Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Minnesota Daily: Candidates silent to GLBT issues

Obama and Clinton failed to address GLBT discrimination at religious universities.
On Sunday, Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton traveled to Messiah College in Pennsylvania to speak at an event aired by CNN called "The Compassion Forum." Unfortunately, the senators failed at their chance to discuss Messiah College's less than compassionate discriminatory policies toward gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. Messiah is one of a hundred universities that discriminate against the GLBT community. It is disappointing that the senators did not address these policies that breed intolerance and misunderstanding.

Campuses across the nation from Pepperdine to Wheaton still discriminate against GLBT students. These students have been kept from coming out and even face disciplinary penalties for acknowledging their sexuality. Penalties range from suspension and even exile from the university. Professors at such universities are sometimes forced to sign agreements and waivers proving they don't promote the reconciliation of faith and homosexuality.

Religious universities are a place for students to continue their studies in faith, but discriminating against those who want to find common ground between their faith and sexuality only promotes religious bigotry. Religion and theology, like every area of academic study, are multifaceted subjects. To accept one dominating ideology of homosexuality limits students and professors from gaining a complete perspective of religion's connection to modern society.
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