A fraternity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is suing the University on the basis that signing UNC's required nondiscrimination policy violates the fraternity's First Amendment rights. \nAlpha Iota Omega is an evangelical Christian fraternity that wants only Christian men to join. Because of this desire, AIO refuses to sign UNC's policy. Therefore, UNC does not recognize AIO as a campus organization. \nRecognized organizations receive access to campus facilities for meetings and funding through student fees, according to a UNC release.\nUNC's nondiscrimination policy protects people from discrimination on the basis of age, sex, race, color, national origin, religion, disability or sexual orientation.\nAIO refuses to sign the policy claiming that by signing it, UNC is forcing AIO members to "express approval of other religions, non-traditional and meretricious relationships and homosexual behavior and other sexual activity outside of marriage," according to AIO's legal complaint in federal court in North Carolina.\nAccording to AIO's Web site, its founding fathers "had a vision by God to train Christian leaders that would restore and uplift a neglected community." Because of this mission, it is understandable that AIO would only want men who share their same religious convictions to join. \nBut we think AIO's fight is meaningless. It is highly unlikely that someone who is not an evangelical Christian will want even to join this fraternity. Additionally, the men of AIO need to think about discrimination in their own lives. Many of them are members of racial minorities. What if they weren't allowed in AIO because of the color of their skin? UNC is not violating AIO's First Amendment rights. While the amendment allows the freedoms of association, expression and religious practice, it does not allow discrimination. UNC is not prohibiting AIO's members from practicing their religion, nor is it prohibiting the members from expressing their religious convictions. UNC, a public university, is simply prohibiting discrimination.
Dissent\nFollowing First Amendment, frat is on firm legal ground
There's a funny thing about the First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution -- it only protects citizens from government oppression, not oppression by private entities. In other words, if a private golf club didn't want to accept people based on religion or race, the club would be standing on solid legal ground. Similarly, if a private university wanted to allow only fraternities and sororities accepting of all students to become officially recognized, it couldn't be sued. \nBut the University of North Carolina is a public university and its government funds links the institution to the First Amendment. Because of this, the brothers of Alpha Iota Omega should pursue a lawsuit against UNC. Not only are they on legal grounds, but they have a good argument. \nAmerican universities are increasingly adopting "diversity policies," but forced diversity is not healthy. AIO has the right to assemble under the First Amendment, and UNC's effort to reject them in the name of diversity just reflects the attitudes of 21st century public education institutions: acceptance under conditions. If public universities continue to pursue forced diversity policies, they will lose tuition money to private colleges that don't oppress religious groups. The unconstitutional agreement should not be signed. Stick up for your beliefs and stand up for the constitution.\n-Christina Galoozis
