"Liberty" University

This past December my curiosity led me to the Brigham Young Univeristy student affairs webpage to explore their campus life page. In hopes of finding a "lifestyle clause" or the equivalent of such, I came across a weak and humorous representation of student expectations off their prospective F.A.Q. page (see archive post).

This past weekend a story was sent to me via email from a friend that I just had to look into. Having a strong distaste for parochial institutions in higher education, I was forwarded to the story below.

Conservative University Founded by Jerry Falwell Bans College Democrats Club:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/22/conservative-university-founded-jerry-falwell-bans-college-democrats-club/?test=latestnews

Keep in mind this is from FOXNews, however - surprisingly not as straightforward as I would have expected.

Reading through the reasoning as to why Liberty's administration took action to ban the student led Democratic Club was as disingenuous as to my own mentality of religious based organizations. Quite simply, I don't believe in the ideologies and the method of pedagogy used in educational instruction. I don't believe in the lifestyle they promote and the angst they have for individuals and groups disaffiliated with their "values and morals." I have given parochial institutions a lot of silent and a little outspoken verbage concerning their sanctity within their measures of inequality in their beliefs and practices.

Mark Hines, the VP of Liberty's student affairs claims [that the Democratic party violates the school's principles by supporting abortion, socialism and the "'LGBT' agenda," referring to lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people. The e-mail said that even though the campus group "may not support the more radical planks of the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party is still the parent organization of the club on campus."]

What the university is dispelling is that social values and political values are not mutually exclusive. Can one not be pro-life and a Democrat? Can one not support gay marriage and be a Republican? To go off of that, can one not be gay and believe in God?

Liberty is treating politics, religious beliefs, and social issues hand-in-hand. Our ideologies, our values, our choosen spirituality and our given orientations are not mutual. They are not dependent on one another and cannot be treated as so.

Though Liberty is a private institution, their students do qualify for federal aid and the university has access to federal funding. I'm interested to see how Democratic student leaders will act in defending their rights outlined in the Liberty statements and the state (VA) andn federal constitutions. We should see action toward a resolution in the freedom to organize and the freedom to speak on one's own independent behalf.