We recently reported that Gallaudet University suspended its Diversity Officer, Angela McCaskill, for signing a petition to overturn Maryland’s Civil Marriage Protection Act.

Conservative groups are now rallying around McCaskill:

A variety of Christian and conservative organizations have thrown their support behind Dr. Angela McCaskill, who was suspended from her post as chief diversity officer at Gallaudet University last week for signing a Maryland ballot initiative that could lead to the overturning of that state’s same-sex marriage law.

Gallaudet University is a respected college for the deaf in Washington D.C. McCaskill is a 23-year veteran employee of the school who earned the school’s first Ph.D. as a deaf African-American woman.

The school’s president, Alan Hurwitz, said in a statement that “it recently came to my attention that Dr. McCaskill has participated in a legislative initiative that some feel is inappropriate for an individual serving as Chief Diversity Officer.”  He said that is why he has placed her on paid leave.

Now, many Christian and conservative organizations have rushed to support McCaskill and her cause.

The Family Research Council launched a petition, stating in part that:

“Gallaudet University claims to believe in diversity but clearly their definition of diversity doesn’t allow for dissent when it comes to marriage. … The university’s actions are even more disturbing when you consider that the (Maryland) petition doesn’t commit anyone to a particular viewpoint on marriage. It only gives people the right to vote. Yet this is how radically intolerant the Left has become. Even the simple act of participating in the political process is grounds for dismissal.”

A statement from McCaskill’s church, the Reid Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church, declares that:

“It goes without saying that first and foremost we ask that Dr. Angela McCaskill be reinstated immediately to her position at Gallaudet University. … Unfortunately, Dr. McCaskill and her family have been subjected to threats and intimidation as a result of the media coverage of the actions taken by President Hurwitz on behalf of Gallaudet University. As her church family we stand firmly by her side, and welcome all persons of good faith regardless of their ideological views to denounce these actions of cowardice and bullying.”

DefendChristians.org, a ministry of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, also got in on the act. It published Hurwitz’s email address, stating “join us in demanding that the university stop the suspension of Dr. McCaskill and apologize for their bigoted behavior.”