Note: I’ve sent this letter but it’s still open for signatures!

Petition For a Thoughtful and Christ-Centered Response

written in response to recent events and a recent “letter of concern”

Dear Honorable Paul J. McNulty, Board of GCC Trustees, and whoever else it may concern.

Alongside those who may add their signatures, I the author write with concern for the building tension in this country. On one hand, injustices have occured in this country recently, and we must always look at serious transgressions against human dignity as desecrations of the image of God and the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is apparent that we must have this attitude regardless of statistics or arguments involving how they may be more or less common compared to other countries or eras.

On the other hand, riots have now taken many lives throughout the country, including  Officer Dave Dorn who was killed by rioters in St. Louis. The prevailing attitudes of both protestors and rioters have taken on a distinctly un-Christian character. The national guard in Grove City has been deployed to deal with violence on the opposite side of the state.. I am especially concerned with the angry and spiteful attitude taken by fellow youth on social media. In addition, rhetoric such as “shoot the whites!” and the violent occupation of Seattle’s Capitol Hill are unprecedented movements we must take care not to support, validate, or embolden.

        As I write, a “letter of concern” with 170 signatures is circulating. I have no doubt that this petition was written from a place of love and compassion, but it diverges from a Christian worldview and calls for actions that are thoroughly un-Christian.

Alternative response toward recent events

        In response, we, the undersigned, present this alternative set of concerns and actions regarding recent events. While we confidently respect the good intentions of our fellow students, I along with the undersigned recognise that a Christian viewpoint requires a charitable and robust argument that ultimately takes on a saintly and biblical approach.

In regards to attitudes and actions for racial equality and anti-discrimination:

  • We encourage a statement be sent to Grove City students to advocate a Christian response, to warn against some positions spread by the Black Lives Matter organization and other popular movements (including the Marxist fist symbol, destruction of the nuclear family, class-based worldviews, and BLM’s financial ties to radical politicians.), and to encourage activism first and foremost be toward the heavenly father, that he send his advocate; The Holy Spirit. In other words, to encourage a diligent, self-critical, and prayerful attitude throughout this turmoil.

  • We ask that, going forward, approaches to discrimination or racism will be on guard against not only right-wing identitarianism, but also left-wing identitarianism, which both eclipse our highest identity; our universal identity as Children of God and brothers and sisters in Christ.

  • We strongly discourage discriminatory approaches toward diversity, including affirmative action based on race or “oppressed” racial identity as opposed to poverty, circumstances, or an individual’s experiences with discrimination. We especially are repulsed by practices common in technology hiring, SAT testing, and admissions, of preferential treatment toward their idea of “disadvantaged” identities while taking away opportunities from otherwise equal European or Asian identities. We ask that this un-Christian discrimination be utterly banned from Grove City’s practices.

  • We encourage that, should you be inclined to meet or increase a quota of diversity or inclusiveness, you would instead focus on national identities through foriegn exchange programs. Otherwise avoid advantaging or disadvantaging any students based on any race.

Requested changes on the issue of race

Beyond the issue of racial equality, We also ask for specific changes to be made to the current courses of action being taken. In particular:

  • I, along with many of the undersigned, are worried by the attitude of chapel speakers on racial, cultural, and sexual equality. I personally was surprised by the identitarian attitudes of speakers preaching on racial equality. Many of my peers, while appreciating the sentiment of justice, were angry about some speakers assigning guilt or assuming racist attitudes of people who come from a European or “white” heritage. We understand a diversely-informed conscience regarding prejudice is important, but for a speaker to insist that, in some way, belonging to one particular race inevitably creates an inherent sinful nature of bias goes against the truth of the sanctifying power of Christ. Hearing from diverse opinions, while valuable, is not more important than spreading biblical truth.

  • In addition, speakers that promote these identitarian beliefs have, in my personal experience, hardened the hearts of our students toward wonderful stories about bearing real racism. For example, Andrenna Williams’ chapel speech of dealing with a racist community while also coming to terms with an anger toward all white people.

  • Any educational programs for students, whether a required talk, a chapel program, or class, should at some point discuss seriously the arguments in favor of identitarianism (whether right or left wing) why someone might be driven to adopt those beliefs, and how to refute those arguments robustly from a Christian perspective, offering a balanced Christian alternative. This is the strategy taken in the “Studies in Science, Faith and Technology” course required for some majors, which by giving the due weight and seriousness to misconceptions can more robustly refute them for students.

Criticism of petition in question

Finally, we the undersigned feel the need to speak out against several requests made by the petition in favor of the left-wing organization “Black Lives Matter,” despite the confidence that, as fellow students at Grove City College, they speak out of genuine compassion and concern.

  • First, Dr. Kengor, as a respected author and professor here at Grove City College, will not be discouraged from any responsibilities at Grove City College and that the Institute for Faith and Freedom absolutely will not be disbanded. The petition in question mistakenly conflates Dr. Kengor’s criticism of the vile and genocidal ideology of Marxism with a criticism of the Bolshevik Jews.  In the midst of national, violent agitation in the name of oppressed racial classes, we should have new respect for Dr. Kengor’s bold claims, such as that “The Marxist maxim is 'agitate, agitate, agitate', and that is precisely what today's reds are doing with race.” The petition also claims Dr. Kengor is wrongfully using his daughter’s experience at the recent Tree of Life synagogue anti-semitic shooting in Pittsburgh to rhetorically “play the victim.” As a family friend of most of the young girls on that trip, I can attest to the fear we felt when an anti-semitic shooting occured in Pittsburgh, knowing that these young women were attending a retreat only a block away. And later, when I had only limited information, for instance that they had jumped fences and crawled through bushes to get away. We also point out that the petition baselessly accuses the English department of using racist slurs, and undefined “micro” aggressions.* Attached is a separate letter that goes into more detail to dispute dishonest claims on Grove City College’s faculty, with an attached petition.

  • Second, the college’s focus on western history and western civilization ought not be decreased in order to promote alternative cultures. We respect that some people may find education on other cultures helpful in their specific circumstances, but first and foremost we must understand the culture and history of the civilization we actually interact with on a day-to-day basis.

  • Third, we condemn the policies, whether suggested in the letter or independently, that work under the assumption that certain demographics of students (I.E. White or Asian) or all students are racist or discriminatory. We agree with the petition in question that the college should be especially wary of “tokenizing” the races of students. Again we decry the petition’s suggestion of hiring discrimination based on race. Any discrimination based on race is unjust, whether or not it falls under the legal exemption of “affirmative action”.

Identification of and concern against “Liberation Theology”

To sum up these requests and concerns, we hope that the college will not fall into the Marxist heresy of “Liberation Theology”. Liberation Theology was an attempt by 1950s Latin American Catholic priests to reconcile Marxism with Christianity. Cardinal Ratzinger outlined in 1984 how liberation theology emphasizes a narrow-lensed science instead of the infallible Word of God, and the inevitable coming of the classless society instead of the Heavenly Kingdom. Outside of Catholic circles, the preacher Billy Graham expressed similar disgust of liberation theology “justice” movements in a 1967 radio program called “The Hour of Decision”.

That being said, we as students of Grove City College have confidence that your decisions will stay true to the college’s conservative, Christian values. As per our Christian values, we also know that all men fall short of Christlike perfection, and that every institution, including Christ’s Church, requires constant reform. I, personally, encourage confidence in the procedures for dealing with discrimination outlined in the crimson student handbook. As a Catholic on campus, I commend the college for being receptive toward complaints Catholics have had and remedying issues so decisively in the past, and I encourage the same confidence in those whose signatures accompany mine.

Mark Armour, Author

All updates, that are not both grammatical and minor will be marked as amendments and noted on signatures

*Amendment 1, 6/14/20:

“We also point out that the petition baselessly accuses the English department of using racist slurs, and undefined ’micro’ aggressions.”

Signatures and feedback: (Please sign! Click the link below!)

Petition Signatures and Feedback.

Link for sharing:

(go ahead and share)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1seZXNrqcMVwLQUGzefRMO1sR1WmLgkiOl3L3wyHn2W4/edit?usp=sharing

Additional Petitional letter defending additional dishonest/libelous claims against faculty, especially the history department:

Response to Letter of Concern

Responding to this letter, besides current events in our country:

(don’t target those with signatures on it or anything. That probably goes without saying)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j_27VYcjPFd2aPWRPEjyarPteDh6ga7FREMoswCskqU/edit

UPDATE: They have removed several of the more libelous claims against the Grove City Faculty, but of course the damage to their reputations have been done, and they also continue to advocate for their identitarian positions on racial justice (as opposed to equality). I still encourage you to sign this document to defend our faculty’s reputations and prevent divisive racial policies on campus, especially our chapel program.

Old Letter’s Document Link

Referenced Documents:

Cardinal Ratzinger’s letter on Liberation Theology: (I especially recommend the section on “science”)

https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19840806_theology-liberation_en.html

Billy Graham on Liberation Theology:

https://billygraham.org/story/billy-graham-on-social-injustice/

Discrimination in SATs and admissions:

https://www.dailywire.com/news/williams-racial-lies-and-racism-walter-e-williams

Black Lives Matter’s “What we believe” page. Read it, comrades

https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-we-believe/

BLM’s financial ties to radical politicians:

https://justthenews.com/accountability/donations-black-lives-matter-are-funnelled-through-democratic-fundraising-group