MI Official Andrew Shirvell Defends Right To Harass Gay Student Chris Armstrong

PUBLISHED: SEPTEMBER 29, 2010

Andrew Shirvell, assistant to Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, is 

defending his right to harass openly gay student Chris Armstrong.

Armstrong was elected president of the University of Michigan at Ann

 Arbor Student Assembly in April. Among his campaign pledges was a

 promise to push for a gender-neutral option in university housing.

Since then, Shirvell, a U of M alum, has led a one-man protest against

 Armstrong. Shirvell repeatedly attacks Armstrong in lengthy blog posts

 at Chris Armstrong Watch, a website he runs.

He begins a recent post titled OUTRAGE ALERT: Armstrong Invites U of M Freshman to Join the Homosexual Lifestyle with: “Parents of University of 

Michigan freshmen beware: the University's first openly 'gay' student body president, Chris Armstrong, is actively recruiting your sons and daughters

 to join the homosexual 'lifestyle.'”

The blog is peppered with accusations that Armstrong is preying on impressionable freshmen.

“It seems that the aim of this 'party' is to liquor-up underage freshmen and promote homosexual activity,” he writes in a post.

Shirvell has also heckled Armstrong at political rallies and protested outside

 of his home.

In an interview Tuesday with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Shirvell defended his 

right to harass Armstrong.

“Andrew I want to go over some of the stuff that you have on your blog,” 

Cooper says. “There's a picture of Chris Armstrong with a Nazi swastika 

under his face, there's another with the words 'racist elitist liar' scrawled 

on his face. You accuse him at one point of being Satan's representative

 on the student assembly.”

“You're a state official. This is a college student. What are you doing?”

“This is a political campaign. This is nothing personal against Christ,”

 Shirvell responded.

“I'm a Christian citizen exercising my First Amendment rights. I have

 no problem with the fact that Chris is a homosexual. I have a problem 

with the fact that he's advancing a radical homosexual agenda,” he added.

Shirvell's boss, Attorney General Mike Cox, a Republican, issued a stern 

warning against Shirvell: “All state employees have a right to free speech

 outside working hours. But Mr. Shirvell's immaturity and lack of judgment outside the office is clear.”

BY ON TOP MAGAZINE STAFF