Virginia ACLU to Gov. Bob McDonnell: stop funding discriminatory public student organizations

It’s a sad day when I am on the opposite side of an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issue, but in the case of the Virginia ACLU’s request that Gov. Bob McDonnell “veto legislation that compels public colleges and universities to recognize and fund student organizations that discriminate in their membership based on sexual orientation and religion,”[1]I absolutely agree with the Virginia ACLU!

The issue at hand revolves around publicly funded student organizations who discriminate in their membership based upon religion and sexual orientation[2].

America’s various governments pick winners and losers, so to speak, everyday, whether we like it or not. 

But of course, liberals don’t mind so much. In fact, liberals like it when government steers society towards social ends that liberals (and hopefully other Americans too) agree with. So-called conservative governments do this too, but that’s a different story.

So if America is going to pick winners and losers, it needs to pick winners based upon values that lay at the foundation of what makes America the country that it is: freedom of choice, freedom of thought, freedom of assembly, etc. But if America’s governments (Federal, state, local) are picking winners (through funding in this case) that transgress these fundamental American values, then the funding should be revoked.

According to the Executive Director of the Virginia ACLU, Claire Guthrie Gastanaga, “[The bills] are not necessary to protect student free speech or associational rights, and college and universities should not be required to fund and lend their names to discriminatory acts.”[3] Enough said, ladies and gentleman, enough said.

While it is important to allow any group in America to have the choice to discriminate based on whatever criteria they see fit, these groups shouldn’t be given public money, period.

America is strong because it tolerates difference. What Virginia and America should never tolerate, however, is the public funding of discriminatory groups whose actions fly in the face of some of America’s fundamental values.

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[1] https://acluva.org/11111/aclu-urges-governor-to-veto-bill-requiring-public-universities-to-fund-discriminatory-student-organizations/

[2] http://acluva.org/

[3] http://washingtonexaminer.com/aclu-urges-bob-mcdonnell-to-block-bills-allowing-college-groups-to-discriminate/article/2523742