One of my pots of succulents.
Ok big topic in the news today, you can read the whole story here:
http://chronicle.com/article/Augusta-State-U-Is-Accused-of/123650/
In short, this woman has gone to college, done the work required to get her degree and no doubt paid a handsome amount of money to this institution to get her degree. The college has told her that because of her religious beliefs on the issue of homosexuality, that she must take and pass a class in sensitivity towards homosexuals or she will not be given her degree. Other students getting this degree do not have to take this class.
I should also mention that her career choice is to be a counselor. The college asserts that you can not be a good therapist if you can not embrace diversity.
The student says that this is her belief according to her faith and she will not change it to meet their demand.
Its a tricky issue! Her lawyer is presenting it as a right to free speech issue. This situation came up when the student made statements in class about her faith on the matter of homosexuality during open discussion.
I'm not sure that it is a free speech issue.
I feel its more of a right to religious freedom.
Both are certainly basic constitutional rights.
I do see the college's point.
However, I see no reason why she cannot obtain work where she can be a Christian therapist and help people with like thinking. After all, not everyone is gay or believes that homosexuality is the way to go.
It is also worth mentioning that her lawyer said on TV this morning that she did take the standard class on diversity and passed that already. But she is unwilling to give up her religious belief to satisfy the demands of the college.
Likewise, on the same TV show, it came out that the hope of the college is exactly that...
It is their hope that by taking the class that she will change her mind on the morality of homosexuality.
Hummmm...
I am unsure where I stand on this one. I'm a fairly relaxed and open being who generally accepts anyone and anything provided it does not cause harm to another person, animal, property or thing.
You do your thing, I'll do mine and we can all sit in the same rowboat.
Therefore, it surprises me that I am on the side of the student here. She has the right to follow her faith.
And diversity includes accepting that there are those who have beliefs that are different from mine or yours.
They should either give her the degree or give back the money she's paid for it.
What say you?
Now for life in general.
The good news is that I am still happy with Randy.
Things are going great with one exception...
The bad news is that after 15 years of loyal employment, including awards for always showing up and excellence, he no longer has a job.
YIKES!
Now we are both looking like crazy monkeys for work.
Do me a favor... expand those prayers and good luck wishes to include Randy as well.
"Just when things are going great,
bad news comes knocking at your garden gate."
