Posted on 05/22/2009 7:26:10 PM PDT by tobyhill
Liberty University has ordered its fledgling College Democrats club to shut down, saying the group stands against the conservative Christian school's moral principles.
Club president Brian Diaz said he was shocked to be notified by e-mail last week that the club was being banned by the private university in Lynchburg founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell. The university first recognized it in the fall.
"We were shocked, as well, that (the club) even got accepted. It was huge, and we were glad that Liberty did that," Diaz said in a telephone interview from Orlando, Fla.
The club is barred from using Liberty's name, advertising events and holding meetings on campus. Violators could be reprimanded and face expulsion for repeated offenses.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
It’s a private university. If they don’t receive govt. funding, I don’t have a problem with this.
Heck, any school that wants to ban Democrats is okay in my book!
LIBERTY University...the name says it all.
I don’t know why, but this makes me laugh.
Hmmmm....they could just do what Willamette University here in Salem, Oregon did.....the rule is .... If you can’t find a professor/staff member to act as advisor....you can’t have a club....and the Young Republican’s HAD a club, until their sponsor went on sabbatical or something....and NOT one other adult would step up to be the advisor. That way you cannot BLAME the school....just the fact that there is not an advisor “available.”
I am no big fan of Falewll, Though I do respect and share many of his values and opinions.
Private universities have evry right to ban organizations from using said universities name.
If any of the students were passing out literature on campus, advertising off campus events/meetings - I think the university has to suck it up.
Because for once the Democrats are on the receiving end of discrimination?
What goes around comes around...poetic justice?
Heeheeheeheehee
Will they shut down the Muslim club next?
Giddy-up!
I went to graduate school at UT-Austin in the early ‘60s, a so-called conservative school. To my surprise, most graduate students in the history and government departments were liberal Democrats. So was I, but I was surprised how radical they were. Anti-communism was not acceptable to those cats.
Rats are Rats and even if they personally are Pro-life they'll just follow along with their Liberal Baby-Killing Leaders.
Well, he's been dead for a couple years.
Anyhow, Liberty probably has the legal/constitutional right to do this, but it's pretty stupid.
“Believe it or not....even in my state there are pro-life, Christian, Democrats!!!”
Who voted for Obama?
I am surprised that Liberty even allowed the Democrats to have a club on campus last fall. Why any Christian would want to be a Democrat is beyond me though...
Seems to be an oxymoron in there somewhere.
Isn't that like being a Pyromaniac fireman? Or a Jewish Nazi?
I have met a handful of "pro-life, Christian Democrats", myself. Every one of them was uninformed on the issues, or very prejudiced, or mentally slow.
The University does have a rational argument for banning them.
I am surprised that Liberty even allowed the Democrats to have a club on campus last fall. Why any Christian would want to be a Democrat is beyond me though...
You can't be serious. If you are, you are simply parroting the Dems. You would like to ban free speech on a Christian campus????
You can certainly question why a Dem club would be on a Christian campus, but to ban it would be exactly what the libs would do.
I’d wonder if this Diaz guy is even a student there?
Seems Falwell’s school has a lot more sense than Notre Dame, not to mention a lot more intestinal fortitude.
If you don't stand up against a metastasizing cancer in our politcal culture, who will?
I urge you to rethink you posture. View the issue from the perspective of values and traditions.
Do you want their values imposed on you buy one more than half of the voting residents, foreign and domestic. Do you believe that in our politcal society, individuals should be free to pursue their version of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without infringing on the basic rights of others? Do you believe that suppressing the right of an organization to use the structure of another, prevents that group from meeting publicly or publicly esposing their philosophy? Should a group be forced to sponsor and support views antithetical to their religious beliefs?
Conservatives actually displaying that they have a spine.
Who'd have thunk it?!
Sorry, I am sick of the dems! They need a dose of their own medicine!
She said the Republican Party and its platform is “preached on every avenue” to a captive campus audience. During last fall’s presidential campaign, she said, GOP viewpoints were expressed in the absence of any Democratic perspective.
In a statement released by the Democratic National Committee, DNC chairman and Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said, “I urge the leadership of Liberty University to reverse this attack on the liberty of its students and allow the College Democrats to have the same rights on campus as their counterparts, the College Republicans.”
WaWa, and HA HA HA HA (Gov. Kaine): Leave Liberty University Alone..you have a billion other colleges! I graduated from LU, BTW!
You in WV have a “pro-life” Democrat as Gov. do you not (or am I mistaken)..?
on a State school you’d be right, but on a private College, sorry..
Not saying personally I would ban them, but My AM has ~every~ right to do this.
Especially if they Supported Obama, which it seemse they did. BOBO (unless your head was under a rock or you were blind) was a known pro-gay and pro-abortion supporter.
on a State school you’d be right, but on a private College, sorry..
Not saying personally I would ban them, but My AM has ~every~ right to do this.
Especially if they Supported Obama, which it seemse they did. BOBO (unless your head was under a rock or you were blind) was a known pro-gay and pro-abortion supporter.
good.
Falwell died a few years ago.
Unfortunately the discussion wasn't about some Democrats. It was about the Democrat Party. It was about the very radical (socialists) against which you railed.
Just because many are too stupid to recognize and admit what they are up do doesn't make them any less toxic and treasonous.
To hell with Rats. They are cancer to the United States.
Nicely done Liberty U! All Christian Notre Dame grads should consider sending their financial support to Liberty University instead.
JoMa
While I don’t agree with Racism, It sounds like these folks are prime candidates for “Tea Party” Activities (Beautiful State you live in, BTW)!
> If any of the students were passing out literature on
> campus, advertising off campus events/meetings - I think
> the university has to suck it up.
NO THEY DON’T have to “suck it up”!
Private Property is Private Property. If you don’t like that, move to Cuba.
Or Berkely.
When any party proudly promotes sex perversion, the murder of the unborn, and has declared all-out war on the authority of the Bible...they need to be banned from all but the most insanely unamerican liberal cesspools.
They were not banned. They were notified they would no longer be a recognized LU club. Complete statement from the office of the chancellor:
Liberty University
Office of the Chancellor
Liberty University is a distinctly Christian university with a stated mission of training Champions for Christ. It is the largest and fastest growing evangelical University in the world. Students and parents appreciate and support the values of the University.
Officially recognized student clubs and organizations that bear the name of Liberty University are expected to uphold the standards and principles of the University and act in a manner consistent with its mission. For nearly two years the University has been evaluating how best to advance its mission and to support student organizations. In order to avoid the problems encountered by other faith-based educational institutions involving student organizations, Liberty University has adopted a policy that governs such groups.
The policy states, in part: No student club or organization shall be approved, recognized or permitted to meet on campus, advertise, distribute or post materials, or use University facilities if the statements, positions, doctrines, policies, constitutions, bylaws, platforms, activities or events of such club or organization, its parent, affiliate, chapter or similarly named group are inconsistent or in conflict with the distinctly Christian mission of the University.
Among other things, Liberty University stands for the sanctity of human life. The loss of human life through abortion is a great tragedy and we cannot remain silent when the political policies or politicians promote the destruction of innocent human life. While students may meet on campus, debate, and discuss important and controversial issues of the day, Liberty University will not lend its name or fund organizations whose stated purpose is to promote and advance issues that are contrary to its Christian mission.
Over the last several decades, Democratic clubs have existed at Liberty University as unofficial student clubs not endorsed by the school. Last Fall, the College Democrats asked that the university officially recognize their club. They promised to support only pro-life candidates and their charter provides that the club supports the right to life. Unfortunately, the club supported candidates over the last 8 months that support abortion rights. As a result, Liberty University converted the clubs status back to that of an unrecognized club. It was not banned as so many press outlets irresponsibly reported. The club can continue to exist and meet on campus like other clubs and student groups that are not officially recognized by the university. They cannot use Liberty Universitys name, will not receive the small financial subsidy that officially recognized clubs receive (about $500 per year on average) and they cannot hold public events on campus. There will be no other restrictions on their activities. Liberty University encourages free speech and open debate on its campus and free speech will not be restricted.
Liberty University is not singling out the Democratic Party in this action. If a Republican club supporting abortion sought endorsement from the University, it would be denied. The sanctity of life is one of Liberty Universitys non-negotiable core values and it simply cannot lend its name or financial support to any group that actively works against Libertys core values.
A student club of Democrats who are pro-life and pro-family, and who are seriously intent on bringing positive change to the Democratic Party, would be refreshing. But the rhetoric must match the actions, meaning that such a club seeking official recognition would not want to endorse policies or candidates contrary to Libertys mission. Such a group should state in its name its distinctive mission to immediately tell the world that this club stands for the core values of Liberty University.
We hope that our students bring positive change to all political parties, not just Democrats, but also Republicans and Independents. These groups could debate many topics, but agree on Libertys core values. Liberty will not lend its name and financial support to any club or organization that actively seeks to undermine the mission of the University and its core values.
Liberty University® 1971 University Boulevard, Lynchburg, Virginia 24502
Liberty University is a registered trademark ©Copyright 2009.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.