According to today's News Advance, the LU College Democrats have submitted a form of an apology and a proposal to be a recognized club on Liberty University's campus once again. Negotiations are ongoing but appear to be coming to a final resolution. One of the points to still be worked out, if the College Democrats want to have campus recognition, is their ability to endorse candidates as a club. If they plan to endorse Democratic Candidates, Liberty University will not grant them recognition. If they agree not to endorse Democratic candidates, then they will likely be recognized by the University.If this is the case, then will this stipulation apply to the College Republicans as well? If not, I don't see how the LU College Democrats can operate as a campus club or organization if other clubs and organizations are not compelled to comply with the same rules and stipulations as they have been presented with.
This hark-ens back to the earliest days of the Christian Church, where the Romans governed and had control over most of the people (alive at the time) in the known world. Christians were persecuted and had to meet in secret to worship in accordance to their beliefs. The symbolism of this is eerily uncanny. Those that were once persecuted for their beliefs and forced to meet, worship, fellowship, in secret or in places that didn't openly display their faith or have public recognition, are now guilty of the same persecution of a group that does not share the same vision of fairness, equity, or interpretation of the Bible.
These courageous young men and women have to make up their own minds and come to their own conclusions, but if the same stipulation of not being able to endorse Democratic candidates is not imposed on other political clubs that Liberty University "recognizes", they should reject this latest offer of recognition from Liberty University.
One last thought, or question. Mr. Mark Hine has never explained where he got the idea that the Democratic Party supports Socialism, or Hate Crimes? I have read nothing or seen nothing that indicates to me or states Democrats support Socialism or persecuting/harming marginalized groups and people. If his preference is to only give his support to groups that support family values and protects traditional marriage, that also support concentrating wealth and power in the hands of a few or a social and religious elite, then give the the groups that will fight for individual freedom and the protections of the individual to make their own choices and decisions how they want to live their lives, not by a narrow and rigid vision of self righteousness which is advocated by Liberty University and all it stands for. It seems that the Ruling Council at Liberty University has a lot more in common with the Ruling Council of Iran than they want to admit.
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I'm on board with you. I'm certainly against how Liberty is treating the LU Dems but I think the main issue is that they honestly think that evangelicism is solely a conservative movement. There are plenty of pro-social issues (hunger and the environment especially) evangelists out there and to try to boot them out of your school symbolically through this is ridiculous. Move into the 21st century. It's a little complicated and grey-area'ed out here LU but I promise you'll have a good time.
ReplyDeleteFor a great read about LU and the contradictions on campus, I suggest reading Kevin Roose's book, The Unlikely Disciple. Kevin transferred from Brown University to Liberty for a semester, got the last interview for print with Jerry Falwell before his death, and learned to appreciate the nuances of the evangelical hodge-podge that LU is. Botom line: Great students, off-the-wall far-right propaganda in doctrine.
ReplyDeleteRizwan ali, thanks for visiting the blog. Just trying to speak from my experience working in politics and grassroots advocacy.
ReplyDeleteLiving in the Lynchburg, Virginia area, there is a huge need to speak truth to power and people that don't want to see the big picture.
Keep coming back and let others know as well. I really want to get a good conversation going about things that really affect people and how they live. If you have suggestion for discussion topic, please feel free to email me at chspkheel@gmail.com.