Abridging Freedom

Paddling, force-feeding alcoholic beverages, requiring new members to perform chores and humiliating tasks, members voluntarily washing a new member's feet in accordance with Scripture; what do all of these activities have in common? According to Savannah State University, all of the aforementioned activities are considered "hazing" and deserving of the most severe sanctions. Last spring, SSU accused a Christian student organization, Committed II Love (C2L), of hazing after a student complained the organization engaged in "practices that are not unlike [that] of a cult," such as "baptisms" and "foot washing" according to a suit filed against the university last week. "If the old members are washing the feet of the new members, who is doing the hazing here?" Greg Scott, national media relations manager for the Alliance Defense Fund, the group representing the plaintiffs in the case against SSU, asked in a phone interview. The truth is C2L wasn't targeted because of their "foot washing" or "baptismal" practices. The SSU administration targeted them because they hold beliefs contrary to the "diversity police" who run college campuses. Like many other students who courageously state their beliefs even if they're unpopular among the campus community, the student members of C2L faced harsh scrutiny and ridicule for holding an event each semester discouraging students from joining Greek letter organizations. SSU is the oldest historically black college in Georgia. Greek letter organizations take on a higher level of cultural importance at most historically black colleges compared to other campuses. They are also more widely accepted and often encouraged by the "diversity police" than other Greek letter organizations. At this event, known as "Biblical Perspectives on Greekdom," guest speakers contrasted Greek culture with Biblical teachings and principles. Generally, these guest speakers told students they shouldn't be members of Greek letter organizations because of their tendency to promote behaviors that are oppositions to Christian teachings. Despite the fact, these gatherings usually only attracted approximately 100 students. Some members of the student community became so afraid of their message they sought to silence them. According to the plaintiff's complaint, one SSU student member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Desi Campbell, began a petition asking for the administration to stop C2L's activities or ban the group from campus. Campbell ultimately collected 150 signatures on his petition. He also attempted to use Facebook.com to bring repute upon C2L. Campbell and an ex-member of C2L created a Facebook group entitled, "Ban the So Called Saints." His online efforts weren't as successful. Only about 12 people joined the group before Facebook administrators removed it. Frustrated by the futility of his efforts in the field of public opinion, Campbell used a patented move of the "diversity police" and sought to impose his will through the kangaroo courts of the university and reported the group to the campus police department. Following the filing of this complaint, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Irvin Clark, sent a summons to the C2L president charging the organization and its officers with two Level 1 Zero Tolerance Misconducts. One charge fell under the category of "assault, harassment and fighting" while the other fell under the hazing provision of the SSU Code of Student Ethics. The summons also temporarily suspended all C2L activities until an investigation could be held and a hearing conducted. During this time, approximately 15 members of C2L attempted to gather and pray on campus; but the Vice President for Student Affairs Randy Gunter allegedly ordered campus police officers to stop the group from assembling and praying. Soon thereafter, SSU faculty member Marilyn Suggs, who periodically serves as a hearing officer for the campus kangaroo court, laid down her judgment sanctioning C2L with punishments of a several month suspension, community service and probation. While under the suspension, the group was prohibited from conducting any activities, congregating, wearing C2L paraphernalia, soliciting membership or participating in "meetings, step shows or other 'underground activities' on campus or off campus." Reportedly, Suggs' reasons for issuing the sanctions included a "verbal altercation" between the C2L president and Campbell, Campbell's petition, an incident where the C2L president told a former member "Shut [his] mouth" and the former member's voluntary acts of washing the feet of another C2L member and jumping into the Atlantic Ocean on the semester retreat. The group's suspension ultimately led to expulsion when they refused to cancel an off-campus non-C2L-affiliated weekend trip to Walt Disney World for Disney's Night of Joy contemporary Christian music. Clark immediately expelled the group from campus for violating its terms of suspension. Left without any other options, C2L members are now suing to get their organization back on campus. Unfortunately, this tale is not an unfamiliar one for Christian groups in American universities. It is not even an unfamiliar tale for institutions in the so-called "Bible Belt." For example, last year the University of Georgia was sued before it allowed a Christian fraternity back on campus after kicking it off for its religious affiliation. UGA joined the litany of schools including Rutgers University, Southern Illinois University, Pennsylvania State University, Minnesota State University, Arizona State University, San Diego State, University of California-Hastings, University of Wisconsin-Madison and North Carolina State University who were sued over their failure to recognize Christian student organizations. Tales like these will continue to occur as long as the "diversity police" and their kangaroo courts are allowed to run rampant under the banners of tolerance, anti-discrimination and unconstitutional speech codes.

----- Contact Jason Dore' at jdore@lsureveille.com