Should college groups be allowed to restrict membership if they receive public funds?

I appreciate Matt Simmons’ response in both his historical research and his personal experience. I, too, understand the benefit of being around like-minded individuals and of the potential connections that can be made. Is there a need for the campus clubs bill? Simmons provides evidence by saying, “I’ve never seen anyone turned away.” What, therefore, is the purpose of passing this law if Simmons’ organization has not had this problem? Anyone can dream up hypothetical situations, but how often do we actually see racists joining pro-diversity organizations, or Democrats attempting to join the Republican Party?

Simmons makes a claim that “legislation passed by the General Assembly will ensure that the current policy of the majority of Virginia’s universities will continue and that these important groups can continue to meet.” This is a major fallacy. Simmons insinuates that without the campus clubs bill, these organizations would be unable to function. From what is described in his introduction, it seems as though Campus Crusade for Christ is a thriving organization that allows its members to develop their faith and has never had to actually enforce the language of the bill.

Simmons has implied that even without this bill, his organization has been operating quite well. Unfortunately, because of a lack of quantifiable justification, I still have reservations about Sen. Mark Obenshain’s intent. Given that members of one of the largest universities in Virginia met with him just a couple weeks before this was brought forward, without him making any mention of it, leads me to believe either this was rushed without careful consideration from those who would be affected by it, or Obenshain has a veiled political agenda. As a basic right, I agree with a group’s freedom of association, but I am opposed to the discrimination that this bill makes legal.

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