Marquette University V. College Republicans Over “Adopt A Sniper”

"Statement of Marquette University regarding fundraising for “Adopt A Sniper:” Marquette University’s College Republicans recently requested to sponsor a “Support Our Troops” activity in the student union. The university approved that request...However, when this student group set up its fundraising table, it became evident that they had not been forthcoming about the specific materials they would be promoting in this fundraising activity. Their table advertised a group called “Adopt A Sniper” and included photographs of materials such as a bracelet with the motto “1 Shot 1 Kill No Remorse I Decide.” "

MU STATEMENT... AND RESPONSE

Statement of Marquette University regarding fundraising for “Adopt A Sniper:”

Marquette University’s College Republicans recently requested to sponsor a “Support Our Troops” activity in the student union. The university approved that request.

However, when this student group set up its fundraising table, it became evident that they had not been forthcoming about the specific materials they would be promoting in this fundraising activity. Their table advertised a group called “Adopt A Sniper” and included photographs of materials such as a bracelet with the motto “1 Shot 1 Kill No Remorse I Decide.” Based on the information obtained from the College Republican’s table, the university made the decision that the specific nature of this fundraising activity was not consistent with the university’s mission and was not reflected in the College Republican's application for approval. Therefore, approval of the fundraising activity was revoked.

With nearly 200 recognized student organizations on campus, the Office of Student Development has a well-known process in place to review the nature of proposed fundraisers and activities in order to ensure that they are in line with the University’s Catholic identity. The university had significant reservations about the rhetoric associated with this particular group. In the context of the university’s Jesuit, Catholic mission, we could not allow fundraising in the student union for a group whose rhetoric regarding "snipers" could be widely misinterpreted as having a cavalier attitude toward the taking of a human life. In this case the display of the materials that promote the use of violence without appropriate background information was unacceptable.

Marquette University strongly supports and honors the men and women of our Armed Forces and has sponsored many activities to support our troops. In addition, every branch of the United States military is represented on our campus though the university’s ROTC program. We will work with our student organizations to continue that proud tradition in a manner consistent with our Jesuit, Catholic identity.

CR Statement in response:

Marquette University's Office of Public Affairs issued a statement this afternoon citing the extreme rhetoric of the "Support Our Troops" table the College Republicans were sponsoring. The release specifically mentioned the Adopt a Sniper dog-tag trinket offered as an acknowledgement of a donation.

In the Office of Student Development Memorandum issued February 1 canceling the table, Dr. Mark McCarthy wrote: "Based on the information obtained from the College Republican's table (including the photo of the dog-tag offered to those who made donations over $5, using the U.S. Marine slogan "1 Shot, 1 Kill, No Remorse, I Decide") and a review of the activities of the Adopt- a-Sniper organization, we believe this fundraising activity does not comport with the University's mission."

The OSD Memo also says it was drafted after consultation with a Captain of Marquette's Navy/Marine ROTC program.

So, it is hard to cite the dog-tag as a reason for suppression, given that it is a US Marine slogan according to the University's own memo. Are they going to ban "Semper Fi" as well!?Right-click to get URL suitable for linking

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