Political Correctness vs. Common Sense

Imagine you attend a public university.

You form a group that stands for something.  It might stand for Jesus. Maybe it’s equal rights or gay marriage or Israel’s right to exist.

It doesn’t matter what it is.  You seek members who embrace the same philosophical underpinnings as stated in your group’s charter.

You ask the university for the same resources it provides to every other group on campus, such as use of bulletin boards, meeting spaces, even access to funding.

They tell you no.

Why?  Because you refuse to allow voting members who don’t agree with your group’s charter.

Follow the logic here: A gay rights group would have to  allow Christians to vote who believe marriage is between a man and a woman.

If you’re a Jewish rights group, you would have to let Nazis vote.

Democratic groups would have to allow Republicans vote.

If you’re in an African-American group, you would have to allow white supremists to vote

Does this make any sense?

Common sense has just been put to the test in the Supreme Court case of Christian Legal Society v. Martinez.  It was just argued on Monday.

Here’s the issue in a nutshell:  There is a group at the Hasting’s College of Law (at the University of California) called the Christian Legal Society (CLS). They exclude from full membership students who either advocate or engage in “unrepentant” sexual conduct “outside of marriage between one man and one woman.”

Anyone can attend their meetings regardless of their belief system.  However, you must subscribe to their belief system in order to be an officer or to be a voting member.

The college said that’s discrimination and refused to allow use of their bulletin boards, meeting spaces, and financial resources.

It’s weird.

Justice Scalia put it this way:  ”To require the Christian society to allow atheists not just to join, but to conduct Bible classes, that’s crazy.”

Yes, it is crazy.  But not to liberal judges like Justices Sotomayor or Stevens.  Sotomayor specifically views CLS actions as discrimination.

When the decision comes, it will be a split decision.  Will political correctness win or common sense?

I’m betting on common sense because the Supreme Court is pretty evenly split right now with Kennedy being the swing vote.

That will change, however, if President Obama ever gets a chance to replace any of the Constitution-based judges (Roberts, Scalia, Alito, Thomas, Kennedy).

If that day comes, political correctness will become the law of the land and free speech shall wither.