Last week something happened. Something that I thought the United States was beyond. It didn't make national news, and probably didn't strike anyone as a big deal, but it should have. The University of Wisconsin Roman Catholic Foundation breached a contract: the U.S. Constitution.

The UWRCF has a long history of problems with UW's Student Services Finance Committee. The SSFC has, according to the UWRCF, been discriminating against them by withholding funds, which on a larger scale is a violation of their freedom of assembly under the First Amendment. Last week, a judge ruled in favor of the UWRCF's receiving segregated student funding. Last time I checked, I went to a public school.

I've had a hard time understanding why the UWRCF has even had the right to complain that they were being discriminated against. The University of Wisconsin has been a public institution since its creation, which in effect means it receives funding from state and federal taxpayers (i.e., everybody), tuition payments and donations. I worry that everyone has forgotten about that other little part of the First Amendment — the separation of church and state.

The UWRCF has claimed that they are a student organization open to all, thereby in line to receive funding through the university's student segregated fees. I, myself, am the furthest thing from Roman Catholic, yet the money my family pays for tuition, for taxes, and through donations is going to wind up in the hands of a Roman Catholic foundation?

There are two levels of hypocrisy going on here. The first is the simple fact that the U.S. District Court is requiring SSFC to support a religion-focused group. The second is that our university is actually supporting a religious group. So, the state courts and this university have decided that all taxpayers and students are going to endorse Catholicism now? Isn't that an infringement on my rights, not the UWRCF's?

I would question whether a person with Islamic beliefs would get a warm welcome from the UWRCF. Would their views be tolerated? The UWRCF is a discrimination-oriented group by definition. They meet in order to maintain a Catholic presence on our campus and potentially spread their beliefs. Some might argue that the UWRCF would not be against other religious-oriented student groups receiving funding. Isn't this the same religion that believes only Christians can be saved from hell? If they do want to argue on those grounds, it's purely political, and even hypocritical of them.

On the St. Paul's University Catholic Center website, which is the acting website of the UWRCF, the group posts a mission statement. The statement is as follows: "As Christ's Catholic community at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, we live our baptismal call to grow in holiness through prayer and worship nourished in the Eucharist, to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed, and to reach out, welcome in, and send forth all for the greater glory of God." In effect, part of your tuition, and your tax dollars are being used to support this mission statement. Now, I am in no way trying to take away from any person's religious freedoms or beliefs, but how can the university stand and watch as the tuition dollars of more than 40,000 students are being spent to endorse one specific religion?

There is a larger issue going on here than the UWRCF or U.S. courts are seeing. UW should not forcibly deny the UWRCF's right to assemble, for that would be an infringement on their right to assembly; rather they should not endorse or support them. The fact that the U.S. Constitution declares that no state institution should have any established religion is a clear and concise idea that has been overlooked.

UWRCF seems as though it is a group in dire need of funding and support, but by no means should any of that funding come from unknowing and potentially unwilling donors. If UWRCF wants to exist, it should exist within its own means, funded by willing donors with Roman Catholic beliefs in mind. The U.S. Court System has failed all of us by refusing to uphold the U.S. Constitution and may have ultimately proved that this, unfortunately, is only a Christian nation.

Ben Patterson ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in political science.