Rachel Maddow on Liberty University's Ban of Democrat Club

I see this as strictly politics. The school can't claim private status to do what they want because they receive government money.

31 votes

#1 - Sat May 23, 2009 10:21 AM EDT

AdipicAcid

Do they? I thought they were entirely private to prevent Federal meddling in their curriculum.

6 votes

#1.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 12:33 PM EDT

JoulesBeef

their students get finacial aid to hear a one sides view.
even if they dont get gov assistance, they can have that removed.
I shouldnt have topay finicial aid in the form of taxes to get people indocturnated in one political ideology.
and dont give me the bull@!$%# that all other universities on the planet is liberal, that paranoid bull@!$%# is getting old.

IT really is time to start to tax and regulate these political churches. They are pretending to be religious to avoid the federal rules,and then they make fake law schools to force their view into the 3rd branch of gov, they have their own colleges where they ban groups that dont share there same thought.

and there is nothign wrong with that.. just keep it inside your religion.. ban abortion from your flock, you even have a method of punishment.. excommunication, abn what ever you want in the church,

otherwise they should be taxed, audited and regulated like the political pacs they are.
we used to not tax them to protect the churches from the gov, but it is obvious they dont fear the gov and it is the gov that needs protection from the churches.
we are not and will never be a theocracy.
it's time to tax them.. they will stop this bull @!$%# sooo fast your head would spin.

20 votes

#1.2 - Sat May 23, 2009 1:30 PM EDT

ftmackinc

I fully support the government using all the power of its agencies, including the IRS, to investigate and then remove the tax exemption of any and all, so called "religious" organizations involved in politics at any level in any way.

No matter if they call themselves a church, a school or an ice cream stand. Start at the top and keep doing it until we return to some semblance of RESPECT for the Separation of Church and State.

The "Christian Reich" with its "Christian Nation, anti gay, anti illegal’s, uber intolerant, Creationist demanding, dark ages or we kill you all for Christ" bull@!$%# has gone as far as we dare allow if we are to remain a free people.

Ok, maybe not that, I don't feel quite like the Pakistani government with the Taliban in the Swat Valley but....It certainly gives me gas and I am sick and tired of the fools.

Furthermore…. I think the government should use its full enforcement powers to collect every cent owed by such groups, their founders, members, management, any and all.

Tell you what, you hit one of these monster church demagogues with that and I bet you dimes to dollars the rest shut the hell up so fast they crack a tooth one and all…lol

Now theres a revenue producing idea I like...I like it a lot.

22 votes

#1.3 - Sat May 23, 2009 2:58 PM EDT

Independent Ed

It appears to me that "Liberty University" has just added itself to the list of oxy-morons.

10 votes

#1.4 - Sat May 23, 2009 4:19 PM EDT

Darn it Ed, I was gonna say that!

8 votes

#1.5 - Sat May 23, 2009 8:03 PM EDT

Stop the ignorance.

Ftmackinc states in post# 1.3

I fully support the government using all the power of its agencies, including the IRS, to investigate and then remove the tax exemption of any and all, so called "religious" organizations involved in politics at any level in any way.

In addition to that, perhaps the government should lean on the US Dept. of Education and the Counsel for High Education and Assessment (CHEA) to revoke the accreditation afforded to graduates of LU based on discrimination.

Like revoking tax exempt status, revoking accreditation would hit them even harder. It would turn them into the equivalent of ITT. Good luck recruiting after that!

10 votes

#1.6 - Sat May 23, 2009 8:43 PM EDT

KBUTTDeleted

Maybe they should call it a BM.

6 votes

#1.8 - Sat May 23, 2009 10:57 PM EDT

Private University can ban whomever they want. Notre Dame jails people who demonstrate against abortion on their campus.

#1.9 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:24 PM EDT

Bubba,

Those jailed demonstrators were not students of Norte Dame and there were demonstrators on the quad the night before and the day of Obama visit and no problem for those. Free political speech is part of the first amendment LU takes money from the Feds which means there will be some %$#% to pay for their stupidity. Maybe they will have to give up all of their Bibles and crucifixes lets hope so. That would make a great bon fire for home coming!

11 votes

#1.10 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:36 PM EDT

The students take out federally subsidized loans to attend school there. I recommend the government quit giving them money THEN Liberty can ban whomever they please and at the same time save our tax dollars. Then everybody's happy.

4 votes

#1.11 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:51 PM EDT

Jimster

Liberty? University

6 votes

#1.12 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:59 PM EDT

Support Recognition of the Young Democrats at Liberty University. Sign the petition and let Liberty know that you support the First Amendment rights of the Young Democrats on campus!!

23 votes

#2 - Sat May 23, 2009 10:25 AM EDT

MR9929

PowerIsKnowledge good seed . It was a pleasure to sign the petition...

20 votes

#2.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 10:45 AM EDT

inoubliable

ditto. petition signed. thanks for bringing this to our attention.

18 votes

#2.2 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:08 AM EDT

midgebaker

Done deal. If "Liberty" University won't back down, I suggest a petition requesting them to rename themselves "Republican Theocratic" University.

20 votes

#2.3 - Sat May 23, 2009 12:08 PM EDT

Signed.

They can continue to ban whoever they want as long as they give up tax-exempt status and not take any taxpayer money whatsoever.

16 votes

#2.4 - Sat May 23, 2009 1:55 PM EDT

Signed and submitted.

7 votes

#2.5 - Sat May 23, 2009 8:15 PM EDT

TR-421173

Signed

7 votes

#2.6 - Sat May 23, 2009 9:03 PM EDT

Ditto

5 votes

#2.7 - Sat May 23, 2009 9:04 PM EDT

The merry-go-round let us pull another ring.

Count me in. Done

5 votes

#2.8 - Sat May 23, 2009 9:15 PM EDT

bonos_rama

Liberty University hates us for our freedoms.

26 votes

#3 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:07 AM EDT

longriders

signed petition. Thanks for the opportunity.

16 votes

#4 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:31 AM EDT

Tappy McWidestance

I guess this means Liberty supports the use of torture and the killing of innocent civilians since they support Republican policies. As a "Christian" university they should also be supportive of Jesus' ministry to the poor, but that must have gone out the window too.

28 votes

#5 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:36 AM EDT

Tappy

Exactly! Neither party holds the moral high ground. Imagine how these folks must teach American history with anything involving the Democratic party being anti-Christ. My Jesus the Christ would assault their temple, not tolerate it.

16 votes

#5.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:56 AM EDT

CliffDogg

Yes, and @!$%#ting on the poor, turning away the homeless and helpless.

3 votes

#5.2 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:14 PM EDT

In my opinion this is a very poorly thought out action by Liberty University and it attention seeking, bigoted leadership. It means that the US and VA state governments are, in fact, supporting the suppression of freedom of expression without justification (to say nothing of the establishment of religion).

As Thomas Jefferson put it regarding our government: “The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or otherwise to publish anything but false facts affecting injuriously the life, liberty, property or reputation of others, or affecting the peace of the confederacy with foreign nations.”

I call upon the US Congress, VA state legislature, and state and Federal courts to rethink the Constitutionality of any financial support of Liberty University. Anyone who wants to attend an evangelical school (primary, secondary, or post-secondary) has that right - but NOT with the support of our taxes. Our government does not exist to promote any religious dogma or inappropriately deny freedom of expression - despite the eternal efforts of the far right to prostitute the Bill of Rights and use governmental power to promote the evangelical agenda.

Liberty University has crossed the line and must be held accountable. All other private, religious supported post-secondary schools should also repudiate this demagoguery. I say they must either repudiate it or pay their own way.

18 votes

#6 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:47 AM EDT

Contact information for:

Governor Tim Kane

Senator Jim Webb and Senator Mark Warner (both addresses on same web page)

Virginia State Legislators

13 votes

#7 - Sat May 23, 2009 12:13 PM EDT

Thank you.

7 votes

#7.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 7:34 PM EDT

Kate In Greensboro

If words had legal standing the word "Liberty" could sue the university for misappropriation.

14 votes

#8 - Sat May 23, 2009 12:14 PM EDT

Kate In Greensboro

If words had legal standing the word "Liberty" could sue the university for misappropriation.

5 votes

#9 - Sat May 23, 2009 12:15 PM EDT

Kate In Greensboro

Sorry for the duplicate; ISP hiccup.

4 votes

#9.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 12:59 PM EDT

Krankee

I say they should have any and all Federal funding pulled. Even if that means students can't afford class. Current students will be forced to seek out a University that does not discriminate.

You know alot of those students are on Federal Grants and Loans. This type of discrimination is a good reason not to have funding for charter schools and private universities. You wanna be a Fundie!? Do it on your own dime!

13 votes

#10 - Sat May 23, 2009 1:09 PM EDT

JoulesBeef

I guess they use that new patriot bible.
jesus was a dem.

9 votes

#11 - Sat May 23, 2009 1:43 PM EDT

POWERISKNOWLEDGE,

Is this not the college that Bush got his Lawyers from that screwed up so much?

One was a young blond woman I believe.

7 votes

#12 - Sat May 23, 2009 3:37 PM EDT

I don't know JD?

7 votes

#12.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 3:41 PM EDT

I had seen some hearings on her and she had refused to testify at those congressional hearings. The commentators were talking about that she and several others had come from Pat Robertson’s Liberty College and something to the effect that it was not fully accredited for the kind of law that she and the others were supposedly hired for.

I will try and dig it up and post something if I can.

6 votes

#12.2 - Sat May 23, 2009 3:47 PM EDT

Thanks JD, I'd appreciate that!

6 votes

#12.3 - Sat May 23, 2009 3:50 PM EDT

Bob-725866

The Bush administration appointed to Justice 150 graduates of Pat Robertson's Regent University which was accredited in 1996. The blond was Monica Goodling, a 1999 Regent grad she quit the Justice Department after she refused to testify before Congress by pleading the Fifth. She had virtually no prosecutor experience before landing a job at the top levels of the Justice Department.

8 votes

#12.4 - Sat May 23, 2009 7:14 PM EDT

Thanks Bob!

6 votes

#12.5 - Sat May 23, 2009 7:28 PM EDT

Thanks Bob! I new I was close but could not get it it all together here. Am working at home at the sametime.

7 votes

#12.6 - Sat May 23, 2009 7:32 PM EDT

MaryEllen Galloway

I think you're correct. The news report (I forget which network it was on) named her, and showed her photo the other night when the were reporting the story about LU.

#12.7 - Sun May 24, 2009 4:57 PM EDT

la88

She was from Regent Universitys Law School, and it's Liberty University, but are law school was in the top 3 of Virginia in it's first year, which was last year,thanks for asking. Pretty good for an inaugrual year at a school with a one sided education.

#12.8 - Mon May 25, 2009 6:47 PM EDT

Yeah, if you want 'no nothings' in charge of governmental offices...she couldn't even testify honestly, she had to take the 'fifth'...doesn't bode well for future alumni to get into 'power position's'...

6 votes

#12.9 - Mon May 25, 2009 7:08 PM EDT

la88

what im saying dcstone is that she didnt come from Liberty..she went to Regent University..when i said "its Liberty university" i was referring to the fact that they were reffered to as Liberty College, but it is sad to hear that she didnt honestly testify.

#12.10 - Mon May 25, 2009 8:51 PM EDT

We all knew the difference la88, no one was confusing the two...

5 votes

#12.11 - Mon May 25, 2009 9:24 PM EDT

NotWithOutDeleted

This link you will have to copy and add things to get to link cause I can do this yet.

pat_robertsons_college.html -

2 votes

#14 - Sat May 23, 2009 3:50 PM EDT

Well, I wasn't so much able to use those words, but I did find Regent University...

And here is their page about "Pat Robertson"

5 votes

#14.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 8:27 PM EDT

NotWithOutDeleted

I googled this:

Pat Robertson’s Liberty College and you look for 150 law Grads 2007

Thats a beginning.

8 votes

#16 - Sat May 23, 2009 3:58 PM EDT

John-1079421

Yank their public funding and tax exempt status. Taxpayer dollars should not go to religous organizations to begin with, it's even worse when they discriminate based purely on politics.

7 votes

#17 - Sat May 23, 2009 3:59 PM EDT

"Taxpayer dollars should not go to religous organizations"

Nor should the dollars go to Mexico for abortions.

2 votes

#17.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:29 PM EDT

Bubba,

"Taxpayer dollars should not go to religious organizations"

Nor should the dollars go to Mexico for abortions.

No our tax dollars should stay in this country for them it helps cuts down on the welfare.

5 votes

#17.2 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:41 PM EDT

MaryEllen Galloway

I totally agree with that philosophy.

#17.3 - Sun May 24, 2009 5:00 PM EDT

GoldenGateMami_Susi

Liberty University and universities, colleges, schools of their kind exist for one reason and one reason only................

To prepare an army of blank stared lemmings who will protect the mothership when it lands.

7 votes

#18 - Sat May 23, 2009 4:15 PM EDT

More like the Borg – Resistances is futile… or so they think!

9 votes

#18.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 4:26 PM EDT

The GOP and RNC are running scared and they're attacking from all directions! The banning of the Democratic Club is a smoke screen to divert our attention from their other unsuccessful childish pranks! This is what I call grasping for straws!

I agree with #10-Krankee. Let's pull all federal funding. The students can attend another school and with economy being the way it is, I'm sure they won't have a problem being accepted somewhere else.

11 votes

#19 - Sat May 23, 2009 4:17 PM EDT

NotWithOutDeleted

Independent Ed

NWO, I take it then that you have no problem with every private liberal arts college in the US giving the conservatives the heave ho?

7 votes

#19.2 - Sat May 23, 2009 4:30 PM EDT

Dan Hallo, aka, Zoilus

Not solved, "Liberal" is just a word that describes an axiomatic term. It can not be banned or stopped from free thinking men and women. And the law won't let them burn witches any more.

"Is uniformity attainable? Millions of innocent men, women and children since the introduction of Christianity have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned, yet we have not advanced one inch toward uniformity." --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.XVII, 1782.

9 votes

#19.3 - Sat May 23, 2009 4:33 PM EDT

NWO,

Now now you do not like be told you can not participate and we do not like paying tax dollars to support a Talban like college.

Off with those administrators heads. LOL

8 votes

#19.4 - Sat May 23, 2009 4:35 PM EDT

Metal Guitarist

Na. Forget it. My suggestion will get me into trouble. However, you're on the right track, Jack Death.

6 votes

#19.5 - Sat May 23, 2009 5:04 PM EDT

NotWithOutDeleted

Sgt C USMC

NWO, How ironic you were complaining about your 'freedom of speech' being stifled in this thread, and a few posts later, saying it's perfectly okay to have their freedom of speech, press, and assembly removed "as long as it's not against the law"...umm ever hear of the Constitution? First Amendment ? Freedom of Speech , Press, and ASSEMBLY?

I guess as long as it's not you, it's okay...

I thought we lived in the United States of America, not the Unilateral (as in ME FIRST!) States of America...

11 votes

#19.9 - Sat May 23, 2009 6:06 PM EDT

The Christian Riech AKA New American Taliban is like that, freedoms are for them not you.

9 votes

#19.10 - Sat May 23, 2009 6:24 PM EDT

Why do dems care? There are no democrats attending the University. It is Christian.

#19.11 - Sat May 23, 2009 11:33 PM EDT

Jimster

Never met a Christian Democrat?

You need to get out more.

You never fail to disappoint. Keep rollin' with that stellar intellect.

9 votes

#19.12 - Sun May 24, 2009 12:09 AM EDT

NotWithOutDeleted

RE: @19.11

Obviously, there are enough 'Christian Democrats' students on campus to have a 'club'...

that is the topic of the story...

the 'banning of the club'...

8 votes

#19.14 - Sun May 24, 2009 1:19 AM EDT

dcstone,

No fair! You can't use logic against neocon christian reich members, they really hate that.

5 votes

#19.15 - Sun May 24, 2009 4:25 AM EDT

Bubba-939441Deleted

Skye-768303

Just how naive are you, Bubba? President Obama always said he was pro-choice. He did not fool you or anyone else on this stand. And do you really believe he is going to appoint a conservative justice to the Supreme Court? This is no more likely than Bush appointing a liberal justice.

6 votes

#19.17 - Sun May 24, 2009 12:06 PM EDT

Common ground doesn't mean abandoning your beliefs and convictions. It means finding places where diverging opinions overlap.

4 votes

#19.18 - Sun May 24, 2009 12:12 PM EDT

Bubba-939441Deleted

jaywow67Deleted

19.16 - Bubba, either stay on topic or your comments will be deleted.

This thread is not about President Obama, abortion, Mexico, the next supreme court justice pick or who voted for whom, etc.. It's about Liberty University banning the Democratic club.

If you disagree I invite you to contact staff.

5 votes

#19.21 - Sun May 24, 2009 2:57 PM EDT

Sorry for deleting you Jay but your comment was in response to Bubba's off topic comment. Please help me to keep the subject of Liberty students on course, thanks.

4 votes

#19.22 - Sun May 24, 2009 3:04 PM EDT

jaywow67

Sorry Power

1 vote

#19.23 - Sun May 24, 2009 6:40 PM EDT

No apology necessary Jay and thanks for not getting upset. Can you think of anything else we can do to help those students? By the way, your comment was great! Have you written an article on this? If not, you should and if you do send me and email letting me know its title so I can participate, thanks.

4 votes

#19.24 - Sun May 24, 2009 6:47 PM EDT

Metal Guitarist

It just goes to show you how Christians hate freedom and love tyranny. Then again, don't they worship a King?

8 votes

#20 - Sat May 23, 2009 5:03 PM EDT

Bill Maher said it last night those people worship a “Jewish zombie”.

7 votes

#20.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 5:13 PM EDT

I worship a man who gave his life to show me that there are things more important than life, like faith, hope and love. Call him names and be disrespectful if you wish. You certainly aren't the first or the last.

Actually, Christians who have committed their lives to the teachings of the Christ (not the bigots of Liberty U) love freedom and hate tyranny, and they prove it every day with their lives. To group all Christians into the Liberty U evil empire is to be a very prejudiced and ignorant person. So I guess I'm responding to your name calling by calling you names – very prejudiced and ignorant.

3 votes

#20.2 - Sat May 23, 2009 8:49 PM EDT

Dan Hallo, aka, Zoilus

Just let the Christians create a theocracy in America and see if they don't start going after you and your family. Because out of the 5,000 plus denominations of Christianity, it will be the one that is the most dogmatic brutal, and Unchristian-like that, because of this ruthless brutality, will gain the power.
And then persecute all others of different faiths who don't adhere to their flavor of Kool-Aid in order to keep that power..
If you are a reasonaleble man, and ignore this, then you are a fool and just as culpable for what happens as any Satan.

"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." --Thomas Jefferson: his motto.

5 votes

#20.3 - Sun May 24, 2009 1:39 AM EDT

Precisely correct, Dan Hallo!

For those whose nature it is to 'cull the herd' there is no such thing as 'pure' enough. There will always be a victim, one who is (perceived as) less and therefore deserving of deletion.

3 votes

#20.4 - Sun May 24, 2009 10:37 AM EDT

#20-MG-It just goes to show you how Christians hate freedom and love tyranny. Then again, don't they worship a King?

I like this point-of-view!

7 votes

#21 - Sat May 23, 2009 5:10 PM EDT

Metal Guitarist

Spasiba!

5 votes

#21.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 5:12 PM EDT

What does Spasiba mean?

4 votes

#21.2 - Sat May 23, 2009 5:22 PM EDT

TR-421173

It is Thank You In Russian.

5 votes

#21.3 - Sat May 23, 2009 9:25 PM EDT

Thanks TR!

2 votes

#21.4 - Sat May 23, 2009 9:46 PM EDT

Randy McMurphy

spasibo (written)is "thank You" in Russian, but its pronounced Spasiba.

7 votes

#22 - Sat May 23, 2009 5:34 PM EDT

Thanks RMc

3 votes

#22.1 - Sat May 23, 2009 6:31 PM EDT

Thanks RMc

PIK you should have said....

"Spasiba Rmc...."

4 votes

#22.2 - Sat May 23, 2009 8:32 PM EDT

Spasiba dcstone01!

Spasiba Rmc!

Spasiba Metal Gultarist!

4 votes

#22.3 - Sat May 23, 2009 8:45 PM EDT

Randy McMurphy

Where is the David Horowitz outrage over this? Could you imagine a NYU or UCLA banning the college republican clubs, could you imagine the nonstop whining?

Apparently its o.k. for the right to stifle the liberty of college students who dare to think differently than conservative school elders, while they condemn academia and accuse it of "brainwashing" our students in Satanic Secularism, and being like the French. This works for them?

Looks to me like the post death twitches of somebody who just offed themselves. Purely reflexive, unconscious activity.

6 votes

#23 - Sat May 23, 2009 5:55 PM EDT

It appears that they don't think before they act. It seems to me that they'd rather sink then swim or all or nothing--a rather fatalistic attitude.

5 votes

#24 - Sat May 23, 2009 6:35 PM EDT

Randy McMurphy

This frees our hand to focus on real national issues, when they are bogged down in the morass of "value voter" issues and club each other over whether to be total corporatists or
moral scolds. It will take years for them to m
ount any serious challenge to the Democratic majority.

The conservative -liberal fight will still occur, in the Democratic party. The right will be an extremist sideshow till they start running Eisenhowers, if any would join them.

4 votes

#25 - Sat May 23, 2009 6:51 PM EDT

ScienceGuy-356641

ALL religions have ultra-orthodox factions, and these religious extremists are fundamentally intolerant of other religions, cultures, and lifestyles. They only vary in the means by which they display their intolerance.

5 votes

#26 - Sat May 23, 2009 7:00 PM EDT

#26-ScienceGuy-ALL religions have ultra-orthodox factions, and these religious extremists are fundamentally intolerant of other religions, cultures, and lifestyles. They only vary in the means by which they display their intolerance.

To me, this has nothing to do with religion. This is all politics! I see it as sending a message saying, we oppose you, we despise you, we won't work with you, and we can do anything we want because we got away with doing what we wanted before you and we're going to continue doing it our way because whose going to stop us. But I believe they're in for a rude awakening.

7 votes

#27 - Sat May 23, 2009 7:39 PM EDT

ScienceGuy-356641

Religion has a rich history of influence and immersion into politics. One could argue that organized religion evolved as a means to bring a sense of order to society by controlling the behavior of the populace, which is why most nations were originally non-secular.

The concept of a secular government is a cornerstone of that "great experiment"--the Democratic Republic government of the United States. Yet old habits are hard to break.

3 votes

#27.1 - Sun May 24, 2009 1:04 AM EDT