http://www.alliancealert.org news from the frontlines of the culture war Thu, 24 May 2012 23:12:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/08/26/joe-martins-third-circuit-vindicates-free-speech-again/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/08/26/joe-martins-third-circuit-vindicates-free-speech-again/#comments Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:26:17 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=70334 Joe Martins writing at Speak Up Movement / University: "Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a resounding decision in favor of free speech by invalidating several unconstitutional speech codes. In McCauley v. University of the Virgin Islands, the Court struck down campus policies banning expression that is 'offensive,' 'unauthorized,' or which causes 'emotional distress.'" ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/08/26/joe-martins-third-circuit-vindicates-free-speech-again/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/22/joe-martins-faculty-members-look-to-universities-to-protect-academic-freedom/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/22/joe-martins-faculty-members-look-to-universities-to-protect-academic-freedom/#comments Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:07:42 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=63675 Joe Martins writing at Speak Up Movement / University: "Today, Peter Schmidt has an excellent article at the Chronicle of Higher Education on the efforts of various professors to shore up academic freedom at their respective universities. This effort is entirely understandable, but I fear will ultimately prove ineffective. ... Given the practical shortcomings of institutional protections, it appears this matter needs to be settled by the Supreme Court. For almost half a century before Garcetti, the Court recognized the 'transcendent value' of academic freedom and the special place it holds in the First Amendment. The Court needs to clarify that Garcetti did not change this precedent and that the viewpoint of professors’ scholarship and teaching is still protected by the Constitution. The ADF Center for Academic Freedom is currently appealing this precise issue to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for Dr. Adams because the district court wrongly used Garcetti to quash his First Amendment rights. For the sake of academic freedom, let’s hope the Fourth Circuit—and ultimately the Supreme Court—get it right." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/22/joe-martins-faculty-members-look-to-universities-to-protect-academic-freedom/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/21/joe-martins-blood-battle-revisited-other-schools-follow-san-jose-state-universitys-dubious-lead/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/21/joe-martins-blood-battle-revisited-other-schools-follow-san-jose-state-universitys-dubious-lead/#comments Mon, 21 Jun 2010 23:03:37 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=63594 Joe Martins writing at Speak Up Movement / University: "The Health & Human Services Committee recently recommended that the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) maintain its lifetime ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men (MSM). I blogged a few weeks ago about how San Jose State University (SJSU) prohibited campus blood drives in response to the FDA’s policy. ... In light of SJSU’s extreme expansion of nondiscrimination policies, many of you may be thinking that I am crying wolf or that I’m an alarmist. Perhaps SJSU is just an extreme outlier. Certainly other universities are not also charging down this path? If these are your thoughts, then unfortunately, you are wrong. Universities are gladly taking up the banner raised by SJSU in a variety of settings." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/21/joe-martins-blood-battle-revisited-other-schools-follow-san-jose-state-universitys-dubious-lead/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/16/joe-martins-its-about-time-uc-irvine-defends-free-speech-by-disciplining-hecklers/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/16/joe-martins-its-about-time-uc-irvine-defends-free-speech-by-disciplining-hecklers/#comments Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:59:20 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=63145 Joe Martins writing at Speak Up Movement / University: ""[UC-Irvine's] is just the latest in a long line of campus incidents in which student organizations have disrupted or even assaulted speakers to silence their message. . . . What has not been characteristic of such disruptions however, is an appropriate university response. . . . But UCI distinguished itself by actually disciplining the Muslim Student Union for its planned and coordinated disruption of Ambassador Oren’s speech. UCI suspended the group for a year and imposed fifty hours of community service. In doing so, UCI sent a message that it will not tolerate a 'heckler's veto' on free speech. The Muslim Student Union has—as do all student groups— the right to counter speech it abhors at an appropriate time, place and manner. But that right does not include the ability to disrupt and intimidate others into silence." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/16/joe-martins-its-about-time-uc-irvine-defends-free-speech-by-disciplining-hecklers/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/15/joe-martins-how-to-spot-a-speech-code/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/15/joe-martins-how-to-spot-a-speech-code/#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:58:01 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=62992 Joe Martins writing at Speak Up Movement / University: "One of the key indicators of a speech code is that it regulates speech based on its subjective effects on others. So if your university has a policy that punishes speech because of how it makes someone feel, it’s probably a speech code. The classic example of this is the policy prohibiting 'unwelcome,' 'demeaning,' or 'discriminatory' 'verbal comments or statements that create an 'intimidating,' 'hostile,' or 'offensive' academic environment based on some protected category (i.e. race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.). The ADF Center for Academic Freedom successfully struck down such a policy at Temple University and pressured Shippensburg University to change a similar policy." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/15/joe-martins-how-to-spot-a-speech-code/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/07/joe-martins-trinity-universitys-diploma-battle-continues/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/07/joe-martins-trinity-universitys-diploma-battle-continues/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:57:27 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=62307 Joe Martins writing at Speak Up Movememnt / University: "I recently blogged about how Trinity University had to decide whether the words, 'in the Year of Our Lord,' would remain on the school’s diplomas. I considered this a critical decision for the University: Either bow to the demands of the Trinity Diversity Connection, or hold true to the University’s Presbyterian heritage and identity. As my colleague, David Hacker, pointed out, the University chose the latter. But Trinity’s public statement announcing the decision shows that the battle is not over." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/06/07/joe-martins-trinity-universitys-diploma-battle-continues/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/12/joe-martins-college-of-alameda-sets-new-standard-for-religious-intolerance/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/12/joe-martins-college-of-alameda-sets-new-standard-for-religious-intolerance/#comments Wed, 12 May 2010 21:39:28 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=60581 Joe Martins writing at speakupmovement.org/university: "On December 22, 2007, two students—Kandy Kyriacou and Ojoma Omaga—at the College of Alameda received letters from the Vice President of Student Services notifying them that the College intended to suspend them. What did Ms. Kyriacou and Ms. Omaga do to deserve suspension? Did they assault someone? Did they verbally abuse a fellow classmate or faculty member? Did they destroy property or commit some campus crime? No. They prayed." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/12/joe-martins-college-of-alameda-sets-new-standard-for-religious-intolerance/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/04/david-french-playing-sexual-politics-with-blood-donation/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/04/david-french-playing-sexual-politics-with-blood-donation/#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 21:29:38 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=59872 writing at Phi Beta Cons: "San Jose State University has suspended all blood drives on campus. Why? Because the FDA bans donations from men who have sex with men. With some critical shortages in the local supply, at least those innocents who suffer from SJSU's decision can comfort themselves with the knowledge that they're (involuntarily) suffering for a cause. Read more from — including the FDA's justifications for its ban — at ADF's Academic Freedom File." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/04/david-french-playing-sexual-politics-with-blood-donation/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/03/joe-martins-san-jose-state-university-chooses-sex-over-life-liberty/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/03/joe-martins-san-jose-state-university-chooses-sex-over-life-liberty/#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 20:51:05 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=59742 writing at speakupmovement.org/university: "This month, San Jose State University President, Jon Whitmore, decided to continue a two year old policy of suspending all blood drives on campus. The reason? Because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bans men who have had sex with other men (MSM) from donating blood. According to SJSU, this violates the University’s policy against sexual orientation discrimination. The implications of this decision are quite shocking." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/03/joe-martins-san-jose-state-university-chooses-sex-over-life-liberty/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/03/01/about-joseph-j-martins/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/03/01/about-joseph-j-martins/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:40:07 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=56163 ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/03/01/about-joseph-j-martins/feed/ 5 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/02/09/joseph-martins-student-fee-flop/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/02/09/joseph-martins-student-fee-flop/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:28:12 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=51403 writing at the Academic Freedom File: "Free speech violations manifest themselves in many forms on America’s campuses. Perhaps one of the most frequent—and misunderstood violations—concerns the distribution of student activity fees . . . Take, for example, the Student Government Board (SGB) at the University of Pittsburgh. The SGB initially denied Students For Life’s request for $1,515 to attend the National Students for Life Conference and the March for Life in Washington D.C. on the grounds that the group was 'proselytizing' for its cause . . . " ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/02/09/joseph-martins-student-fee-flop/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/02/04/teaching-colleges-a-lesson/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/02/04/teaching-colleges-a-lesson/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:40:01 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=50921 Family Action Council of Tennessee: "Officials at MTSU approved the Pro-Life Collegians’ application, but with a precondition that it had to pay for security for the event . . . Pro-Life Collegians knew that they should not be treated differently from other campus student groups that sponsor events and called on the Alliance Defense Fund’s Center for Academic Freedom (ADF) to help them challenge the university’s discriminatory approval of their application . . . Essentially, according to ADF Litigation Staff Counsel Joe Martins, who wrote the letter, pro-life student groups were being penalized and discriminated against for expressing their beliefs. And the message in ADF's letter was clear: 'We’ll sue if necessary.'" ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/02/04/teaching-colleges-a-lesson/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/29/david-french-pro-life-speech-and-the-hecklers-veto/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/29/david-french-pro-life-speech-and-the-hecklers-veto/#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:34:24 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=50301 Director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, writing at Phi Beta Cons: "Last semester, Middle Tennessee State University informed the Pro-Life Collegians (PLC) that they could not host a traveling pro-life display without first paying a substantial security fee. Over at the Alliance Defense Fund's Academic Freedom File, Joe Martins tells the story." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/29/david-french-pro-life-speech-and-the-hecklers-veto/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/29/pro-life-group-gains-equal-footing-at-middle-tennessee-state/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/29/pro-life-group-gains-equal-footing-at-middle-tennessee-state/#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:12:29 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=50206 CitizenLink: "'They had done this multiple times to Pro-life Collegians,' [Joseph Martins] said. 'We were certain this was something that was only being applied to this group.'" ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/29/pro-life-group-gains-equal-footing-at-middle-tennessee-state/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/28/middle-tennessee-state-university-stops-discriminating-against-pro-life-group/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/28/middle-tennessee-state-university-stops-discriminating-against-pro-life-group/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:34:54 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=50165 LifeNews: "'Pro-life student groups shouldn't be penalized and discriminated against for expressing their beliefs,' said ADF Litigation Staff Counsel Joe Martins. 'We are pleased that the officials at Middle Tennessee State University have changed their minds and refrained from singling out the Pro-Life Collegians for this type of fee. The courts have repeatedly ruled that as unconstitutional. The university has certainly done the right thing here in respecting the First Amendment rights of its students,' he added." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/28/middle-tennessee-state-university-stops-discriminating-against-pro-life-group/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/28/crosses-fire-up-ceramics-class/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/28/crosses-fire-up-ceramics-class/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:08:23 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=50054 Center for Academic Freedom Blog: "In 2009, [Joe Mitchell] designed and crafted a few crosses but the College refused to fire the works claiming that the crosses 'demean[ed]' the goals of the class and were as offensive as a 'swastika.' Liberty Legal Institute intervened and informed the College that its action violated Mr. Mitchell’s freedom of religion and that he would sue, if necessary, to protect that freedom. Eastfield responded by issuing a letter stating that it had dropped the ban on crosses." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/28/crosses-fire-up-ceramics-class/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/27/middle-tenn-st-univ-drops-discriminatory-fees-for-student-pro-life-group-after-adf-letter/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/27/middle-tenn-st-univ-drops-discriminatory-fees-for-student-pro-life-group-after-adf-letter/#comments Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:10:08 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=49943 ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/01/27/middle-tenn-st-univ-drops-discriminatory-fees-for-student-pro-life-group-after-adf-letter/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/12/08/joseph-martins-forcing-tolerance-how-to-skate-on-thin-ice/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/12/08/joseph-martins-forcing-tolerance-how-to-skate-on-thin-ice/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:21:13 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=44396 Center for Academic Freedom Blog: "As the Supreme Court has repeatedly held, public universities—like all government entities—need to give private organizations a wide berth for the exercise of First Amendment freedoms, rather than looking for ways to encroach as far as the Constitution will technically permit." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/12/08/joseph-martins-forcing-tolerance-how-to-skate-on-thin-ice/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/09/28/at-texas-am-christian-clubs-are-still-allowed/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/09/28/at-texas-am-christian-clubs-are-still-allowed/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:24:32 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=37251 The Battalion Online: "Student Activities approached FLiC on May 27 with news that the organization did not meet the requirements for recognition . . . ADF litigation staff counsel Joseph Martins sent a letter to the University arguing that by forcing FLiC to accept members who would impair the group's religious message, they would detriment their rights to free speech, free association and free exercise of religion." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/09/28/at-texas-am-christian-clubs-are-still-allowed/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/09/03/texas-am-university-recognizes-club-as-uniquely-christian/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/09/03/texas-am-university-recognizes-club-as-uniquely-christian/#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:05:58 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=35127 OneNewsNow: "Texas A&M University in Lubbock, Texas, has worked out an anti-discrimination policy that discriminated against a Christian campus group . . . 'This decision by Texas A&M respects the constitutional rights of the group and makes it clear that Texas A&M has sent a message that they're not going to discriminate against this group . . .' Martins points out." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/09/03/texas-am-university-recognizes-club-as-uniquely-christian/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/28/texas-am-christian-club-may-remain-christian/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/28/texas-am-christian-club-may-remain-christian/#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:10:38 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=34539 ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/28/texas-am-christian-club-may-remain-christian/feed/ 1 http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/14/wayne-state-u-reaches-settlement-with-pro-life-student-group/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/14/wayne-state-u-reaches-settlement-with-pro-life-student-group/#comments Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:02:37 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=33205 Christian Law Journal: Wayne State University has settled a lawsuit filed by the campus pro-life student group which said the university discriminated against them . . . 'Pro-life student groups shouldn’t be penalized for expressing their beliefs,' said ADF Litigation Staff Counsel Joseph Martins. 'Public universities cannot discriminate against student organizations simply because of their religious or political viewpoints, and we are pleased that Wayne State has now come to this understanding.'" ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/14/wayne-state-u-reaches-settlement-with-pro-life-student-group/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/14/university-agrees-to-allow-christian-students-same-access-as-secular-students/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/14/university-agrees-to-allow-christian-students-same-access-as-secular-students/#comments Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:56:07 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=33084 Evangelical Examiner: "'Pro-life student groups shouldn’t be penalized for expressing their beliefs,' said ADF Litigation Staff Counsel Joseph Martins. 'Public universities cannot discriminate against student organizations simply because of their religious or political viewpoints, and we are pleased that Wayne State has now come to this understanding.'" ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/14/university-agrees-to-allow-christian-students-same-access-as-secular-students/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/13/pro-life-student-group-reaches-settlement-with-wayne-st-univ-over-funds-access/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/13/pro-life-student-group-reaches-settlement-with-wayne-st-univ-over-funds-access/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:34:59 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=32926 ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2009/08/13/pro-life-student-group-reaches-settlement-with-wayne-st-univ-over-funds-access/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/10/23/adf-shippensburg-u-agrees-to-drop-unconstitutional-speech-codes/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/10/23/adf-shippensburg-u-agrees-to-drop-unconstitutional-speech-codes/#comments Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:59:43 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=8758 ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/10/23/adf-shippensburg-u-agrees-to-drop-unconstitutional-speech-codes/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/09/02/joe-martins-on-wallbuilders-live-pro-lifers-on-campus/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/09/02/joe-martins-on-wallbuilders-live-pro-lifers-on-campus/#comments Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:01:59 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=7174 ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/09/02/joe-martins-on-wallbuilders-live-pro-lifers-on-campus/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/08/12/adf-attorney-on-wdet-public-radio-defending-a-wayne-state-u-pro-life-group/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/08/12/adf-attorney-on-wdet-public-radio-defending-a-wayne-state-u-pro-life-group/#comments Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:55:04 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=6641 ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/08/12/adf-attorney-on-wdet-public-radio-defending-a-wayne-state-u-pro-life-group/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/07/31/university-denies-students-funds-for-pro-life-week/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/07/31/university-denies-students-funds-for-pro-life-week/#comments Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:39:50 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=6341 ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/07/31/university-denies-students-funds-for-pro-life-week/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/07/24/wayne-state-university-denies-funds-access-to-pro-life-student-group-adf-sues/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/07/24/wayne-state-university-denies-funds-access-to-pro-life-student-group-adf-sues/#comments Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:20:23 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=6133 ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/07/24/wayne-state-university-denies-funds-access-to-pro-life-student-group-adf-sues/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/02/13/savannah-state-u-gives-new-face-to-religious-hostility/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/02/13/savannah-state-u-gives-new-face-to-religious-hostility/#comments Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:42:38 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/adf.php/2008/02/13/savannah-state-u-gives-new-face-to-religious-hostility/ ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/02/13/savannah-state-u-gives-new-face-to-religious-hostility/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/02/05/savannah-state-settles-christian-footwashing-case/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/02/05/savannah-state-settles-christian-footwashing-case/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:02:29 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/adf.php/2008/02/05/savannah-state-settles-christian-footwashing-case/ ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/02/05/savannah-state-settles-christian-footwashing-case/feed/ 2