A permit is required before students can talk about Jesus at North Carolina State University, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court.
Grace Christian Life, a registered student group at NC State, filed suit over a policy requiring a permit for any kind of student speech or communication anywhere on campus – including religious speech.
In September 2015, the student group was told that without a permit, they must stop approaching other students inside the student union to engage in religious discussions or invite them to attend group events.
“It’s an amazingly broad speech restriction, Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Tyson Langhofer told me. “Public universities are supposed to be the marketplace of ideas, not places where students need a permit just to exercise their constitutionally protected freedoms.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is a law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases. They allege the Christian group has been singled out by the university.
“The University has not restricted the ability of other students and student groups to engage in expressive activity,” the lawsuit states. “Grace has witnessed other students, student groups and off-campus groups handing out literature either without a permit or outside of the area reserved by their table permit.”
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6 comments:
So they are upset because they are not receiving special treatment outside of University policies: "...policy requiring a permit for any kind of student speech or communication anywhere on campus – including religious speech." More unwarranted cries of persecution from the religious zealots. When will they stop trying to shove their agenda in peoples faces while crying foul when they have to play by the rules.
I'll be delightfully surprised if this comment appears;)
9:45...you are dumber than a box of rocks.
WHEN did ANYONE get the authority to tell us what rights we can use, where we can use them, and who gets to use them??
The CONSTITUTION is the law of the land.
Nowhere in that precious document does it give limp wristed pansy ace university leaders a specific exemption or special authority to deny citizens the right to freely speak. There is no such thing as a "safety zone", nor should there be.
I'll be delightfully surprised if you've ever even HEARD of "The Constitution".
We have quite enough wanna-be dictators, sensitive and tender men, and government "leaders" doing everything they can to turn this country into a downward spiraling, debt-ridden, nothing is wrong with anything, socialist cesspool. Worse they are doing their very best to silence anyone who doesn't toe the line they've drawn.
The hanging with fish line list grows ever longer by the day.
Keep cheering.
9:45 Really? When was the last time a religious agenda was shoved in your face? How many times has this happened to you? I'm 50 years old and it's never happened to me.
All I can say is that is very disgusting and we shouldn't stand around and keep letting these things happen.
@Imclain I am familiar with the constitution and don't see any violation present in this situation.
It is the policy of the university "...requiring a permit for any kind of student speech or communication anywhere on campus." This seems logical enough to me as one would want to regulate what material is being distributed on campus property. They are not restricting free speech they are just requiring a person to be authorized to do so. You wouldn't want NAMBLA or the KKK to set up shop at a university(although they are protected by the first amendment; it would likely cause a disruption).
The lawsuit alleges that “Grace has witnessed other students, student groups and off-campus groups handing out literature either without a permit or outside of the area reserved by their table permit.” This seems kind of childish (e.g. just b/c others are doing it doesn't make it right). It is curious as to whether Grace contacted the University about the offenders she allegedly witnessed. Why wouldn't they just get the permit and take the higher road. If they were refused they would have grounds for a lawsuit otherwise this is kind of a hollow offense.
Also, what do you know of dictators? Have you ever been to a country that is run or formally run by a dictator? I've been to two and have to say that you don't know how good you have it here in the states.
@10:34 I have been preached to my whole life. I grew up in OCMD were I was approached by people soliciting religion all the time. One incident in particular a lady approached me and asked me have I ever thought about life after death. I replied no I enjoy this life too much to worry about what comes next. She asked me about my religious standing; I said I'm Buddhist. She immediately stated that the Eastern beliefs are wrong and that there is only one true god. I told her to leave the property and she followed me and badgered me to the point in which I had to call the police to get her removed. Lets also not forget the religious nutjob who was calling all the girls whores on the boardwalk who were wearing bikinis. Needless to say the cops removed him; were his rights being violated? Not to mention the religious performers on the boardwalk who seem to be exempt from the city ordinance that requires performers to be located at the end of the streets. When this performance caused people to blockade the entrance of the business I was managing I contacted the police and requested that religious group move to the end of a street where they wouldn't disrupt the flow of traffic in front of the business. The officer said they do not have to follow the ordinance as they are protected under the first amendment. Then I acquired how why the religious people are protected under the first amendment but not the performers who by his logic are also protected. Officer was speechless and couldn't provide a coherent response, he needs to review the establishment clause of the constitution.
Furthermore, since I moved to Delmar last year I have had four different religious organizations come to my house to promote their beliefs. I also receive church flyers about once a month. How can you even debate this? It's built into your holy document:
Mark 16:15 NKJV
“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Lastly, I ask that if you people would be so vigilant in your defense if this group was a satanic or Muslim organization.
this is NOT Constitutional and Must be Stopped at all costs. Fight this with every breath you have. Please keep this story alive so we can follow and fight...
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