I am not a Christian, but I was very moved today (Thursday, April 13th) when I read of the death of the Rev. William Sloane Coffin. Rev. Coffin was "a civil rights and antiwar campaigner who sought to inspire and encourage an idealistic and rebellious generation of college students in the 1960's from his position as chaplain of Yale University" and "reveled in the role of lightening rod thrust upon him by officials and conservatives who thought him and his style of dissent dangerous," according to the NYT.
He remained committed to anti-racist and anti-war politics throughout his life, even when he moved from Yale to New York City's Riverside Church. The Church under his guidance provided space for much of the progressive movement over the years.
How different an expression of religiousity from today's right-wing form that is seemingly expressed by people like Ruth Malhotra who confuse christianity with Republican politics.
According to Stephanie Simon, LATIMES.com
"Ruth Malhotra went to court last month for the right to be intolerant.
"Malhotra says her Christian faith compels her to speak out against homosexuality. But the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she's a senior, bans speech that puts down others because of their sexual orientation.
"Malhotra sees that as an unacceptable infringement on her right to religious expression. So she's demanding that Georgia Tech revoke its tolerance policy.
"With her lawsuit, the 22-year-old student joins a growing campaign to force public schools, state colleges and private workplaces to eliminate policies protecting gays and lesbians from harassment. The religious right aims to overturn a broad range of common tolerance programs: diversity training that promotes acceptance of gays and lesbians, speech codes that ban harsh words against homosexuality, anti-discrimination policies that require college clubs to open their membership to all."
Who is Malhotra?
According to Simon:
"She [Malhotra] caused another stir with a letter to the gay activists who organized an event known as Coming Out Week in the fall of 2004. Malhotra sent the letter on behalf of the Georgia Tech College Republicans, which she chairs; she said several members of the executive board helped write it.
"The letter referred to the campus gay rights group Pride Alliance as a 'sex club … that can't even manage to be tasteful.' It went on to say that it was 'ludicrous' for Georgia Tech to help fund the Pride Alliance.
The letter berated students who come out publicly as gay, saying they subject others on campus to 'a constant barrage of homosexuality.'
"'If gays want to be tolerated, they should knock off the political propaganda,' the letter said."
Well, it would seem that Malhotra might just be motivated as much (if not more) by politics as by deeply held religious beliefs.
As Jeremy Gunn, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief says it's a right-wing fundraising ploy. "They're trying to develop a persecution complex," he said. And that is a fundamental aspect of thde contemporary right-wing movement. Unless the Republican party can keep its constituency in a constant state of anxiety and fearful of discrimination, why would they support a bunch of incompetents and thieves.
It's also interesting to note how quickly Malhotra - in her letter - is willing to deprive gays and lesbians of their freedom of expression. Some people's politics seems to depend on which foot the shoe is on.
It would also be interesting to know whose financing Malhotra's law suit and others like it. Simon in the LA Times article says: "...the Christian Legal Society, an association of judges and lawyers, has formed a national group to challenge tolerance policies in federal court. Several nonprofit law firms — backed by major ministries such as Focus on the Family and Campus Crusade for Christ —already take on such cases for free."
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