Political Equality Returns to Liberty

It's official. Liberty University's student Democrats club will be granted the same status as Liberty's student Republicans club. That status? Unofficial.

"We decided to go ahead and implement (the policy)," Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. told the Lyncburg News & Advance. "The (College) Republicans have been removed from official status and been moved to the new unofficial status that we just created."

In case you missed the drama, the university withdrew official club recognition from the student Democrats last month because "the Democratic Party Platform is contrary to the mission of LU and to Christian doctrine." The move drew criticism from state and national Democrats as well as civil libertarians, who questioned whether tax-exempt LU could show partisan favoritism.

Falwell's decision puts both clubs back on equal footing. Both clubs will be able to use the university's name, but will not receive any university funding, nor will they be able to use the college's facilities to endorse candidates whose views are considered "contrary to the university's Christian mission."

By

David Waters

 |  June 26, 2009; 2:04 PM ET  |  Category:  Today's Topic
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