Hat tip to Orange County Independent Task Force on Anti-Semitism
Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) have introduced legislation that would amend Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to include religious bias against students.
http://octaskforce.wordpress.com/2010/09/26/sen-arlen-specter-d-pa-and-rep-brad-sherman-d-calif-introduced-legislation-to-amend-the-civil-rights-act-of-1964-title-vi/
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
When the Civil Rights Act was passed, this area was deliberately left out because religious-based universities (like Notre Dame) wanted to be able to protect their emphasess on their own religions within their private institutions. Yet, the time is right to make sure that religious bias and harassment is not allowed. As I read it, this would force the Department of Education to include acts of campus anti-Semitism as being within their responsibility-which right now they don't.
This would also require Notre Dame to admit pro-choice atheists, and might well be the opening wedge for the OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference, remember them?) and CAIR to claim anti-Muslim bias every time they are shut out from campus activity. What has happened to your sensitivities Gary?
ReplyDeleteThis is the opposite direction from where we need to go with civil rights laws. We don't need to add to the list of "protected groups." We need to reshape civil rights laws to focus on individuals, uniformly, as having certain protected rights, without respect to why someone feels called upon to abridge them.
Do you think it is right for only some people to be protected but not others?
ReplyDeleteNo, I think it is right for ALL people to be protected, not some.
ReplyDeleteYou're indulging in dangerous opportunism. To get some immediate recognition for a group you believe to be endangered, you are willing to accede to the standard proposed by OIC. Next they'll be applauding the USA for accepting the principle that insulting a religion is a human rights violation, and you know where they'll run with it. Wake up and smell the coffee!!!
Siarlys,
ReplyDeleteI am simply stating that all groups be protected including Muslims by the way, which it seems they are. Of course, our constitutional protections work differently than the OIC would like.
In response to your later post on this subject, I concluded that, given the framework of Title VI, this isn't a bizarre idea. Yes, Muslims would be protected too - you've never opposed that. But, I suspect that MSU would charge anyone who joined in "draw the prophet day" with violating this new provision of Title VI.
ReplyDelete