Thought police in action? Minneapolis Police Department suspends psychologist

Several readers have emailed me about this story, which is very disturbing if the facts laid out in the Frontpage Magazine piece I’m referencing are accurate:

If you’re a Christian working for the City of Minneapolis, watch your step – your job may already be in jeopardy. In what may be one of the most blatant acts of anti-Christian bigotry and discrimination by an American government agency, the Minneapolis Police Department has suspended a Police Psychologist, Dr. Michael Campion of Campion, Barrow & Associates, at the behest of leftist activists.

What was Dr. Campion’s crime? It seems that until last year he was a board member with the Illinois Family Institute (IFI), a Christian organization that advocates traditional family values. The Minneapolis Police Department admits that because of Dr. Campion’s Christian beliefs and his former affiliation with IFI, he is now under suspension pending an investigation into his beliefs.

The Minneapolis incident is a sad replay of the character assassination Dr. Campion experienced at the hands of leftist activists in Springfield, Illinois, last year. After a left-wing rag, the Illinois Times, raised questions of Campion being on the board of IFI, an “anti-choice, anti-gay group” the Springfield City Council dumped him as psychological screener for police and firefighter candidates.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that despite the fact that the Minneapolis Police Department admittedly gave Dr. Campion “‘high marks’ on ‘general procedural goodness and specific cultural fairness’ of his testing procedures;” he was nonetheless suspended soon after left-wing homosexual city activists informed Police Chief Don Harris about his IFI affiliation.

Equally confusing is the fact that Sgt. John Delmonico, president of the police federation, admitted that “it never had any complaints about Campion.” Notwithstanding this admission, Delmonico told the Star-Tribune “any issues that have been raised should be looked into.”

Equally confusing is the fact that Sgt. John Delmonico, president of the police federation, admitted that “it never had any complaints about Campion.” Notwithstanding this admission, Delmonico told the Star-Tribune “any issues that have been raised should be looked into.”

The Star-Tribune further reported, “Council Member Scott Benson appears to have been the first to hear of Campion’s beliefs.” Benson, while referring to a conversation with the Minneapolis P.D., told the Star-Tribune, “‘I asked them if given his background, should he be conducting psychological evaluations…They definitely should conduct an investigation and determine what’s fact and what’s fiction.’”

Read the whole thing. I don’t really have anything to add to the Frontpage article that isn’t already expressed by the author. If the facts are as he has reported, we have a clear cut case, I think, of a violation of Mr. Campion’s right to freedom of association. There’s no indication that his association has in any way negatively influenced his responsibility as a psychologist for the Minneapolis Police Department and the Minneapolis PD has in the past given him ‘high marks.’ But now, thanks to the ‘concern’ expressed by the Illinois Times (an ‘alternative’ newspaper, ahem), every little detail about his past will be dragged out, scrutinzed, and probably leaked to the Minneapolis media. Those who preach so much about tolerance, look to have been exposed here once again for what they are: intolerant hypocrites..

Where’s the ACLU when ya need ‘em?