Just when you think you’ve heard it all…

This saturday in Augusta the Knights of the Ku-Klux-Klan will be rallying in support of Augusta State University Grad student Jennifer Keeton, who sued the University back in July because she said they were “forcing her to accept homosexuality”. Keeton is a a Christian who believes that being gay is a choice. How special, just what we need another small minded nitwit, with a degree. She lost that case by the way.

So what degree is she seeking? Why that would be counselor education naturally. It seems the school felt that she “might not”  be able to counsel gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender patients. They suggested a remediation plan, which professors designed to “address issues of multicultural competence and develop understanding and empathy.” Um yeah I bet she hated that! As evidenced by the fact, she beat a hasty retreat to a local Christian school to work.

I’m not sure what it says about you when the KKK needs to get your back. Now to be fair, Keeton claims to not know anything about what prompted  Bobby Spurlock, Imperial Wizard Knighthawk and Grand Dragon of South Carolina and North Carolina to meet with school officials and plan to protest the school’s treatment of 24-year-old Jennifer Keeton.

Bobby and his knuckle dragging “friends” will be at the school  on Oct. 23 from 1 to 4 p.m. They will be in full dress and located across from the school’s main Walton Way entrance in the median at Fleming Avenue. I’m kind of impressed that the information includes a “suggested dress”, I mean, really you hardly ever see that on invitations any more.

While I generally don’t advocate counter protests of hate groups, for various reasons, in this case I would appreciate it if folks could show up in Augusta on Saturday. Clearly, after the recent string of youth LGBT suicides, we all need to be fighting back against this kind of ignorance and hatred. We need to send a clear message to our youth that they are not alone, and that they should not be ashamed of who they are.  A local ally (message me for that contact info) is organizing the counter rally through GetEqual. If you can’t make the rally on saturday-maybe you could help them out the Friday night before, folks will gather and create signs together. That will start at 7 pm at Nacho Mama’s on Broad Street.

I’ve excerpted part of the backstory from WRDW, Read the whole article here .

Jennifer Keeton is getting her masters in counselor education. She says the school is making her change her christian beliefs to graduate.

Jennifer Keeton has completed one year of her Masters degree in counselor education. At the end of the first year, she was presented with a remediation plan, or courses to improve in certain areas.

That plan includes classes to improve writing and grammar skills, as well as workshops to make her more sensitive to the gay population — something her instructors say is necessary for her to be an effective counselor.

“The school counseling faculty has decided that my views are not acceptable for me or to share with other students,” she says in a video statement produced by the Alliance Defense Fund. “They have required a remediation plan in which the end result would be me altering my beliefs or being dismissed from the program.”

In a letter to Keeton, program directors say that is not the case.

In the letter, associate director Mary Jane Anderson-Wiley points to what she calls Keeton’s “belief that you possess a special knowledge about the way that other people should live their lives, and that others need to adopt a similar set of values.”

The letter goes on to say that “the content of [Keeton’s] moral or religious beliefs is not in question.”

According to the remediation plan, program directors are concerned about Keeton’s ability to effectively council people who are gay or lesbian, citing class papers and comments where Keeton has disagreed with the gay “lifestyle.”

The letter also cites an email from Keeton in which she says: “my Christian moral views are not just about me. I think the Bible’s teaching is true for all people and it shows the right way to live.”

Ah the hypocrisy , how it burns… Don’t you love how it is totally ok for her to tell us the “right” way to live, but an accredited University can’t point out that you might want to broaden your views if your going to counsel people. Oh and maybe, improve those writing and grammar skills too. Man that made me laugh out loud.

I hope a few of our candidates can spare a few minutes to reach out to the more enlightened members of the Augusta community and support this counter protest.  Didn’t Gov. Barnes have a running joke about how this state is becoming a running joke?

Well a homophobic student counselor being defended by the KKK sure isn’t much of joke to me.


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8 responses to “Just when you think you’ve heard it all…”

  1. JerryT Avatar
    JerryT

    And also, free speech advocates don’t have to shut up when they hear opinions that differ from their own. “Free speech” isn’t the same as “no arguing”.

  2. JerryT Avatar
    JerryT

    This is a great example of free speech. She gets to say what she wants, the KKK gets to say what they want, and we get to say what we want to here. No one is being prevented from saying anything. The fact that the school requires specific subject matter in there curriculum is a different matter, and that is debated all the time too.

  3. Julianal Avatar
    Julianal

    Cole, thanks for the comment. While I can sort of understand your jist, how it is ok for her to tell us all that her Christian moral views are how I should live?

    I don’t believe in the bible, so where shall I get my views then?

    {insert snark alert}I’ve never been deputized by the thought police. I think it’s a special ceremony that I’ve not been invited to, nor do I carry a shield of any kind.

    I don’t think anyone told her how to think, please read the whole back story. They told her it was necessary for her to take “workshops to make her more sensitive to the gay population — something her instructors say is necessary for her to be an effective counselor.”

    She refers to being gay as a “lifestyle”, so yeah she’s not getting it the way you apparently do.

    I doubt a workshop has ever drastically changed anyones world, spiritual or moral views. At best it can raise your consciousness a tad.

    The ACLU has spoken in support of the KKK, and their right to march read that here, http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/aclu-praises-cleveland-mayors-support-kkks-first-amendment-right-march.

    My guess is, she either didn’t contact them, or did and they turned her down for whatever reason. But this really isn’t a free speech issue. It’s an issue of a University requiring certain course work she was unwilling to do.

  4. Cole Skinner Avatar
    Cole Skinner

    I’m libertarian-minded, and believe that fair play is an American value, so I am an advocate of the rights of gays to have equal protection under the law and to marry.

    HOWEVER

    Brush the silly KKK aside for a moment, and consider a couple of points:

    Let’s stop kidding ourselves that liberals don’t “judge” anybody. Your judgments on Keeton are falling all over themselves here. It’s apparent to me that the school is not only requiring Keeton to complete certain coursework, but if Keeton doesn’t also THINK in a certain way, then they’re going to refuse to allow her to finish her degree.

    If it’s the college’s responsibility to make sure Keeton shares a widely accepted viewpoint within her profession, are you folks going to be silent when a conservative group gets their way, and keeps a liberal student from graduating because that student disagrees with something?

    Where is the liberal tradition defending the voice of dissent? Shouldn’t the ACLU be all over this one? Why are those on the left only champions of free speech when it suits them? Isn’t this a free speech issue? Why aren’t you lambasting the “thought police” on this one?

    Is it because the thought police are okay as long as they’re thinking progressive thoughts?

    Nobody hires graduates because they feel like a college has pre-screened them for ideological competency; if you can complete the nuts and bolts of your coursework, you should be allowed to graduate.

  5. Tina S Avatar
    Tina S

    During 20 years as a school counselor many of my days were spent helping students choose courses, higher education, and career paths, but I also had to work with kids who were in various kinds of trouble. A professional counselor is there to advise and listen and help, not to judge.

  6. Jen B. Avatar
    Jen B.

    I love that the counter rally is starting at Nacho Mama’s. One of my favorite places to eat while in Augusta.

  7. JMPrince Avatar

    Yeah, rampant, pig ignorant idiocy & bigotry, SSDD. And the young & old alike are never immune from the blandishments of same. But hey, there’s a silver lining here too. No stated or threatened involvement from ‘local’ or Ga. KKK? They’ve got to import the hate from SC & NC? That might be a sign of progress, somewhat. But poor kiddo. She’ll have to counsel ‘icky’ people, you know unlike all those other folks who desperately need some counseling. JMP

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