The University of Nebraska made it to the Rose Bowl this year. Although they were crushed by Miami, Nebraska for decades has been one of the premier teams in college football. So it is little wonder that its coaches are always in demand at some of the more prestigious universities in the nation.
Nebraska Assistant Coach Ron Brown was recruited by Stanford University in California to be interviewed for the head coaching position. But Brown didn't get very far. Surely he was not discriminated against because he is black. Not at liberal Stanford. No, his race was not a deal breaker. Indeed, it was likely an asset. Ron Brown's problem at Stanford is that he is a Christian.
Alan Glenn, Assistant Athletic Director at Stanford told the Daily Nebraskan that Brown's religion "was definitely something that had to be considered. We're a very diverse community with a diverse alumni. Anything that would stand out that much is something that has to be looked at...."
Courtney Wooten, the Director of the Queer Straight Social and Political Alliance, told the University of Nebraska student newspaper: "He would be poorly received by the student body in general."
Brown, himself, said he didn't know how he would fit in at Stanford. "The truth is the truth," Brown said, "I don't believe you compromise any truth for whatever job." Ironically, Brown's wife earned a degree from Stanford and his niece has just been admitted there. "If I'd been discriminated against for being Black, they never would have told me that. They had no problem telling me it was because of my Christian beliefs."
Brown, who holds a bachelor's degree from Brown University in Providence, R.I., and a Master's degree from Columbia University in New York City, says "the source of truth is the Bible." Specifically, Brown has said that homosexuality is not Biblically correct.
That led Courtney Wooten to advise that there would be a "huge number" of football players who would be uncomfortable with Brown's views on homosexuality. According to sophomore Julie Fitzgerald, Stanford is a "queer friendly campus." She added that Brown would not fit in very well at Stanford. "If someone with those views came onto campus, there would be a lot of activism about those views."
The Brown episode illustrates once again that the only discrimination that can be tolerated these days is discrimination against Christians. Stanford prides itself in being in the vanguard of institutions which value "inclusion" and "diversity." Their faculty has been out front fighting Ward Connerly in his attempt to bring colorblind admission policies to California public education. But when it comes to an outspoken Christian, there is no room at the inn.
Fortunately Brown, even after 15 years, is still welcome at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, which is easily the most liberal city in Nebraska. Even when Brown revealed some of his more controversial religious views on a Christian radio talk show in 1999, his job was not in jeopardy.
Does this mean, however, that people with Biblically based religious views need to be confined to a certain part of the country?
The voices on the Stanford campus that can whip up a demonstration against alleged racial or ethnic (even anti-Muslim) discrimination in a matter of minutes have been silent regarding Brown. It is perfectly acceptable to discriminate against people whose views are not politically correct.
Brown said it is ironic that a prestigious school founded on religious principles is no longer welcoming to born again Christians. "They seemed to have no notion of squelching or eliminating one because of his representation of Jesus Christ." Brown remarked.
Ryan Wilkins, the President of the Association of Students at the University of Nebraska, told the Daily Nebraskan, "The Stanford decision sends a dangerous message." Wilkins added: "He's a football coach. Judge him on whether his players play well on the field, whether his players respect him or whether his players graduate. Don't hire or disrespect a man because he carries a Bible in his suitcase."
Well said, but not acceptable at Stanford, where politically correct views are more important than Brown's ability to coach.