Lee University Students Demand School Cancel Event Featuring Mike Pence
“America First Policies dehumanizes both refugees and immigrants who seek justice”
Vice President Mike Pence is slated to make an appearance at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee this weekend. The event isn’t sponsored by the school, it’s a campaign event to support Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn. Even so, students at the school are petitioning to keep Pence from visiting.
Zachary Petrizzo reports at Campus Reform:
Students demand that university cancel Pence event
Students are demanding that Lee University in Tennessee cancel an upcoming appearance by Vice President Mike Pence because they disagree with Pence’s political positions.
The petition, started by student Cedes Harris, argues that Pence’s political views are directly at odds with the values of the Christian institution, asking on behalf of “concerned students, faculty, and alumni” that school administrators cancel the his scheduled appearance at Pangle Hall on July 21.
It offers seven reasons for why the event should be cancelled, three of which relate to Pence’s affiliation with America First Policies, a political advocacy group created to promote President Trump’s agenda.
“Both his involvement with the America First Policies organization and his exhortation of its values defy and ignore the following Christian values,” the list of complaints begins, citing Bible verses about caring for the poor and being hospitable to foreigners.
“America First Policies dehumanizes both refugees and immigrants who seek justice, liberty, and freedom from discrimination in the United States,” it continues, adding that “America First Policies, along with local sponsor Allan Jones, supports tax regulations and policies which will inevitably secure wealth for the middle and upper classes while further afflicting the working and poor classes of society.”
Here’s part of the petition from Change.org:
Cancel Mike Pence’s Speech at Lee University
We, the concerned Students, Faculty, and Alumni of Lee University along with Citizens of Cleveland, Tennessee, request that the University cancels Mike Pence’s visit to Pangle Hall.
Vice President Mike Pence will be visiting Lee University’s Pangle Hall on July 21, 2018. As a Christian collegiate institution which seeks to embody the life and example of Jesus Christ, we—that is, the Students, Faculty, and Alumni of Lee University along with the Citizens of Cleveland, Tennessee—ask that his visitation to Cleveland be cancelled for the following reasons:
1. Both his involvement with the America First Policies organization and his exhortation of its values defy and ignore the following Christian values: love of both friend and enemy (Matt. 5:44, John 13:34-35); caring for the poor, oppressed, and marginalized over insuring the rich (Matt. 19:21, James 2:2-7); welcoming the stranger and foreigner (Matt. 25:35, Lev. 19:33-34); justice and nonviolence rather than oppression and violence (Luke 4:16-19, Jer. 7:5-7).
2. America First Policies dehumanizes both refugees and immigrants who seek justice, liberty, and freedom from discrimination in the United States.
3. America First Policies, along with local sponsor Allan Jones, supports tax regulations and policies which will inevitably secure wealth for the middle and upper classes while further afflicting the working and poor classes of society.
4. Vice President Pence supports actions and policies against the LGBTQI+ community which shames and suppresses this community in ways which are harmful and disrespectful.
5. Vice President Pence refuses to acknowledge overt police brutality afflicting the black community, as well as the over-representation of the black community in America’s system of mass incarceration.
6. Vice President Pence actively supports the further militarization of police and ICE officers, putting all of the aforementioned communities at greater risk of unnecessary violence.
7. Vice President Pence does not represent the love, acceptance, and understanding which the Students, Faculty, and Alumni of Lee University, being a Christian institution and following the example of Jesus Christ, desire to embody and live out.
WRCBTV has more details on the event:
Preparations underway for VP Mike Pence’s visit to Lee University
Vice President Mike Pence will make two stops in the Tennessee Valley this weekend. The first event will be at Lee University in Cleveland.
“This is no question the highest level political figure that we’ve ever hosted on campus,” Dr. Jerome Hammond of Lee University said.
Security, logistics and the experience are what Lee University is focusing on when Vice President Pence speaks at Pangle Hall on Saturday. The auditorium seats a little over 600 people and university officials expect it to be a full house.
“It’s so exciting to have a sitting vice president. Irrespective of your political leanings are, the fact that it’s a sitting vice president to be in our town, on our campus is, we’re very excited about that,” Dr. Hammond said.
If you read the official statement from the school below, it sounds like they’re sticking with Pence. Good for them:
Statement regarding Vice President Pence’s visit to campus on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/pDMk7lashH
— Lee University (@LeeU) July 17, 2018
This story is a good reminder that Trump isn’t the only member of this administration who makes people crazy.
Live look at Mike Pence watching The Handmaid’s Tale win all the awards #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/I9opdkLzcx
— Ben McDonald (@Bmac0507) January 8, 2018
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Comments
Good news. As these idiots march towards the margins they discredit themselves from contributing to mainstream American life. It’s the latest step in their own self destruction.
Refugee crises are a cover-up of immediate and collateral damage from social justice adventures. They serve to avoid enacting emigration reform and ignore the men, women, and children left behind.
if these ‘students’ don’t want to hear the VEEP – OK
the rest of US don’t want to guarantee their bank loans.
America first policies expose the policies of anti-nativists to public scrutiny, and, hopefully, force immigration activists into the open. Whether it is outsourcing for labor arbitrage or immigration for gerrymandered districts, the anti-nativists profit through suppression and replacement of native populations.
I think this letter shows just why Mike Pence needs to speak at the university more than anything.
Number of students willing to give up their admission to an illegal immigrant?
Number of students willing to take in an illegal immigrant?
I have only met one person who walked the walk. A family actually. Reform Jewish. Very liberal. Diasgreed with them on everything, but I had to admire the example they set – not a single luxury item in their home, not even TV. Most their money went to charity. And they must have spent 9 months out of the year in some 3rd world hell hole showing tribes how to construct better irrigation systems, increase crop yields, preventative medical care, etc.
I dare these virtue signaling brats to match them.
Hat tip to Lee for expressing their support for free speech.
Tuition for Lee: $15,170 per year
I love it when these addlepated Leftist quote the Bible in cases like this.
First, see Matthew 4 in which Jesus was tempted by the Devil who three times quoted scripture. Citing scripture doesn’t automatically lend moral authority.
Secondly, if you’re going to cite Leviticus, are you then going to argue that we should adhere to the whole Law? Else, search “cherry-picking, definition.”
Thirdly, the New Testament exhortations are invariably calls to the INDIVIDUAL, not to government. If you’re inclined to read the Bible, read Romans 13 to see how you should behave towards the governmental authorities.
Finally, notice the implicit attempt to link Pence with “oppression and violence,..” All things considered, that’s funny.
Yes, it’s telling that the Bible-quoting leftists always omit the Bible verses that instruct people that they should obey the government’s laws and pay their taxes, both of which the vast majority of illegal aliens (or to use the lefties’ euphemism, “justice seeking immigrants”) fail to do.
” the list of complaints begins, citing Bible verses about caring for the poor and being hospitable to foreigners.”
does being hospitable to foreigners include letting them rape your family members, steal your belongings, and live in your house as long as they want without complaint?
Nothing like a bunch of totalitarian anti free speech commies to help democrats list more elections.
Keep up the great work folks! With these kind of assshatts in your party there won’t be another democrat president or Congress for 100 years.
I think you underestimate the left’s willingness and ability to steal elections.
I still think that we need thousands of mobile human cannons for inexpensive, rapid deportations. While most should be sent south, repeat offenders should be launched east or west to feed fish.