Although I can't say this for sure, it is very likely that there are  
organizations dedicated to other religions or ethnic groups at Wm &  
Mary that are supported by both tax dollars and student activity  
fees. It certainly is the case at all of the other colleges and  
universities I've ben associated with. Last I checked there was no  
way to stipulate that money you give to a university, be it public or  
private, in the form of fees or tax subsidies can be in any way  
restricted so that they do not support organizations or activities  
with which an individual does not agree. The chapel was built as a  
Christian Chapel, it seems reasonable that it remain so. Why should  
it be secularized just because it is a public university? The same  
argument would say that any organization at a public university can  
not restrict its membership or it must restrict its funding. This is  
a really silly PC argument. Next people will be demanding that  
because churches are subsidized by the government (through tax  
exemption) that it is unlawful for a Roman Catholic church to require  
that its priest be Roman Catholic. After all a religious leader is a  
religious leader, why not have communion administered by a Tibetan  
Lama? I'm equally sure that many attendees at a mosque would be a bit  
upset to find a female Episcopal Priest leading the Friday prayer.

James Brothers, RPA
[log in to unmask]



On Feb 20, 2007, at 8:01, Debra Jackson/Harold Forsythe wrote:

> I earned my B.A. and M.A. at a Protestant college (now university)  
> in California and taught at a Jesuit university in CT.  Both these  
> institutions were private.  I didn't think much about the religious  
> orientation of my Alma Mater but did think hard about the Catholic  
> and Jesuit identity of Fairfield University.  (I even served on a  
> committee to study and reinforce that identity.)  I thought then  
> and think now that if the Catholic faith community uses its own  
> resources to found university, the principle of religious freedom  
> upon which the USA is based makes it manifestly obvious that such a  
> university should be committed to the religious vision of the  
> community that founded it.
>
> I should say that I found the Catholic Jesuit environment very  
> welcoming to non-Catholics.
>
> Where I part company with perhaps others on this list and certainly  
> many W & M alumnii is over particular religious symbolism at PUBLIC  
> universities and colleges.
> I put to you all two questions.  1)  Should Jews, Muslims,  
> Buddhists, Hindus, and the non-religious be taxed to support  
> institutions that proclaim their adherence to Christianity?  2)  
> Should, say, a Star of David be added to the chapel at William & Mary?
>
> I understand that the College of William & Mary's founding was as a  
> Church of England institution but that was in colonial times when  
> propertyholders were taxed to support the established church of the  
> colony of Virginia.  A lot has changed since the 17th century.
>
> Harold S. Forsythe
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sunshine49" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, February 19, 2007 10:44 PM
> Subject: Re: Wren cross at W&M


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