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[offthemarket]

Fundamentalist conservative groups have been stepping all over progressive groups for years, taking advantage of the ethical bent of progressives to question fairness.

They don't care about fairness, they care about winning.

They established a shell 'student group' to do conduct a political campaign on campus.  Get down in the dirt with them.  Get lambda to call them them out on the fact that they're not a genuine student group.  Get lambda a table right next to 'em, and sit at that table campaigning to protect marriage from homophobic bigots.

What horrible advice.  It is just as wrong for a director of the cultural center to sit at a table with lambda as it would be for the director to sit at a table with the LDSS.  As long as both are student groups, the director must be impartial and provide equivalent services to each student group.

This is exactly how fundamentalists win.  They create some bizarre notion and then promote false equivalence asking for "impartiality."

It's not identified as a student group, it's just a political cause wrapped up under the label of one.  Just like 'intelligent design' is fake science posing as science (inter-thread alert).  Or how the notion that Obama is a terrorist or socialist gets equal attention as McCain's role as the head of the Keating Five, though one is a bizarre idea and the other is fact.

The director of the cultural center needs to promote discourse and culture, and not let it get bogged down in the muck of fundamentalism.  Just because you want to market your loony ideas, doesn't mean the university needs to legitimize them.

[allbutfoundajob]

This is exactly how fundamentalists win.  They create some bizarre notion and then promote false equivalence asking for "impartiality."

It's not identified as a student group, it's just a political cause wrapped up under the label of one.  Just like 'intelligent design' is fake science posing as science (inter-thread alert).  Or how the notion that Obama is a terrorist or socialist gets equal attention as McCain's role as the head of the Keating Five, though one is a bizarre idea and the other is fact.

The director of the cultural center needs to promote discourse and culture, and not let it get bogged down in the muck of fundamentalism.  Just because you want to market your loony ideas, doesn't mean the university needs to legitimize them.

How would you feel if this was turned around
"The director of the cultural center needs to promote discourse and culture, and not let it get bogged down in the muck of homosexuality.  Just because you want to market your loony ideas, doesn't mean the university needs to legitimize them."


Both your statement and the above statement are equally bad.  A director of a cultural center is not promoting discourse and culture by declaring that a student group, the LDSS, is unwelcome.  A director of a cultural center would be promoting discourse by providing an opportunity for both student groups to share their views and by making both groups feel welcomed by the college. 

[offthemarket]

I feel I'd get the director of the cultural center busted for being a homophobe. 

Again, a campaign to remove the constitutional rights of gays should not be given the same treatment as other groups.  If the college republicans supported a constitutional amendment to ban miscengenation, would that be okay?  If the college democrats wanted a constitutional amendment to ban Christians from marrying, would it be okay?

[phlebas2006]

The free speech area?!?!?!?

Anywhere they walk is a free speech area.  Good grief.

[clean]

Insert Quote
The free speech area?!?!?!?

My classroom is not a free speach area. 




(I am well paid for my talks).

[helpful]

It's Latter Day Saints (ie. the Mormons), not Later Day Saints!

[ideagirl]

It's Latter Day Saints (ie. the Mormons), not Later Day Saints!

It's California. Maybe there, they call themselves "Later, Dude! Saints."

[claragold]

The free speech area?!?!?!?

Anywhere they walk is a free speech area.  Good grief.

Not in a liberal-dominated university. Gone were the days...

In many institutions, "anywhere they walk" is now a speech-code and liberal-ideology dominated area.

Not only can't students  speak their minds, they are subjected to its correlate, thought and opinion control. And obviously, the same applies even more to professors...

To be fair though, the idea that expansive freedom of speech ever existed some time in the past is not historically real. And even today, I would say  there is more freedom of speech in the US than in many European university systems.

[european]

To be fair though, the idea that expansive freedom of speech ever existed some time in the past is not historically real. And even today, I would say  there is more freedom of speech in the US than in many European university systems.

Could you clarify?

[patchouli]

These restrictions on free speech are frightening.  Both sides should be allowed equal access and discussion.  What's with the free speech "area"?  Is this a public college?

I decided to get futher clarification on the policy for political activity and student clubs. My main concern is that political activity was taking place during a campus-wide club recruitment day. Since then I have suggested a meeting witht the Director of Student Activities.

Political Campaign Materials are not permissible on campus for any reason, unless for the following purposes:
1.) Using in the Free Speech Area (request needs to be registered through the through the Master Calendar/Public Information office for the day/time of use)
2.) As part of a Club/Org. display that has been registered through the Master Calendar/EMS or Free Speech Use Processes
3.) As a Distribution of Printed Materials Request in the A.S. and/or Club Mailboxes.
4.) Presentations at A.S. and Club Meetings
All other considerations, including, but not limited to displaying, storing or carrying the items anywhere on campus are not permissible as noted in Board Policy 6310 and 7370.

I have decided to meet with the Director over the issue, but since then supporters/opposers of the Proposition 8 have been very active on campus using the Free Speech area, with no disruption. In fact, many students have been involved in on-going discussion in a civil way.  Throughout the city, many youth groups have formed informal demonstrations as well. This proposition is definately getting youth involved in the elections as never before. Very nice to see!