuition. If they want to stifle free speech and pick and choose which organizations they allow to operate on their lands, then perhaps they should pay taxes and have their students get private loans.”
I believe he is correct if they want to throw the dems out they should not take any federal money of any kind. If they dont take federal money they can do what they please.
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There is a college in Hillsdale, MI that will not accept federal money as they do not want to be obligated to follow federal intrusion.
“In 2007, Hillsdale extended their ban on taking government aid to monies from states; the College has offered to match any funds that a student would have received from a state with its own aid. Since it refuses to accept funds from the federal government, even indirectly, the College raises enough extra revenue to pay the equivalent of the federal loans that it refuses.”
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsdale_College
MatthewN wrote-
“Liberty University is a non-profit that is afforded special tax status (AFAIK). Their students qualify for federal grants and education loans, and obviously many of them use this funding to pay their tuition. If they want to stifle free speech and pick and choose which organizations they allow to operate on their lands, then perhaps they should pay taxes and have their students get private loans.”
I believe he is correct if they want to throw the dems out they should not take any federal money of any kind. If they dont take federal money they can do what they please.
Jim Byrne, I agree that private institutions can place whatever restrictions they choose upon speech. However, they ought not simultaneously feed at the public trough. They should receive no public funds for any purpose and should not request them. I have similar problems with faith-based initiatives and regret that the current president favors them. I object to my tax dollars being used to assist the efforts of any religion, including my own, in proselytizing or publishing its views.
NetiOne,
“To all of the people who cheer LU on… have you considered the precedent this sets for future cases like this?”
Yes. I have considered the precedent. -It was set a long time ago. Welcome to public vs. private.
You should visit the F.I.R.E. website. They will guide you to public institutions and private institutions.
This is completely wrong. LU should, in my opinion, have their tax perks stripped away if they continue this discrimination.
To all of the people who cheer LU on… have you considered the precedent this sets for future cases like this? Doesn’t this open the door for discriminating against Republicans in some other institution of higher learning or, banning certain sororities or fraternities if the do not aligned themselves completely with the beliefs of the University?
-Just my 2 cents
Are some attempting to claim that free speech is protected on private property? The government may not infringe on such rights, but that doesn’t mean a church, or a church-based university can’t do so on THEIR property.
In an era where “public smoking bans” are unconstitutionally imposed on “private property”, it becomes easier and easier to consider all things to be public.
Be it a house, a business, a church, a private school, or a private hospital, even when some portion thereof is subsidized by taxpayer money, this does not make the entity public property.
We may not like the restrictions placed on expression at these facilities, but we must remember that these facilities are private, and, as such, are therefore, afforded the right to practice “what they preach”.
It seems that Liberty’s dogma is all things our way or the highway.
Too bad we can’t bus in democrats, RINO’s, gays, atheists, the immoral minority, torture haters, peace mongers, illegal immigrants, global warming alarmists, evolutionists, socialists, tongue ring wearers, pendulum dowsers, and on to infinity.
Yes Liberty can be as bigoted or “biblically Correct” as it wishes to be. But does the federal or state government have the right to strip it of its tax exempt status? Could the government get even more separation of state inclined and terminate federal loans to Liberty (and perhaps other religious schools) on the idea that such financial support is an establishment of religion?
The first amendment does come into play here both in the free exercise and the the right of free speech. Still the government should be under no obligation to pay, however indirectly for speech it objects to. The government definitely has no obligation to fund a supposed educational institution that stifles free and open debate on campus.
Mr Turley can you give your considered opinion?
They will probably lose that fight.
Liberty University is a non-profit that is afforded special tax status (AFAIK). Their students qualify for federal grants and education loans, and obviously many of them use this funding to pay their tuition. If they want to stifle free speech and pick and choose which organizations they allow to operate on their lands, then perhaps they should pay taxes and have their students get private loans.
God Bless this University.
I applaud the university. I applaud any person or organization that is willing to stand up for what they believe.
Thomas Jefferson once said; “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
Far too many people lack principle. They go with the flow. Why? -Because it’s the easiest path to follow.
I am a pro-life, anti-death penalty, independent voter. I’m part of the 85% of this country that is not fully represented by either the Democrats or Republicans. However, I am part of the majority.
Liberty University is an independent, fundamentalist Baptist university. The university stands for certain principles. Whether we agree with those principles or not is of no consequence. It’s a private university. Don’t like their policies; don’t attend.
There are tons of things wrong with this, but personally I don’t understand why god loves Republicans but hates Democrats. Republicans have started wars, just like Dems. Republican economic policy has helped to create massive wealth disparity, causing undue suffering around the world. Republicans are pro-death penalty (pro-life is only for babies, not for criminals). I am not arguing that Dems should be the “party of god,” so don’t get me wrong. I just think that the Republicans would be equally revolting.
On a side note, I actually have family members who have attended this diploma mill. It is much worse than you could ever think. My family members now teach public school and they were taught that the earth is 6000 years old, modern science is all 100% wrong, gay people are evil and must be ostracized from society, etc.