Luckadoo responded to the common-sense retort by saying that the pastors were “soliciting thoughts” and, therefore, would need to confine their activities to certain areas and to obtain a proper permit in advance. I would argue that the pastors were engaging in protected First Amendment religious expression which, when not otherwise disruptive, should be free from government intrusion, especially on a public university campus.
Dr. Luckadoo recently referred to GLBT Center programs as a “support system” that “benefits everybody” at NC State. But certainly she must be aware that many in the NC State community disapprove of the new GLBT Center. Indeed, numerous Wolfpack alums sent me information from the NC State website when the Center’s opening was announced. To my knowledge, all who did so were Christians who were understandably upset about the use of tax dollars to teach people to be “allies” who are more than just “tolerant” of Gilberts.
Besides managing the GLBT Center, Justine Hollingshead will conduct diversity training across campus. Perhaps at her next session, she could mention that the First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion predates the constitutional right to sodomy found in the … say, which Amendment was that based upon?
The fact that Justine Hollingshead founded the university's "Project SAFE" program - which has already trained more than 300 faculty, staff and students to be GLBT allies – shows something rather obvious: NC State does not need a Gilbert Center in order to teach the masses that the Old and New Testaments are both wrong about homosexuality.
Nor is there any evidence that Gilberts are being harassed in any significant way. But the same cannot be said about Christians wanting to share the Gospel at NC State. They are running into troubles that should be addressed if Justine Hollingshead was at all serious when she said "Creating a place that is a safe, non-judgmental environment for all people - including members of the GLBT community - is one of the university's priorities." I read that quote from the university website so I guess she must have been serious.
Many of my friends want to see the new GLBT center abolished. But I disagree. At NC State University, we should allow the gay community to have its own resource center. But, in exchange, we should demand that the administration rescind speech zone and permit policies that have been used disproportionately against Christians sharing the Gospel.
In a free and open marketplace of ideas, we can best show Wolfpack students the truth of the Christian message via its juxtaposition with the falsity of moral relativism.