An appeal for help from DUers

[realisticphish]

I am a member of the Ohio State University chapter of the ACLU, and we are working on an issue that has gotten NO coverage from off-campus media.

First, some background. All OSU student organizations must sign a non-descrimination policy (if they want to get money) that says a group may not bar membership in an organization based on race, religion, gender, or *sexuality*.

The Christian Legal Society last year approved the national charter for their organization, which had a clause that to recieve money from the national office, they could not allow homosexuals to "participate" in the group. Obviously, this is in conflict with the non-descrimination policy. So they sued the university, claiming that a religious group should not be held to the non-descrimination policy, since, in their interpretation, homosexuality is not permitted by their religion. And, since sexuality is not a protected minority, they were able to get the university to alter the policy. In short, the university rolled over, unwilling to stretch out a costly lawsuit. NO other religious group has protested signing the unchanged policy before, and non show any interest in joining the CLS in banning homosexuals.

Within the law school, we, who are working against it, have much support. EVERY tenured law professer signed a letter condemning the decision by the university, and many professers in other colleges have signed a similar letter.

The problem is, we get NO media coverage. No one even talks about it. I'd like my fellow DUers' help in not only contacting local media about it, but also in helping us with possible strategies, both legal and PR related, to help combat this. Thank you


:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[lwin]

1. Not sure what I can do...

I'm in California, so I'm not sure what I can do to help. Maybe kick in a few $$ to a legal/PR fund?

[realisticphish]

2. well

my organization itself is obviously nationally funded, and we can't accept chapter-level donations, so anything we got would have to go straight to the state office. my purpose here is basically to get people TALKING about this; that has been our problem, there are a LOT of students on campus who havent even heard about it

:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[lwin]

3. Ok well..

Consider this topic *kicked* for some visibility.

[realisticphish]

4. lol thank you nt

[barackmyworld]

5. write some LTTE?

That might get it noticed by people in the media

[realisticphish]

7. we're getting a campaign together

we have all singularly written letters, but none have been published. There is an organization forming called Seperation of Church and Ohio State, which is going to lead the effort, but as of right now, it is just OSUACLU and a few GLBT orgs that have been shouldering it, and we are far too small to do it alone.


:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[sixfive]

6. i'll happily spread the word (n/t)