The Rocket

Issue date: 5/4/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Nate Daymut Keith Darrell informs students about the word of God on Monday in the Quad. [Click to enlarge]

Students were concerned when an evangelist came onto the Slippery Rock University campus to talk with students on the quad about religion and the Bible on Monday afternoon.

"The reason I am here is to spread the word about God and to tell you to serve the lord," said Keith Darrell, a 31-year-old religious lecturer from Brooklyn, N.Y.

Many students had a problem with him being there and decided to do something about it.

"Police were at the scene because students called complaining that they were being harassed," said John Bonando, the assistant vice president of student life. "They said he was making rude comments to certain students and wanted it to stop. He wasn't breaking any laws so he was allowed to be there."

Bonando said the police weren't there to get rid of him, but instead just to make sure nothing got out of control.

Darrell has a Master of Divinity from the Coveted Theological Seminary and spends time talking with students about religion and politics. Darrell visited SRU in September with the same mission. But last year, University Police escorted him away because university officials told him he needed a permit.

According to Rita Abent, the executive director of public relations for SRU, student life had certain guidelines last year that visitors had to follow.

"Last year student life came up with 'gathering guidelines' and under those guidelines, you needed a formal permit to speak on campus," Abent said.

This year, the guidelines have changed for free speech on campus.

"I contacted the American Civil Liberties Union with respect to free speech and asked if I would be able to talk at the campus freely," Darrell said. "The ACLU sent a letter to the university, and then I received a letter in February from the university saying that I was allowed to be there."

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