No defense for discrimination

Before I begin, let me be clear that the following article is in no way aimed at a specific group, religious belief, or student organization.

I would like to address today what I feel has been both an inaccurate interpretation and an inappropriate response to the semi-recent modifications to Vanderbilt's anti-discrimination policies.

Any student with a Facebook or Twitter account will know what I'm referring to. Earlier this week, an internet campaign was initiated to inform users about Vanderbilt University's "attack on religious freedom." Chain statuses, Bible verses, and hashtags like #wearevanderbilttoo peppered our news feeds as the religious opposition's message went viral. Droves of users changed their profile pictures to unite against the alleged persecution of their faith. One video with a particularly dramatic soundtrack featured students railing against the administration, calling their actions un-American, and disdainfully asking the question, "What are they thinking?"

Funny they should ask, for I was wondering the same thing. Not about the administration, though, but about the people who are so vehemently attacking it.

Most of the controversy surrounding Vanderbilt's policy implementation is about the provision that prohibits student organizations from requiring certain religious beliefs of their leaders. The issue at hand here is that the University helps fund these groups, so despite the beliefs they represent, such groups are still subject to institutional rules. In practice, not much will change. Members will vote for their leaders however they choose. Nonetheless, Vanderbilt has made it clear that it cannot promote discrimination in any form. Organizations that receive university money, therefore, are being asked to eliminate exclusive practices because they go against Vanderbilt's values as an "all-comers" campus. It's just that simple.

Students who protest the anti-discrimination rules characterize their fight as an epic struggle between religious freedom and oppressive force. And in a way, it is. However, the ironic part about this scenario is that the organizations that claim to represent the side of religious freedom are really the ones doing the oppressing. Allow me to explain.

Undoubtedly the most ludicrous argument against Vanderbilt's policies is the ‘hostile takeover' theory. Believe it or not, some people actually think that without rules mandating specific beliefs, religious organizations will be infiltrated and destroyed from within by subversive nonbelievers. Coincidentally, this happens to be the exact same reasoning that theocratic governments use to demonize democracy: people are too dumb to think for themselves, so we must limit their choices to preserve our identity.

Students at Vanderbilt should know that the integrity of a community has almost nothing to do with rules; that it has everything to do with the people. That being said, let's be honest: We do not elect our officers because they sign some doctrinal statement (which anyone can do, by the way, regardless of what they believe). Rather, we choose our leaders based on their experience, their vision, and the values they share with the people they lead. Contrary to what you've been told, Vanderbilt cannot tell students whom to elect or how to vote. The all-comers policy actually empowers members to make those decisions. All the administration asks is that school-sponsored groups do not exclude people because of their religious beliefs: that's why it is called non-discrimination.

Being concerned about the identity of a a student organization is one thing, but portraying Vanderbilt as an malignant persecutor of faith and religious students as helpless martyrs is nothing short of fanaticism. Don't get me wrong: there is nothing inappropriate about wanting to protect the integrity of a community. But if these groups continue to play the victim in this conflict instead of pursuing a viable solution, at the end of the day, they may not have much integrity left.

Jordan Clark is a freshman in the College of Arts and Science. He can be reached at .