UW pays ADF a half million dollars in legal fees for UW discrimination against Christians

MADISON, Wis. —The University of Wisconsin-Madison has agreed to cover legal costs racked up as a result of its latest multi-year effort to discriminate against Christian students in Badger Catholic v. Walsh. ADF has been involved in six different lawsuits involving the state university system’s relentless discrimination against Christian and conservative groups.

“Universities should recognize the constitutional rights of Christian students and ministries just as they do for all other students and campus groups,” said ADF Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence.  “Sadly, the University refused to do so, and instead squandered money by trying to defend the indefensible:  blatant, unlawful discrimination against Christian students and ministries.”

In September 2010, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled that University of Wisconsin-Madison officials violated the First Amendment by refusing to fund certain events of Badger Catholic, a registered student group, while providing funding for the events of other student organizations. The university refused to provide funds from student activity fees because the student group’s events contained religious expression, including prayer, worship, and proselytization. In March 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court denied review of the decision, allowing it to stand.

ADF filed this lawsuit after the university violated the terms of a settlement agreement reached in a previous lawsuit on behalf of the same group when it was known as the Roman Catholic Foundation. The federal courts again agreed with ADF and the university will cover nearly $500,000 in legal costs incurred as a result of the university’s refusal to obey the U.S. Constitution and repeated judgments against it in federal court.

 Alliance Defense Fund

UW Badger Catholic and embryonic stem-cell research

Two opponents of embryonic stem cell research expressed enthusiasm for a recent UW discovery of highly functional stem cells that do not require embryonic cells to function.

Justin Brumbaugh, a UW-Madison graduate student who helped lead the study, said the stem cells, called induced pluripotent cells, do not require embryos or fetal cells but have the same capabilities as embryonic stem cells.

Nico Fassino, chair of Badger Catholic, said he strongly opposes embryonic stem-cell research, but applauds scientists' efforts to create an alternative that does not "take advantage of defenseless persons."

"I think that's a really beautiful scientific breakthrough," Fassino said. "I really hope they're able to apply this to … the medical field, so this has a wide and positive impact on curing a lot of the ailments that embryonic stem-cell research is currently aimed at."

According to Fassino, the Catholic reservation toward embryonic stem-cell research does not come from an inherent dislike for scientific progress but from the belief that every human life begins at conception, making the destruction of embryos for science murder in their eyes.

"[The study] demonstrates that nature will find a way," said Matt Sande, Director of Legislation at Pro-Life Wisconsin. "There's always an ethical way to achieve a medical and scientific way if we are diligent and patient."

During his campaign, Gov. Scott Walker did not take a decisive stance for or against stem cell-research as a whole, but did firmly oppose research involving embryonic stem cells.

UW Cardinal

Paying for college by hooking up with "sugar daddies"

From Pro-Life Wisconsin:

An article in today’s Capitol Times discussed the “phenomenon” of female college students who are paying for college or paying down student debt by hooking up with “sugar daddies” — wealthy men who pay for companionship and sex. The University of Wisconsin is among the national leaders in producing “sugar babies” — young adults willing to provide these services.

Without the wide availability of contraception, none of this would be possible.

All of the vaunted sexual liberation women seem to have these days — “Be in control of your own sexuality! Birth control will set you free!” — has not resulted in male-female equality, at least where sex is concerned.

Read more here.