—Everett Piper, president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, an evangelical Christian university, in an op-ed for the Washington Times.
Piper has been criticized for the article, where he instructs people to replace LGBTQ in the discussion of sexual morality with the term ISIS.
“In doing this, something will quickly become quite obvious,” he wrote. “Sentences will emerge such as these: ‘Love is love and ISIS has the right to love who they want to love.’ ‘The ISIS community simply wants to be accepted and affirmed.’ ‘What right does anyone have to refuse to bake a cake for an ISIS wedding?'”
He goes on to say that our “culture’s game of sexual politics” is ridiculous.
“In this brave new world of hyphens and acronyms,” he continued. “We paint ourselves into a corner of ‘tolerance’ where we must affirm the proclivities of anyone who ‘identifies’ as ISIS just as much as we do all who identify as LGBTQ. After all, in both cases it could be easily argued, ‘that’s just who they are.’”
This is not the first time Piper has used this tired argument. Just three days ago he posted a story of a father-daughter couple being arrested, using LGBTQ terminology to describe it.
But if this is their “identity” and if it’s consensual then it’s all good – Right?
This ain’t no slippery slope – It’s a cliff!! https://t.co/8oGfSy0A0J
— Dr. Everett Piper (@dreverettpiper) March 17, 2018
The Oklahoma university president also said in January 2016 that he was “proud” for asking for a religious exception to Title IX’s sex discrimination ordinance that would allow Piper’s school to not accept transgender students.
And it’s not the first time the LGBTQ community has been compared to ISIS. In 2016, a Republican lawmaker claimed that not allowing religious business owners to discriminate against gay people is equivalent to ISIS throwing people from roofs.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.