UNC - Wilmington FREEP Cancelled! (Blame Charley!)

August 11, 2004 | Taxrelief

[TaxRelief]

Attention all Southern FReepers!
The UNC-Wilmington FReep plans have been finalized!

Grab yours signs and come to the beach,
Join us for a "Red Elephant" Freep!

Background: In October 2003, the College Republicans were thrown off campus because they refused to sign a non-discrimination pledge. In other words, they did not want Democrats running the Republican club. Mike Adams (Author of the Welcome to the Ivory Tower of Babel: Confessions of a Conservative College Professor provides excellent commentary here

"...the (Student Organizations Committee, or SOC) voted to revoke the registration status of the College Republicans due to the absence of the required adherence clause (read: loyalty oath) and the required anti-discrimination clause in the College Republicans constitution…Because your registration status had (sic) been revoked, the College Republicans has lost all the rights and privileges of a registered student organization..." -Faydra Stratton, UNCW Emperor of Student Clubs

This time it's Republicans; next time it may be pro-life groups or NRA student chapters. UNCW, like other college campuses across the country, has been targeting conservative clubs and limiting free speech--"hate speech"--on campus, under the guise of "Diversity".

We will be handing out informational flyers to parents at Freshman Orientation and will stage a demonstration that points out the ramifications of discrimination against "sub-humans" like conservatives. (< /sarcasm )

So, what's all this stuff about "Red Elephants"?

Freepers will be invited to attach red-felt elephants to their clothing in a symbolic statement. These red elephants will represent the singling out of Republicans on campus (similar to the yellow star of David-nazi Germany). We will picket with signs that say, for instance:

"All Republicans must wear their Red Elephants at all times", or

"Republicans may only enter buildings designated with the Red Elephant.", or

"All Republicans must notify the campus administration of their whereabouts at all times"

and "We are an Equal Opportunity Campus; Republicans will be tolerated."

Or "Republicans must use designated or rear entrances, AT ALL TIMES"

Or "Republicans must sit/stand in the rear of the classroom"

Theoretically, this places the "Nazi" label firmly on the administration of the campus. You gotta love the irony!

Phase 1, which begins bright and early Sunday Morning, will include direct interaction, with parents, at the Wilbur center, handing out "informational flyers".

The weekend bonus: A Mike Adams' booksigning will be available (with special FReeper access) twice during the course of the weekend.

WE have 3 extra books if someone needs to buy one.

We are actually taking this hero of conservatism out to eat.

[dstarr]

Hurrican Charly should have been named Clyde. Get it. Bonnie and Clyde. Okay. I'll shut up and just go back to making signs.

[Tax-chick]

Cute! Bonnie is kaput ... raining on Valdosta, GA, which is probably welcome.

My mom says the southwest coast of Florida is evacuating for Charley. I suppose it could cross Florida to the Atlantic and whack us in Wilmington, but it seems rather improbable.

[TaxRelief]

NC Chapter big event weekend in Wilmington!

NC Superping! Come on down!

[SouthernFreebird]

[TC Rider]

When he was still serious about keeping his Senate seat, the polls showed he had 37% support.

Most in NC feel like they had been sold a bill of goods with Johnny Boy.

[TaxRelief]

"...parodies are part of a long tradition of parodic speech that has received extraordinarily strong protection by the U.S. Supreme Court. Indeed, in the case of Hustler Magazine, Inc et al v. Jerry Falwell, 485 U.S. 46 (1988), one can see that the Supreme Court justifies its protection of parody, not despite its ability to wound its objects and targets, but precisely because of its power to do so.

[Occidental] is seeking to ban sharp parodic speech precisely because it contains the elements that, according to the Supreme Court, call for its heightened protection." - FIRE letter to Occidental College

[Tax-chick]

So you're saying that offending people doesn't bother us ... cool. I'll be wearing a big, church-lady smile, and saying, "Bless your heart! I'm sorry this makes you so unhappy! Would you like a muffin and a prayer card?"

Do you think my Church Hat (chip straw, with a big white peony) would be over the top (as it were)?

[TaxRelief]

Got any of those logos in bumper sticker size?

[Huber]

MEGA FreeSpeechFReep BUMP!

[SouthernFreebird]

http://rebelstore.com/bumperstickers.html

[Huber]

More news on UNC:


Dear Huber,

For the second time in two years, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has derecognized a Christian student organization. According to UNC, a Christian organization that seeks to have Christian members is “discriminatory” and cannot have access to campus facilities, services, or programs. For complete details regarding this violation of student rights to free speech, free exercise of religion, and free association, please read below.

Sincerely,

David French
President
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE)
210 West Washington Square
Philadelphia, PA 19106
mailto:david.french@thefire.org
tel (215) 717-3473 fax (215) 717-3440
www.thefire.org www.thefireguides.org www.speechcodes.org

---

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Denies Recognition to Another Christian Group

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., August 12, 2004—For the second time in less than two years, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) has denied recognition to a Christian group, claiming that the group’s desire to limit its membership to Christians constitutes “discrimination.”

“A Christian group has a right to be Christian, a Muslim group has a right to be Muslim, and a Jewish group has a right to be Jewish,” said David French, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). “It seems absurd that anyone in a free society would have to make this argument, but time and time again FIRE has had to fight for this constitutional right at universities.”

The Alpha Iota Omega Christian fraternity (AIO) at UNC contacted FIRE when, according to AIO leaders, the university suspended the group’s recognition and froze its university account and web access without warning. This occurred after AIO objected to signing an agreement which would have prohibited the use of religious affiliation as a criterion for membership—because following such a policy would defeat the very purpose of having a Christian fraternity. Unrecognized groups do not have official rights at UNC and may not reserve space on campus, apply for funding from mandatory student fees, or take advantage of a variety of other rights and privileges that all recognized groups enjoy.

UNC’s decision is all the more shocking in light of the fact that this is the second time in less than two years that FIRE has had to intervene on behalf of a religious student group suffering from discrimination at the hands of UNC’s administration. In December of 2002, the very same UNC administrators attempted to force the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship to remove a provision of its constitution that required the officers of that Christian group be Christian. UNC quickly reversed this decision after FIRE publicly exposed its unconstitutional and illiberal actions. Read about this case here. Indeed, there have been dozens of cases in which universities have nonsensically punished religious organizations for alleged “discrimination” when they used religious criteria to make religiously significant decisions. Read about religious liberty cases at Rutgers, Purdue, and at colleges and universities across the nation.

UNC’s latest episode of discrimination against religious students began during the fall of 2003, when Segun Olagunju, at that time AIO’s president, met with Jonathan Curtis, UNC’s assistant director for student activities and organizations, to discuss his concerns about the group’s application for recognition. Olagunju reports that during their meeting he offered to submit the fraternity’s application to the administration along with an addendum objecting to the clause in the application that prohibits the use of religious affiliation as a criterion for membership. Curtis, the same administrator who initiated action against InterVarsity (and other Christian groups) in 2002, informed Olagunju that AIO was required to agree to the clause or face derecognition. Under these circumstances, AIO, which has been officially recognized every year since January of 1999, decided not to submit the application containing the nondiscrimination clause.

The members of AIO believe that the clause preventing the fraternity from choosing its members on the basis of religion would hinder its ability to maintain its religious character and mission. AIO defines its mission as, “to train Christian leaders… by upholding the Bible’s true standard of righteousness.”

“For more than twenty years, it has been the law that public universities must provide equal access to religious student organizations. These universities cannot condition that access on the adoption of nondiscrimination regulations that strike at the heart of the religious character of the group,” said FIRE’s French.

In July of 2004, FIRE wrote to UNC Chancellor James Moeser, saying, “UNC simply may not use its nondiscrimination policy to dictate how religious student organizations must deal with matters of faith. If UNC allows expressive organizations to exist at all on its campus, then it must allow religious organizations to exist, to select their own members, and to establish policies and practices in pursuit of their goals. No group can control the content of its message if it is unable to choose its messengers.” While FIRE also expressed a desire to resolve the matter amicably, UNC has yet to attempt to refute the students’ claims or even to defend its actions. Read FIRE's letter to UNC here [HTML] or here [300 KB PDF].

“It is particularly disappointing that UNC has once again denied basic constitutional rights to its religious student organizations. Unlike some other university administrations, UNC’s leadership—because of its actions less than two years ago—is intimately familiar with the constitutional rights of religious students. UNC lacks any excuse for its shameful actions,” said French.

FIRE is a nonprofit educational foundation that unites civil rights and civil liberties leaders, scholars, journalists, and public intellectuals from across the political and ideological spectrum on behalf of individual rights, due process, freedom of expression, academic freedom, and rights of conscience at our nation's colleges and universities. FIRE’s efforts to preserve liberty at UNC and on campuses across America can be viewed at www.thefire.org.

CONTACT:
Greg Lukianoff, Director of Legal and Public Advocacy, FIRE: 215-717-3473; greg@thefire.org
David French, President, FIRE: 215-717-3473; david.french@thefire.org
James Moeser, Chancellor, UNC-Chapel Hill: 919-962-1365; james_moeser@unc.edu
Jonathan Curtis, Assistant Director for Student Activities and Organizations, UNC-Chapel Hill: 919-962-1461; jon@email.unc.edu


FIRE's work is made possible by the generosity of our individual supporters. Please click here to make your tax deductible contribution.

[Tax-chick]

The current weather situation suggests we won't be going to the beach tomorrow! Do we have maps to an alternate activity site? And where are we supposed to be (signs and umbrellas in hand :-) and when, anyway?

[dstarr]

I would suggest going to the museums. The one in Wilmington is good and the one out at Ft. Fisher. One of the state aquariums is also out there at Ft. Fisher. I haven't been in it since it was remodeled.

I will say that going to the beach at Wrightsville can be a hassle now. They have parking meters in the lots and along the streets. It isn't very "day-trip friendly" anymore. It might take a few minutes longer but Carolina Beach or down at Ft. Fisher are better for parking and getting onto the beach. It looks now like we won't have to worry about that anyway if it rains down there like it has here.

[TaxRelief]

FReep Cancelled due to Hurricane Charlie

The UNCW Administration is wimping out! Most "Freepable" activities at UNCW have been postponed, cancelled or spread out over multiple locations. They also have stated that they will evacuate and close down the campus if the winds reach only 40mph.

Disappointing NC *Ping*

We will try to reschedule something with Mike S. Adams at the next logical event!

[Constitution Day]

Dang.

[Constitution Day]

It's all your fault.

[TaxRelief]

If Charley goes down in history as a really bad hurricane, we can git it the nickname "Upchuck Charley".

[Constitution Day]

LOL!

[Tax-chick]

Well, shoot! Stupid liberal hurricane!

[Tax-chick]

But on the plus side, I weighed 125 at my Weight Watchers meeting last night, and by the time we meet Mike Adams, I'll be EVEN THINNER!!!!