Ranting to /dev/null

I agree with what you are saying.

Ryan, i read your blog regligiously, and always appreciate your perspective.

That being said, i think that this may not be a case for legal thinking. That is, the soulforce folks' whole stunt is based on the hope that we will react in an inflammatory way (calling the cops, kicking them out, vandalizing their bus, etc, etc). That's why it makes such a good publicity stunt.

I think it is juvenile and disrespectful that they did not accept the college's good-faith invitation to visit with a schedule of activities; and i think it is on this point that the college should take the moral high ground.

I would love to see Neil B. Neilson stand up with a microphone in front of soulforce and the student body, and warmly welcome them and talk about how covenant always welcomes and open dialogue, etc, etc, and then . . . openly chastise them for the lack of respect in working with the institution to accomodate them.

I think it's helpful to find some sort of common denominator. And since the teachings of the bible are obviously not embraced by both parties, I think covenant should appeal to the left's mantra of "cooperation" and "respect" and flaunt in their faces how pathetically inconsistent they are soulfource's behavior. Neil should also mention that Martin Luther King and leaders of the civil right's movement never enjoyed the benefits of such hospitality from conservative institutions, and he would've been more respectful.

Isaac: as a matter of tactics, I find myself reluctantly in agreement. That would seem to be a more effective way of dealing with the problem than seeking a legal remedy, no matter how justified. I have approximately zero patience for this kind of overt stunt, but serious analysis would indicate that your suggestions are perhaps the best way of deflecting as much damage as possible.

I would, however, want to preserve the option of legal remedies should they become appropriate. A certain amount of permissiveness may be unavoidable, but Covenant does remain private property and letting these jokers into the dorms strikes me as a Bad Idea.

bottom line is this:

there is nothing wrong with having people of all sorts of political/social/theological perspective over to your house to talk and get to know each other.

That is not what this stunt is. It's just bullying, and you can't give bullies what they want, in this case, inflammatory action. It just fulfills the stereotypes they already have, and gives them something to bitch about at their next cocktail party.

How about we organize our own "SoulForce is Full of Shit" campaign and show up at Covenant and try to engage the group in conversation about their stupid tactics? We'll carry signs that read "Half-Assed Liberalism Not Welcome"

better yet: how about if we dress up as the village people and attach ourselves to the soulforce people, insisting that we're with them. We'd hand out fliers and everything.

then we'd see how much open dialogue and tolerance ensued.

SoulForce - PWNED.

Sheer genius! I now endorse this as my official recommendation. Bust out the Madonna and work on that lisp! If they want stereotypes, then damn it, we'll give them stereotypes.