EMU sued over denial of funding for traveling anti-abortion exhibit
A conservative Christian group filed a federal lawsuit this week against Eastern Michigan University over its denial of funding for an anti-abortion exhibit, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press.
Alliance Defending Freedom, based in Arizona, says EMU's student government should have contributed $5,000 in February to sponsor the "Genocide Awareness Project."
According to the group's website, "The Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) is a traveling photo-mural exhibit which compares the contemporary genocide of abortion to historically recognized forms of genocide. It visits university campuses around the country to show as many students as possible what abortion actually does to unborn children and get them to think about abortion in a broader historical context."
The group, formerly known as the Alliance Defense Fund, has filed claims against other universities across the U.S. and sued EMU in 2009 over the case of former graduate student Julea Ward. She was removed from her academic program after she refused to counsel a gay student. EMU settled that lawsuit for $75,000.
Comments
Howard Beale
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 5:47 p.m.
"I don't know how you feel, but I'm pretty sick of church people. You know what they ought to do with churches? Tax them. If holy people are so interested in politics, government, and public policy, let them pay the price of admission like everybody else. The Catholic Church alone could wipe out the national debt if all you did was tax their real estate." ? George Carlin
buildergirl
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 4 p.m.
From the MLive article it sounds like the main reason the student senate rejected the funding proposal was the graphic content of the exhibit, not necessarily the topic. Unlike the Ward case which EMU was sued because of curriculum policy, this issue went before a student senate for voting. Perhaps not everyone wants to see graphic genocide photos on their way to class. Also, is $5,000 a standard amount a group asks for an exhibit? It seems like a large amount. It doesn't sound like a paid speaker was involved.
Lovaduck
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 5:41 p.m.
You make a good point about the money involved, but the issue is censorship of controversial or offensive views, as I see it. The rest is negotiable.
263456
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 3:12 p.m.
Oh great, another christian "war on religion".
Emily
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 2:45 p.m.
Can you "conservative Christian groups" quit making actual Christ followers look like jerks? This is getting exhausting. On behalf of reasonable Christians, I'd like to apologize to EMU... and women...and other religions...and lgbt people...
John
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 2:32 p.m.
Great....extortion based on religion.
beardown
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 5:16 p.m.
JBK, whoever these muslims you speak of are most likely also represent a religion. So you just made his point for him. Whatever the religion is, this seems to be a new tactic that they all employ.
sheepyd
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 2:31 p.m.
Did any of you read the free press article, this has nothing to do with ADF or the Genocide Awareness Project; an EMU student organization "Students for Life" requested the money and were denied. This is a gigantic problem no matter what your stance on abortion may be. EMU's student life/camus life approves funds for all types of student run activities on EMU's campus, some of which are down right crazy. EMU has opened itself up to a giant lawsuit this time, and it should pay a giant fine. EMU is a public university and therefore must be open to ideas from all students and student organizations, as an EMU graduate I'm ashamed that they have once again made a poor decision in the quest for their liberal agenda. Here are some recent events at EMU just in case you were wondering what I'm talking about. http://www.easternecho.com/article/2013/03/female-orgasm-event-stresses-openness http://www.easternecho.com/article/2013/02/full-house-for-vagina-monologues http://www.easternecho.com/article/2013/03/group-will-light-candles-for-victims-of-suicide http://www.easternecho.com/article/2011/11/kwame_kilpatrick_brings_controversy_to_emu So the university is happy to provide a platform, facilities, staff and fundng for events that talk about suicide, the female orgasm, Kwame Kilpatrick and the Vagina Monologues, but an abortion display is out of the question. Even the most ardent pro-choice advocate has to understand that just as they deserve a platform and respect for their point of view so does the pro-life movement. EMU supplies funding for hundreds of campus events a year; to deny this event is politically motivated and goes against the free exchange of ideas that Universities claim to foster. Good luck EMU, open the pocket books again for another embarrasing chapter in the long running joke that is EMU decision making.
Lovaduck
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 5:38 p.m.
An absolutely superb reply. I consider EMU's actions in this case to be truly ILLIBRAL, since classical liberals believe in the open expression of ALL idea, and let the truth win out (see J.S. Mill's ON LIBERTY). The fact that a view is controversial or offensive to many is no reason for censorship, by refusal of funds whereas other "offensive" views or persons are sponsored. They've let themselves in for it on this one.
JBK
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 2:21 p.m.
Wow! Get out the checkbook EMU. You do not get to pick and choose what PC exhibits you put on. YOU receive tax payer funds as you are a Public University. This will cost you DEARLY!:) This is just a snippet from the Freep article: Asked by Students for Life why the money was denied, a member of the board of student government said in an e-mail: "The images you want to display are very controversial ... a little biased," according to the lawsuit. So now we have Public Universities playing judge and jury on what exhibits get supported that are taxpayer funded.............
JBK
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 5:26 p.m.
Beardown - I agree. This kid greatly over stepped her bounds and EMU will pay dearly!
beardown
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 5:14 p.m.
Look who wrote the email. It was a member of the student board, i.e. a student. This was not an email from a university lawyer or official, it was from a kid most likely trying to get into grad school and pad his resume and who greatly overstepped his/her role in this process. And walked the university right into the extortionary trap from this group that likes to take tax payer money.
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 1:46 p.m.
I demand that Ann Arbor.com pay me $500 for my posts. I may be willing to settle out of court for 100 bucks.
Cash
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 2:40 p.m.
Craig, I humbly accept your offer. Unmarked bills please.
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 2:24 p.m.
your retainer is in the mail. Five bucks is sufficient i hope.
Cash
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 2:08 p.m.
I'll represent you for my standard 33% fee.
Chase Ingersoll
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 1:33 p.m.
Our beloved Ann Arbor peanut gallery is missing the constitutional issue that applies to public universities: "..the university violated the constitutional rights of members of Students for Life because allocation of student fees for campus events must be politically neutral...." What will be presented is evidence as to how EMU funded the presentation of other groups controversial expressions and why they refused to fund this groups expression. The only fair thing to do is for educational institutions to get out of the business of charging student activity fees to fund groups using a political process and instead allow speech on campus to be funded by the free market - what individual students are compelled to commit their own individual resources.
beardown
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 5:08 p.m.
The member of the EMU student board, whoever that is, who wrote the reply to the group needs to be removed ASAP. By stating "the images you want to display are very controversial ... a little biased," while most likely true, it opened up a legal lane for these wackjobs. They were probably going to sue anyone who turned them down anyway, but this board member gave them a bit of a legal leg to stand on.
David Briegel
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 1:07 p.m.
Memo to Alliance Defending Silliness, If you don't wish to have an abortion, please don't have one. It's your choice!
tdw
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 1:44 p.m.
David....Please don't tell anyone but I had to give you a thumbs up for the first time..Shhh
Cash
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 1:20 p.m.
David, great to "see' you!! You and Edward R Murrow's Ghost in 24 hours? I think we are having "Retro Day". Very special for me, indeed! And I agree.....to each his/her own.
Brad
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 1:14 p.m.
But if you do have some other method of contraception PLEASE USE IT.
SemperFi
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 12:48 p.m.
I hope that EMU holds the line against this extortion.
beardown
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 4:56 p.m.
And then I hope they countersue. This seems to be the definition of a frivolous lawsuit. And, quite ironically, not very christian either.
Usual Suspect
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 12:48 p.m.
The Alliance was right in the Julie Ward case, but this is silly. I'm sure there are many traveling exhibits that don't receive the sponsorship of the school or student groups. for many reasons.
Chip Reed
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 12:38 p.m.
Let me get this straight- This group sued EMU on one issue and then they want EMU to contribute money to their current project?