07-20-2010, 06:17 AM
University of Illinois Instructor Fired Over Catholic Beliefs
Long timers on these discussion boards are probably not the least bit surprised to read about new allegations of anti-Catholic bigotry at George Gollin's employer, U of Illinois. His wife, Melanie Loots, was at the center of a similar controversy back in 2005:
This is how it works at UIUC. Merely mentioning 2,000 year old religious teachings is hate speech, but bigots like UIUC administrator Loots can insult Catholics as "Papists" and denigrate their sacred rituals as "dirty" with impunity.
Even if Dr. Kenneth Howell is reinstated, how will the anti-Catholic bigotry at UIUC ever be put to an end unless bigots like George Gollin and Melanie Loots are fired?
Quote:Published July 09, 2010 | Associated PressIll. prof. fired for teaching about Catholic beliefs in class on Catholicism
URBANA, Ill. -- The University of Illinois has fired an adjunct professor who taught courses on Catholicism after a student accused the instructor of engaging in hate speech by saying he agrees with the church's teaching that homosexual sex is immoral. ...
Quote:Monday, July 12, 2010, 12:00 AM (MST)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Alliance Defense Fund attorneys sent a letter Monday to University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign officials on behalf of a popular, highly regarded professor who was fired for explaining the position of the Roman Catholic Church on human sexual behavior to members of his Introduction to Catholicism class.
“A university cannot censor professors’ speech--including classroom speech related to the topic of the class--merely because certain ideas ‘offend’ an anonymous student,” said ADF Senior Counsel David French. “To fire a professor for teaching the actual subject matter of his course is outrageous. It’s ridiculous that a school would fire a professor without even giving him a chance to defend himself when he simply taught Catholic beliefs in a class about Catholic beliefs.” ...
ADF attorneys see Howell’s case as part of an ominous trend on campus. Mike Adams’ ongoing suit against officials from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, and June Sheldon’s lawsuit against officials from San Jose City College demonstrate that professors can be punished for merely expressing their viewpoint, and now, for even teaching the very material that is the subject of a class.
Long timers on these discussion boards are probably not the least bit surprised to read about new allegations of anti-Catholic bigotry at George Gollin's employer, U of Illinois. His wife, Melanie Loots, was at the center of a similar controversy back in 2005:
Quote:UIUC Administrator Slurs Catholics
Ruth Watkins View profile Jul 19 2005, 10:05 am
A University of Illinois administrator has used the term "Papists" to publicly slur the Roman Catholic religion, and has belittled its religious customs as "dirty."
Melanie J. Loots, UIUC's Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, has been quoted in public internet documents belittling Catholicism and insulting its rites and customs. Loots is the wife of radical socialist UIUC professor George Gollin-Loots, best known for his vicious public criticisms of the Bush administration.
The offensive statements were included in documents posted on the internet by the Loots' daughter, Cordelia Rose Loots, who attends University Laboratory High School, a remedial institution located on the Urbana-Champagne campus. (http://themagnetwomanprophecies.blogspot.com/)
The revelations of public use of the religious slur "Papists" by a public university administrator have shocked Roman Catholics throughout the world. Why does UIUC allow administrators and faculty to attack Catholics and Catholicism with impunity?
Is there a double standard at UIUC? And if so, for whom? Shouldn't, e.g., Jews, socialists, and lesbians be held to the same standards of conduct as everyone else? Why is the university administration singling out Catholics for these vicious, hateful slurs?
Roman Catholics are demanding that University President B. Joseph White, UIUC Chancellor Richard H. Herman, the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, and the Illinois Attorney General, investigate these hateful acts and words, and take appropriate action against the people responsible. Roman Catholics believe they should be free to attend this public, tax-supported institution without fear of cruel, bigoted attacks, and particularly not by university administrators or faculty, individually or acting in concert.
This is how it works at UIUC. Merely mentioning 2,000 year old religious teachings is hate speech, but bigots like UIUC administrator Loots can insult Catholics as "Papists" and denigrate their sacred rituals as "dirty" with impunity.
Even if Dr. Kenneth Howell is reinstated, how will the anti-Catholic bigotry at UIUC ever be put to an end unless bigots like George Gollin and Melanie Loots are fired?