Post by Jesse Morrell on Oct 1, 2006 23:32:18 GMT -5
ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND NEWS RELEASE
September 29, 2006 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS: (480) 444-0020
ADF files suit on behalf of Christian barred
from exercising religious expression at Murray State
Officials at Murray State University impose restrictions on campus speech
MURRAY, Ky. — Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund have filed suit on behalf of a Christian prevented from exercising his free speech rights on the campus of Murray State University. School officials barred James Gilles, a frequent speaker on the campus since the 1980s, from speaking and distributing literature on campus due to university “policy.”
“Christians seeking to express their faith in public should not be treated as second-class citizens,” said ADF Senior Counsel Nate Kellum. “Officials at MSU violated Mr. Gilles’ constitutional rights by suddenly choosing to enforce a discriminatory policy.”
Gilles, who speaks and distributes literature on campuses across the country, utilized public areas on MSU’s campus for approximately two decades before the director of the school’s Curris Center for Student Life informed him in 2004 that speakers were required to secure a “sponsorship” in order to continue their free speech activities.
The same official initially made an offer to sponsor Gilles so that he could distribute literature but not speak on campus. Gilles declined, and the offer was later rescinded. The school later barred Gilles from speaking or distributing literature at the school because he didn’t have a sponsorship.
The school rebuffed offers by numerous students who wished to provide a sponsorship to Gilles. The Gideons, a religious organization speaking and distributing literature on campus at the same time as Gilles, were permitted to continue their activities although they were not being sponsored by any student organization or university department.
The director of the Curris Center for Student Life has stated publicly in the past that no university policy specifies restrictions against off-campus speakers.
A copy of the complaint filed today in Gilles v. Miller is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/GillesComplaint.pdf.
“Arbitrarily deciding who can and cannot express themselves in public is a blatant violation of the Constitution,” Kellum said. “Mr. Gilles was acting entirely within his First Amendment rights by choosing to utilize MSU’s public areas to exercise his free-speech rights.”
ADF is a legal alliance defending the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation.
www.telladf.org
September 29, 2006 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS: (480) 444-0020
ADF files suit on behalf of Christian barred
from exercising religious expression at Murray State
Officials at Murray State University impose restrictions on campus speech
MURRAY, Ky. — Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund have filed suit on behalf of a Christian prevented from exercising his free speech rights on the campus of Murray State University. School officials barred James Gilles, a frequent speaker on the campus since the 1980s, from speaking and distributing literature on campus due to university “policy.”
“Christians seeking to express their faith in public should not be treated as second-class citizens,” said ADF Senior Counsel Nate Kellum. “Officials at MSU violated Mr. Gilles’ constitutional rights by suddenly choosing to enforce a discriminatory policy.”
Gilles, who speaks and distributes literature on campuses across the country, utilized public areas on MSU’s campus for approximately two decades before the director of the school’s Curris Center for Student Life informed him in 2004 that speakers were required to secure a “sponsorship” in order to continue their free speech activities.
The same official initially made an offer to sponsor Gilles so that he could distribute literature but not speak on campus. Gilles declined, and the offer was later rescinded. The school later barred Gilles from speaking or distributing literature at the school because he didn’t have a sponsorship.
The school rebuffed offers by numerous students who wished to provide a sponsorship to Gilles. The Gideons, a religious organization speaking and distributing literature on campus at the same time as Gilles, were permitted to continue their activities although they were not being sponsored by any student organization or university department.
The director of the Curris Center for Student Life has stated publicly in the past that no university policy specifies restrictions against off-campus speakers.
A copy of the complaint filed today in Gilles v. Miller is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/GillesComplaint.pdf.
“Arbitrarily deciding who can and cannot express themselves in public is a blatant violation of the Constitution,” Kellum said. “Mr. Gilles was acting entirely within his First Amendment rights by choosing to utilize MSU’s public areas to exercise his free-speech rights.”
ADF is a legal alliance defending the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation.
www.telladf.org
