Liberty University

• Boston Globe: Obama's change message still resonates with youth.
• Winograd and Hais wonder in the LA Times whether the Millennials are taking on the role of their grandparents.
• Allison Fine reports on the Case Foundation's Giving Challenge.
• United We Serve, the White House summer of service, kicked of Monday.
• YouTube and All For Good team up to connect video makers and nonprofits.
• Google + Data.gov + Gapminder Visualizations: Is this a game changer?
• Liberty University has decided that maybe their Young Democrats policy WAS a bit unfair.
• A profile of a few young campaign staffers from the Obama campaign and what they're planning to do in the future.

Liberty University's recent eviction of the Young Democrats organization from their campus facilities has me thinking about a paradox in the conservative movement. On one hand, conservatives like to portray themselves as tough and devoted to what they happen to believe. On the other hand, in various situations in which their views might be challenged, conservatives tend to want to eradicate any opposition to their views, suggesting that their views might not be able to withstand the opposition's.

When then-candidate Barack Obama had a back-and-forth with John McCain and conservatives regarding whether or not to create dialogue with our enemies, conservatives attacked Obama for his willingness to talk to the other side, as if talking in and of itself was equivalent to surrender.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Senator Obama has declared and repeatedly affirmed his intention to meet the president of Iran without any preconditions, likening it to meetings between former American presidents and the leaders of the Soviet Union. Such a statement betrays the depth of Senator Obama's inexperience and reckless judgment.

McCain and his conservative brethren apparently only want to fire up Reagan's "beacon of freedom" when the coast is clear, when there's nothing that tests it. McCain and Co.'s suggestion that Obama is the one with the "reckless judgment" is asinine when they were the ones both ignoring reality (Iran is a sovereign nation) and lacking trust that America's values would prevail in such a discussion.

The most recent example -- Liberty University's escapades -- provides us with yet another scenario in which conservatives can't bear to have their views challenged by others. Former Arkansas senator J. William Fulbright once noted that dissent is an act of faith in a democracy. It makes sense. A nation can tolerate the inevitable questions and feedback if it is confident in the values guiding it. In the end, dissent strengthens the country, rousing it out of complacency and forcing it to come to terms with potential problems on the horizon.

For a Republican Party that increasingly belongs to those sharing the same worldview of these Liberty officials, this isn't a great development (whether they realize it or not). This is one more example of the false confidence that is on the rise in today's increasingly homogeneous GOP. Conservatives claim to believe in rock-solid principles, but when it comes time to put them to use in a constructive dialogue, many run away from these values and opt for hasty actions that serve to distract. Iraq, anyone?

As far as Liberty is concerned, the notion that the administration was forced to eliminate the Young Democrats from campus because of its parent organization's un-Christian views on abortion and LGBT issues will never be logically sound unless the Liberty Republican counterpart is also asked to leave because of its pro-war, pro-death penalty views (many consider these to be un-Christian). Of course, if Liberty is as patriotic as its name implies, a healthy pluralism would be encouraged.

All of this boils down to a couple views that Liberty apparently has and is communicating to all of us:

1.) Young people who significantly disagree with us on a few issues aren't allowed to agree with us on others.

2.) We don't have enough confidence in what we believe in to subject those beliefs to criticism.

One gets the feeling that the GOP is now a fledgling kids' club, run by a few obnoxious brats, who will soon realize that after booting everyone they didn't like for one reason or another, they're the only ones left. Jim Jeffords. Colin Powell. Richard Clarke. David Frum. Scott McClellan. Meghan McCain. Harriet Miers. Arlen Specter. And millions of Republicans-turned-independents. How much longer until its Dick, Rush, Sean, and the Liberty administration?

Rod Snyder, Mid-Atlantic Region Director of the Young Democrats of America, sent an email to Liberty University's Vice-President of Student Affairs about the ban of the Young Democrats club. This led to the following email exchange, in which Falwell Jr. himself responds.

From: Rod Snyder
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 5:14 PM
Subject: Letter to Mark Hine regarding the Liberty University Young Democrats

Mr. Hine:

I was disappointed when I learned this afternoon that the Liberty University College Democrats has lost its recognition as an official campus organization. As an Evangelical Christian and a Young Democratic leader, I am personally offended by the decision of the university and, more importantly, by the underlying assertion that a person cannot be both a Christian and a Democrat.

I attended Christian schools throughout my entire educational experience, including a non-denominational high school in West Virginia and a Baptist university in Pennsylvania . During college I interned at the Faith and Politics Institute on Capitol Hill, which facilitates racial harmony in Congress and non-violent conflict resolution around the world. Over the past several years, I have served in various leadership roles at my local church. Much of my adult life has been spent advancing the notion that neither the Republican nor Democratic Party has a foothold on the Christian faith.

Admittedly, my faith deeply informs my politics. I am a Democrat because I believe in social justice. I believe that every man, woman and child has a basic right to healthcare, a living wage and a basic standard of living. I believe that war and violence should be used as a last resort. I believe that every human being has intrinsic value and that discrimination is never warranted. I believe that our Creator has given us a responsibility to be stewards of His creation. But I would never assert that the Christian faith exclusively belongs to the Democratic Party, and I expect the same level of respect and deference from my fellow believers in the Republican Party.

It goes without saying that the Democratic Party represents a diverse set of interests and constituencies. My own political positions do not necessarily align with 100% of the Democratic Party platform, and I would assume that most Republicans do not necessarily agree with the entirety of their national Party’s policy stances. However, to block students from organizing with likeminded classmates deprives them of a fundamental right of political expression and curtails important discourse on your campus and in your community.

The Liberty University code of conduct states that students “may not engage in any activity on or off campus that would compromise the testimony or reputation of the University”. I would allege that this ill conceived decision does more to damage the reputation of the University than the actions of a group of students who are earnestly wrestling with how to best live out their faith in the political arena.

I respectfully request that the Liberty University College Democrats be permitted to continue as an officially recognized student group and be allowed to support those candidates and issues they believe to be consistent with their values.

Furthermore, I intend to investigate the legality of a religious institution that only officially recognizes the activities of one political Party on campus. The precedent is troublesome, and I hope you will reconsider your decision.

Regards,

Rod Snyder
Director, Mid-Atlantic Region
Young Democrats of America

--------------------------------------

From: Jerry Falwell
To: Rod Snyder
Cc: Staver, Mathew ( Law School ); Hine, Mark (VP StudentAffairs);
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 5:50:09 PM
Subject: FW: Letter to Mark Hine regarding the Liberty University Young Democrats

Rod,

You have been misinformed about LU's position and its actions regarding the Democratic Club on campus. Mat Staver or Mark Hine will reply in detail later but I told the press today that the student members of this club are good Christian kids and friends of mine. We do not believe and have not stated that one cannot be Christian and Democrat. We are encouraging this club to affiliate with Democrats for Life or some similar organization so that we can endorse them once again. Even if they remain affiliated with the DNC, they will not be prevented from meeting on campus or having a club. They just cannot use LU's name because of the DNC's position on abortion.

Thanks,

Jerry Falwell, Jr.
President
Liberty University

--------------------------------------

From: Staver, Mathew ( Law School )
To: Rod Snyder
Cc: Jerry Falwell; Hine, Mark (VP StudentAffairs)
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 6:26:32 PM
Subject: RE: Letter to Mark Hine regarding the Liberty University Young Democrats

Rod

We have never said that you cannot be a Christian and a Democrat. We know many Democrats who are Christians, and we know many Republicans and Independents who are not, and vice versa. Christianity is not confined to a political party, nor do we believe that salvation depends on your political affiliation.

We have categorically denied that statement that suggested we said you cannot be a Christian and a Democrat. The problem is some media sources ran with certain unsubstantiated reports. Fortunately, the Washington Post has indicated it will correct its story once it learned the full story. In fact, as I spoke with many media today and explained what we did and did not do, many responded by wondering what was the big issue here. It is much less than what was originally spun to the media. I might note this reached the broad media today via a telephone conference with media sponsored by Terry McAuliffe. The media began calling following that conference and much of the information discussed on that conference was inaccurate.

We applaud Christians and students working in all parties to bring about positive change. These students are good students and we hope they can work within the Democratic Party to advance moral issues, including, but not limited to, the sanctity of human life and traditional marriage. We also hope they can similarly bring about positive change in the Republican Party, or any party of their choice.

The only issue here, and it is a narrow one and not the broad brush that some have run with today, is official recognition, which means use of the University name and funds. The University is reviewing all the clubs, not just this particular club. While students are free to advocate various issues, debate them, and associate with varying political parties, we believe the University is not required to lend its official name to them and underwrite their efforts or avocation of issues that run contrary to the mission of the University.

Thanks for your email and for coming to the source rather than passing on incorrect information. We appreciate that very much.

Mathew D. Staver
Dean and Professor of Law
Liberty University School of Law

--------------------------------------

From: Rod Snyder
To: Jerry Falwell; Staver, Mathew ( Law School );
Cc: Hine, Mark (VP StudentAffairs)
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2009 10:28:51 AM
Subject: Re: Letter to Mark Hine regarding the Liberty University Young Democrats

Jerry and Mathew,

Thank you both for your quick responses to my letter to Mark Hine yesterday afternoon. After all of the media coverage of the last 24 hours, there’s probably not much I can add at this point. But I want to make just a few more comments.

The underlying problem is that your university now officially recognizes only one Party organization on campus, which rightfully exposes you to criticism that you are a partisan educational institution. I’m certain this is something you want to avoid for many reasons, not the least of which is the legal questions I raised in my letter yesterday. If you insist on this course of action, I believe a more prudent decision on your part would be to dissolve all partisan groups on campus altogether.

You mentioned that the club could affiliate with Democrats for Life; however, you are presuming that the students want to focus only on a narrow set of policy issues, which I’m sure is not the case. Trust me when I say I completely understand the sensitivity surrounding the abortion issue. But you are making an unfortunate leap of logic to suggest that recognizing an official Young Democrat club at your school ties you to the pro-choice agenda. As an institution of higher learning, your view of political parties is startling narrow.

To take this a step further, I wonder if Liberty University would be willing to review the Republican platform while considering many Christians’ feelings on issues such as the death penalty and the doctrine of preemptive war, etc.

I have many friends who attended Liberty over the years, so I refuse to demonize your administration, faculty or student body. But you have insisted on alienating many of your own students and alumni --- not to mention a broader community of Christians like myself who are trying to elevate the level of civil discourse around faith and politics rather than using Christianity as a blunt object in a partisan power struggle.

I genuinely appreciate the fact that you will not forbid the club from meeting on campus or using your facilities. But this gesture is not enough. I ask again that you reconsider your decision.

Thank you,

Rod Snyder
Director, Mid-Atlantic Region
Young Democrats of America

Thanks to Rod Snyder for giving me permission to post this exchange and for writing such a strong response to the university.

The petition drive supporting the Liberty University Young Democrats is still going strong. Sign the petition and show your support.

Liberty University, the college founded by Jerry Falwell, has banned the Young Democrats club from the university while allowing the Republican organization to exist.

The argument is that the "Democratic Party Platform is contrary to the mission of LU and to Christian doctrine (supports abortion, federal funding of abortion, advocates repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, promotes the "LGBT" agenda, Hate Crimes, which include sexual orientation and gender identity, socialism, etc)."

The Young Democrats chapter had previously been an approved organization on campus until the chapter President, Brian Diaz, received a cease and desist email from Vice President of Student Affairs Mark Hine:

Brian,

I must inform you that the College democrats' club is no longer going to be recognized as a Liberty University club. We are unable to lend support to a club whose parent organization stands against the moral principles held by Liberty University. I expressed these concerns when we met, earlier in the spring semester.

The Liberty Way states, "It is the duty of every student to respect Liberty's Statement of Doctrine and Purpose. They may not engage in any activity on or off campus that would compromise the testimony or reputation of the University or cause disruption to Liberty's Christian learning environment."

The Liberty University School of Law had been working on a policy to govern their clubs and organizations for quite some time. They have now completed that policy and we have adopted it for Liberty University as well. Now that it has been adopted and will apply to all clubs and organizations, it is clear that this club does not comply.

Below is a copy of the policy which governs clubs and organizations at Liberty University. This policy is posted on the website.

"STUDENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS POLICIES

Student clubs or organizations must request and receive permission from the Liberty University administration before they may meet on campus, advertise, distribute or post materials, or use any University facilities for their activities or events. All such clubs or organizations and their activities or events must be consistent with the University's mission, and must be and remain in compliance with the Liberty Way, the Honor Code, and any policies or procedures promulgated by the University. The University reserves the right to refuse the use of its facilities for any reason to any student club, organization, activity or event.

Consistent with the Honor Code, all students, student clubs and organizations, faculty and staff of Liberty University, have a responsibility to uphold the moral and ethical standards of this institution and personally confront those who do not.

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 (even if the similarly named group is not the actual parent, affiliate or chapter) are inconsistent or in conflict with the distinctly Christian mission of the University, the Liberty Way, the Honor Code, or the policies and procedures promulgated by the University."

Even though this club may not support the more radical planks of the democratic party, the democratic party is still the parent organization of the club on campus. The Democratic Party Platform is contrary to the mission of LU and to Christian doctrine (supports abortion, federal funding of abortion, advocates repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, promotes the "LGBT" agenda, Hate Crimes, which include sexual orientation and gender identity, socialism, etc). The candidates this club supports uphold the Platform and implement it. The candidates supported are directly contrary to the mission of LU. By using LU or Liberty University and Democrat in the name, the two are associated and the goals of both run in opposite directions.

We are removing the club from the Liberty website and you will need to cease using Liberty University's name, including any logo, seal or mark of Liberty University. They are not to be used in any of your publications, electronic or internet, including but not limited to, any website, Facebook, Twitter or any other such publication.

If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mark Hine
VP for Student Affairs
Liberty University

Since the email has been received the Virginia Young Democrats and Young Democrats of America have been bringing the situation to national attention. Brian Diaz was interviewed on the Rachel Maddow Show about the situation:

The Young Democrats have created a petition to allow people to show their support for the Liberty University Young Democrats and encourage the university to reverse its decision to ban the organization.

Please sign the petition and spread the word. A university with non-profit status and federal aid should not be allowed to become an instrument of a single political party.

For the university it seems Liberty is solely a name, not a principle, and one that only belongs to the Republican Party.

This is the most absurd and ridiculous thing I have seen in a while when it comes to our nation's youth. I just received an email from David Hardt, President of the Young Democrats of America, informing everyone that Liberty University disbanded the Young Democrats club on their campus for supporting the Democratic Party's principles which is "contrary to the mission of LU and to Christian doctrine"

The absurd letter from Liberty University's administrators is below:

Even though this club may not support the more radical planks of the democratic party, the democratic party is still the parent organization of the club on campus. The Democratic Party Platform is contrary to the mission of LU and to Christian doctrine (supports abortion, federal funding of abortion, advocates repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, promotes the "LGBT" agenda, Hate Crimes, which include sexual orientation and gender identity, socialism, etc). The candidates this club supports uphold the Platform and implement it. The candidates supported are directly contrary to the mission of LU. By using LU or Liberty University and Democrat in the name, the two are associated and the goals of both run in opposite directions.

We are removing the club from the Liberty website and you will need to cease using Liberty University's name, including any logo, seal or mark of Liberty University. They are not to be used in any of your publications, electronic or internet, including but not limited to, any website, Facebook, Twitter or any other such publication.

Mark Hine
VP for Student Affairs
Liberty University

Please sign their online petition to reinstate the club and shows these clowns at Liberty University that in America we believe in Freedom of expression