We have often discussed DePaul University as a school with a long record of speech suppression, including cancel campaigns targeting journalists. Now the students are pushing to ban a new student group because it does not support LGBTQ rights. The group is “non-affirming” of LGBTQ rights and apparently must be made a non-entity by the university.“DePaul has a wide variety of religious groups on campus, but one in particular called Vessel is outwardly promoting that they are ‘non-affirming’ to the LGBTQIA+ community because of religious beliefs and claiming that it’s a ‘sinful’ lifestyle.”
It is an ironic moment for the Catholic university given the church’s religious position on homosexual sexual activity as a sin.
On an Instagram page that was later removed, Vessel posted a Q&A exchange, including a query of whether the group was “affirming of the LGBTQ+ lifestyle.” Vessel responded “We are non-affirming. This means that we do not agree the LGBTQIA+ lifestyle is supported by biblical text.”
I can understand why many students are offended by the position, but this is part of a diverse academic environment. There are many groups espousing support for such rights and lifestyle choices. That is the very essence of higher education in allowing a diversity of viewpoints and passionate but civil discourse.
Vessel told The DePaulia that they have tried to have such a dialogue:
We have reached out to those who have raised issues with our group (none of these people have attended or attempted to attend a meeting) in order to promote conversation and understanding, but none have followed up on this.
DePaul needs to reaffirm a commitment to free speech and a diversity of viewpoints. There is no need to endorse the views on either side. This is another effort to silence rather than debate those who hold opposing views.
Polls show that both faculty and students are now fearful in sharing their views in class or on campus due to this environment of intolerance. Faculty and administrators today are destroying higher education with their crackdowns on speech and viewpoints. A recent survey of students at the University of Wisconsin found that almost sixty percent of students are afraid to share their opinions in class due to the intolerance on campuses today. It is only the latest such poll on how the orthodoxy and intolerance of higher education is having a chilling effect on student speech and class discussions. Notably, this is almost identical to earlier polling at other schools.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has released a new survey of nearly 1,500 faculty members at four-year colleges in the US. Ideologically the survey of college faculty is consistent with other polls and surveys in showing that over half of the faculty nationwide is afraid to speak freely in the current atmosphere of intolerance and orthodoxy. What is most striking about this and other surveys is that the number of conservatives on faculties is comparably very small. Yet, even liberal faculty now fear backlash for speaking freely in classes or on campus.
Deppalling
Has anyone seen Dr. Jill Bidens woman of the year? She got a dick.
Oh, by the way, feminism is dead.
Women were never represented. That said, Uranus rises above Venus.
LOL;)
Naw, don’t talk like that about the mental ill.
I seen that yesterday & was thinking if I or any other 16- year old or older male went parking with his gal one night, things are looking good. The guy makes his move & slides his hand down to the endzone only to realize his gal has package & it’s not from Fed-Ex.
I was thinking Col Kurtz, The Horror The Horror, Apocalypse Now, Get to the Choppers!!!! LOL;)
DePaul threatened to arrest Ben Shapiro if he entered the hall to which he was invited by a student group. I knew quite a few grad students there in the 80’s – very leftwing and wacky.
“From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”
– Karl Marx
_________
It is 90 seconds to midnight.
Do you know where your country is?
AS I AND MANY OTHERS HAVE SAID
THE WOKESTERS DONT WANT TOLERANCE
BUT ARE DEMANDING AFFIRMATION AND VALIDATION
THESE PEOPLE ARE A MESS- ANYONE WHO IS HAPPY CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE IN THEIR SKIN DOES NOT REQUIRE OUT SIDE VALIDATION OR NEED TO SUPPRESS OPPOSING VIEWS
HARD STOP
Do be specific.
“There is no need to endorse the views on either side.” No, no, no. And FYI, I say this as a confessional Lutheran (WELS), whose denomination is not even recognized as Christian by the Roman Catholic Church. No. There absolutely IS a need for a RELIGIOUS institution to endorse the ONLY morally correct view of LGBTQ+ sinfulness.Educating students within the context of Biblical values is what they EXIST TO DO. Allowing open discussion of contrary ideas, yes. That is a must. Allowing OFFICIAL GROUPS to actively work against the primary purpose of the institution is something else entirely. That has allowed the degradation of not only theological standards at many Christian institutions, but academic standards as well. When a denial of absolute truth is allowed to reign, loyalty to the very concept of truth erodes.
Spot on.
Please do not use the term “Catholic university.” I’m sure there are one or two left somewhere but none of bureaucracies that come to mind when you use that term (Notre Dame, Boston College, Georgetown, Providence, etc.) are Catholic any longer. They are in not part of their former Catholic dioceses. They all put on their web sites something like “we come from a Catholic tradition.”
I’m curious about the affiliation (or lack thereof) of “Catholic” colleges with the Church, and/or the specific Catholic order they claim to represent. I graduated from the Univ of San Francisco Law School in the late 80s. It claims to be a Jesuit institution. When I applied, the application asked one’s religious affiliation. That has been dropped. None of the law school deans in the past 30 years have been Catholic (all Jewish). They now offer a course in “Queer Law,” and give admissions preference to gay, lesbian and trans applicants. When I attended, there was a group of faculty that I would describe as “old hippies” who attended Berkeley back in the 60s. I figured they would eventually retire and the school would become more mainstream. In fact, it’s gotten worse. The vast majority of the students just want a solid legal education, but the faculty is pushing a far-left agenda. So my question is whether the Church, or the Jesuit order, has any control over this, or are they merely licensing their name? Could the Jesuits step-in, if they cared enough, and direct Georgetown Law (a similar institution) to more closely adhere to Catholic values? Since so few “Catholic” colleges and law schools are actually Catholic anymore, I’m wondering why the Church or the individual orders don’t address this.
TIN: I likewise went to a Catholic law school, also Jesuit. Despite the high tuition, I chose that because it had a reputation for teaching Jesuit scholasticism, instead of the others that focused on the “black letter law” to get you through the bar exam. At the end of the 80s, I did not sense any proselytizing or religiously doctrinal efforts at all, but the school has changed a great deal since then. It is really pushing the DIE agenda now, and has lowered its standards accordingly. Not the same reputation anymore. Very sad.
Jesuits would be the last group to complain to. Most Jesuits worship Lucifer.
The ones I’m think of are basically no longer formally affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church (the largest subsect within the Catholic Christian sect founded by a 4-5 Jewish guys and moved from Jerusalem to Rome about 2000 years ago because that was where the action was). Previously the universities were authorized as Roman Catholic by the diocese within which they were located.
They all do remain linked to whatever order they are associated with. As the BC web site words it: “Inspiration for Boston College’s academic and societal mission is drawn from the University’s distinctive religious and intellectual heritage.” That heritage is Jesuit, a group that sometimes consider itself Roman Catholic, especially now because finally after 500 years or whatever they got one of their guys elected Bishop of Rome.
Despite the legalities — both secular and ecclesiastical — the pushing of left wing agendas by these institutions is not a problem in the current Roman Catholic Church
Professor Turley writes, “Yet, even liberal faculty now fear backlash for speaking freely in classes or on campus.” Here we have some of the smartest people in the nation living in fear. Being so smart, they should be aware of the downfall of nations that called for the censorship of their subjects. It’s hard to feel sorry for them when they participated in the building of the gallows on which they now stand. One can only hope that due to their now living in fear that they will be a part of the turning of the tide before it becomes a tsunami that completely engulfs their homeland. It’s hard to know when a tsunami is coming but in the desired censorship by their compatriots the hand writing is on and has been on the walls. You reap what you sow.
Best response to the Pro Banning group. “Pound sand, move on, nothing here”.
Think back a few years….First, the recognizable acronym was “LGB.” Then it was replaced with LGBT, only later to be replaced with LGBTQ. Apparently, in order to gain political clout, now it is “LGBTQIA.” What the heck is that?
Big tent politics that unites all very-minor minorities into “one team” in order to gain visibility and dominance/defeat over the majority? Who would ever think that a collective minority could become the majority?
Reminds me of reading about a recent school walkout in Arkansas to protest newly-elected Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ education bill.–(No matter that Sanders won the election by a wide and compelling margin of votes, based on her election platform.)
“The walkout, organized by the school’s Student Council, Young Leftists Club, Black Student Union and Gay-Straight Alliance, among other clubs, comes after a group of students penned an open letter to Sanders voicing strong concerns with the legislation.” https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rock-central-students-walk-protest-gov-sarah-sanders/story?id=97589399
DePaul University was founded by Catholic clergy who gave it the name Saint Vincent’s College, after Saint Vincent de Paul. They later changed the name to DePaul. Today, the university remains a private Catholic institution, even giving its students the option of majoring in Catholic Studies. It would not be difficult to make the case that students and faculty who support public expression of LGBTQ ideas should be banned. But, by allowing these anti-Catholics to remain affiliated with DePaul, perhaps there is hope that they will turn from their ways.
I doubt that is the motive. The fact is, there are way too many colleges competing for a limited pool of students. The administration and faculty lead a very comfortable life, and they don’t want to give that up. So rather than close or merge with another “Catholic” college, as would make sense from a business perspective, they water down or eliminate their Catholic teachings, and add worthless majors, to appeal to a broader applicant pool.
Here is an idea,
Ignore them.
They ignore you.
Everyone gets along fine.
They won’t LET you ignore them. That’s the problem.
Wen Bars,
Good point.
It is not enough for Leftists to live and let live. They have to tear down, destroy anything outside of their cult. In their zealotry to tear down, they need more control and race toward totalitarianism.
Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot would be proud of them.
A Socialist, Fascist or Communist may live and express themselves freely in a Capitalist Society however only a Socialist may live freely in a Socialist Society.
That is what fists are for.
Only read the headline so far.
But it is a great example that appeasing these leftist know nothing is never enough.
If is not enough to accept. You must publicly affirm your support. That will then not be enough. No longer will publicly affirming your support of homosexuality. Now you must bend over and participate…with a smile on your face.
transgender spectrum
political congruence (“=”)
diversity (e.g. racism), inequity, exclusion (DIE)
democratic/dictatorial duality
Pro-Choice ethical religion
Why does anyone or group have to affirm anyone or any other group?
I declare I am a non-white, heterosexual male, pro-2ndA, pro-1stA, pro-Constitution, anti-ultra processed food stuff, pro-school choice, pro-classic movies and books, pro-bacon (I make my own), pro-pickup truck, pro-jazz, pro-term limits, anti-dark money, pro-dogs and cats (Dogs and cats! Living together!), pro-lemon aid/ice tea, anti-forever war, and anti-oaked chardonnay.
I demand to be affirmed by everyone!
“Why does anyone or group have to affirm anyone or any other group?”
The basic need for man to exist is survival and procreation. Survival depends on trust, so man groups itself into families and clans, expanding outwards. Look at the military and how it organizes itself. There is more loyalty to squad members than to platoon members and more loyalty to platoon members than members of the army itself.
Sometimes we choose the wrong things to mimic family.
My affirmance is herewith tendered (assuming that you humanely butcher).
Lin,
Thank you for your affirmation!
Yes, I do put them down humanely. I owe it to them.
Do you burn a fossil fuel to smoke it?.. if so, sorry but I think I’m for all the rest of your affirmities
Dennis Byron,
Fossil fuel to smoke the bacon?
Nope.
Hard wood take from my own apple trees from my own orchard.
Cold smoke too. Never let it get above 90 degrees. Best to do it on a sunny but cold day, about freezing. Be sure to leave it uncovered on a wire rack in the fridge over night to develop the pellicle.
Go bacon!!!
“pro-dogs”
I’ll affirm everything but that.
Cats rule!
DePaul students, like many college and university students across America, are big supporters of free speech as long as it’s only theirs. They scream for censorship to “save” democracy. Their complete lack of self-awareness is amazing. Thank you, Jonathan, for an excellent article.
Please underline the part of the constitution that gaurantees LGBTQ??? rights; (I mean those that are more guaranteed than the rights of the rest of the nation).
Whim, all people are created equal, only some are more equal than others.
Both the Old and New Testaments are non-affirming of the agenda of this alphabet soup. Will that be the next institution to be torn down by this tail wagging the dog? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bible_and_homosexuality
Already has been.
Subversion from within is insidious.
Vessel, huh? Smells like a false flag.
Gay bullies need to be treated as such.
Sullen with occasional gay outbursts. And, of course, braying handmade tales to divide, intimidate, exploit under diversity (e.g. color blocs) regimes.
Sooner rather than later, the Catholic Church is going to have to cut the cord to places like Georgetown and DePaul that are not, in fact, Catholic universities.
I agree, but first the Catholic Church must clean up its own house as far as adherence to scripture.
In what way?
Michael, if you have to ask, you’re not going to understand the answer.
The Pope is a communist. And they still haven’t figured out how to stop priest from abusing little boys.
Funny you should say that, because it came out in the McCarthy hearings that the Soviet Union had infiltrated the Catholic Church with gay priests. FYI, I’m confessional Lutheran (WELS), so I don’t have a dog in that fight.
This may come as a shock to you, but it really doesn’t matter a hill of beans whether the Pope is a communist. And, as for clergy abuse, Pope Benedict XVI did figure it out: homosexuals are not permitted to enter seminaries. You might want to check current statistics regarding substantiated cases.
How would the CC go about doing that? Can it seek an injunction against colleges like Georgetown, enjoining them to stop claiming a Catholic affiliation because it’s false advertising? Not that it’s ever going to happen, but just wondering….