“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble , and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”—The First Amendment
While the separation of church and state has served us well, the scorecard is far from balanced. The latest is the action of Vanderbilt University to threaten the Christian Legal Society, a campus club made up of law students at the university with decertification because its constitution requires club officers to participate in Bible study and be Christian. The university says this violates its non-discrimination policy by prohibiting non-Christians from being members.
Huh?
Do you think they can even explain that with a straight face? If the First Amendment means anything it surely means people have a constitutionally guaranteed right to the “free exercise” of their beliefs and to speak freely about them and peaceably assemble to express them—and when the Government or Vanderbilt University crosses the line the people have a right to “petition the government for redress.”
So where is the ACLU?
Oh I forgot, they only represent atheists!
Related articles
- Professor Says Vanderbilt Suppressing Christian Student Groups Amid Shutdown Threats (foxnews.com)
- The Meaning and Importance of Dissent (alternet.org)
- Celebrating the First Amendment at UNC (editdesk.wordpress.com)
- The Myth of Separation of Church and State (socyberty.com)
- Just Published: Let the Students Speak! A History of the Fight For Free Expression in American Schools – Beacon Broadside (beaconbroadside.com)
