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Meg Darrell - Freshman
3/9/2005, 3:37:14 p.m.
Firstly, I have to applaud the members of Open Doors for taking these steps and coming out into the open; it's difficult to face bigotry from one's own peers, especially in an environment that is supposed to be enlightened, cultured, and educated.
Secondly, I must confess that I'm a little confused. I had been given to understand that the Baptist denomination had been founded as a tolerant sect of Christianity, its aim being to free the members from the oppression of other denominations; if this truly is the case, then practitioners of this denomination and those who attend Mars Hill based on its religious affiliations hardly have a license to discriminate.
Also, I had been under the impression that this was a liberal arts college. Perhaps I'm a little misguided in my reasoning, but doesn't that take away any basis for argument? How can someone think freely without at least acknowledging other --and perhaps conflicting-- schools of thought?
There are those of us on campus who don't agree with the presence of the Refuge, but we tolerate it because it is another facet of opinion, and unity makes us stronger. But reflect: if we, the minority, were to protest against the majority, what would happen? Simply because the majority of people in Nazi Germany didn't object to the annhilation of Jews and other minorities didn't make it right.
The argument that we should refuse to acknowledge Open Doors on the basis of funding, while practical, frankly disgusts me. It seems to me that this college is basically accepting a bribe. I hate to say it, because I really do love this place; I love the location, the people, and the experience. That's why I find it so excruciating to see this issue so hotly debated when the answer should be clear.
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