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The Black Student Union at the University of Washington wants the statue of President George Washington removed from campus.
The student activists recently rallied against the statue of the nation’s first president, and the namesake of both the state and university where they reside.
The rally, of course, also called for police abolition.
Seattle Pacific University is once again at war with itself over sexual behavior. Once again trying to find its true identity.
American education---public and unfortunately some private and some Christian-- has been hi-jacked.
Be informed, not misled.
Cancel George Washington?
The rally included the typical list of Black Lives Matter and leftist chants. “Hey hey, ho, ho, these racist cops have got to go” and “the people united, will never be divided” filled the air as a group of students marched through the University of Washington campus.
Students frequently graffiti the statue of George Washington, according to the campus newspaper. In fact, they say it is never without graffiti.
A student tells the campus newspaper,
“There’s obviously some meaningful intentions behind some of the graffiti, but for such an inclusive school, our faculty leaders do nothing to support the conversation behind the messages or to raise awareness to why students feel the need to bring attention to certain things. They’d rather just pretend it never happened.”
The University of Washington students are not the only ones that say they are embarrassed to be associated with an institution named for a Founding Father.
A major newspaper named after our capital city, which is named after our first president, has printed an op-ed that is also calling for George Washington University to be---you guessed it---renamed.
The student details his version of the 200-year-old history of George Washington University saying "These problems are rooted in systemic racism, institutional inequality, and white supremacy, with the solution being to hire a black university president and to "decolonize university curriculum."
And the student demands:
The controversial Winston Churchill Library must go. The university’s contentious colonial moniker must go. Even the university’s name, mascot and motto — “Hail Thee George Washington”— must be replaced. The hypocrisy of GW in not addressing these issues is an example of how Black voices and Black grievances go ignored and highlights the importance of strong Black leadership.
And he suggests:
Frederick Douglass, a statesman, political scientist, diplomat, feminist and abolitionist, is a perfect example of a possible namesake to replace George Washington. His work for social reform and equal justice makes him an ideal candidate for a new name. Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Malcolm X, among many others, transformed the United States by fighting for the liberation of Black people here and all over the world. Heroes such as these should be celebrated and represented here at GW.
But … wasn’t Malcolm X at one point in his life involved in “drug dealing, gambling, and pimping”?
And remember when President Trump claimed progressives would not stop at demanding the removal of Confederate statues and memorials, it was this very Washington Post that ridiculed Trump for even suggesting such a thing.
People who have not been taught an accurate narrative about history always have a distorted view of values.
Cancel biblical teaching at Christian universities?
The board voted to keep employee conduct expectations that ban employees from same-sex sexual activity, extramarital sexual activity, and cohabitating before marriage.
They reported, that SPU employees are expected to "refrain from sexual behavior that is inconsistent with the University's understanding of Biblical standards."
KING 5 also reported:
It is unclear whether the resignations were a result of the decision to maintain the employee policy. Norlen said she was unable to speak for the board members.
Laur Lugos, a senior at SPU, said it was undisclosed how each board member voted.
"I think that for myself and for other student government leaders, we're sad because we know that the people who resigned were affirming," Lugos said.
She and other students participated in a walkout on Tuesday and a subsequent "sit-in" to protest the Board's decision, and to make additional demands.
Those demands include having board members disclose how they voted. The Associated Students of Seattle Pacific are also asking the WA Attorney General to investigate the board's actions.
"We are just doing everything that we can to try and find a way to hold our university and the board members accountable," Lugos said.
Students have been vocal about this issue and their opposition to the university's decision. KING 5 noted that "Many students have actively lobbied for the institution to change its policy for years."
That's true. Some years ago I served as "Special assistant to the president" at SPU and the university was dealing with these issues back then.
What the activists were asking then and now is that Seattle Pacific University abandon its founding biblical beliefs regarding marriage, family, and human sexuality.
The board says they came to their conclusion after much prayer and prayerful deliberation, choosing to have SPU remain in "communion" with the Free Methodist Church USA, which defines marriage as between one man and one woman.
As they should have. God-fearing, faithful Free Methodists gave their money, their time, their sweat, and likely their tears to found and launch Seattle Pacific University.
Over the years many students, from many different church denominations, have received an excellent education from SPU. Our oldest daughter is one of them.
But here's the problem they now face. Staying true to their founding is important...and right because the Free Methodist Church has held to biblical beliefs on human sexuality.
I personally believe some on the board, and certainly, some of the faculty are trying to walk on both sides of the issue.
Others are simply activists with no real biblically-based moral convictions about the matters.
While employees are asked to refrain from same-sex sexual activity, the school said it is "committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion for all undergraduate students, welcoming and supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students in all academic pursuits, faith practices, and life together in community," according to an FAQ about the school's decision.
You cannot be unequally yoked or "divided" in matters such as these. Biblical teaching on these issues is not based on changing cultural norms---they are based on the unchanging truth of God's Word...like in the beginning, "God created male and female."
It is not ours to decide what part of God's Word should be followed, and which part should be cast aside.
In today's culture "diversity, equity, and inclusion" most always define the LGBTQ agenda. Certainly, in this case, it does.
Jesus was very clear when He said, "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other."
The activists on campus told King 5, "We have surveyed students, we have polled students, we have found that most students disagree with these policies and every year that is not respected or honored by a small group of people that get to decide what we stand for."
Perhaps it's time for the board to gather some fortitude and stop trying to "serve two masters." And play both sides.
Perhaps it's past time to "poll" and "survey" God and His Word and see how He feels about these issues.
Once we align ourselves with His Truth, incoming students and their parents know exactly what to expect when they enroll---and it is not a debate with God and his model for marriage and human sexuality.
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Engaged. Be Vigilant. Be Prayerful.