FEBRUARY
      22,
      2005
     
    
   
   
    
     
      but
      I
      do
      not
      get
      freaked
      out
      when
      non-
     
     
      believers
      do
      not,
      indeed
      the
      journalist
     
     
      that
      took
      you
      to
      task
      for
      printing
      the
     
     
      cartoons
      continuously
      makes
      fun
      of
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      believes
      of
      Christians
      who
      are’
     
    
   
   
    
     
      members
      of
      our
      government.
      The
     
     
      aspect
      of
      any
      belief
      is
      the
      ability
      to
     
     
      rise
      above
      that
      provocation
      and
      to
     
     
      accept
      it
      for
      what
      it
      is.
      Unfortunately,
     
     
      the
      Middle
      East
      is
      still
      stuck
      in
      the
     
     
      Middle
      Ages.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      D.
      Fraser
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Congratulations-on
      your
      courageous
     
     
      and
      exemplary
      defense
      of
      the
      right
      to
     
     
      freedom
      of
      speech
      in
      Canada
      through
     
     
      publication
      of
      the
      cartoons.
     
    

    
     
      The
      President
      of
      UPEI,
      who
     
     
      ordered
      copies
      to
      be
      removed
      from
     
     
      campus
      alleging
      “We
      run
      the
      place”,
     
     
      needs
      to
      hone
      his
      clearly
      inadequate
     
     
      knowledge
      of
      our
      Charter
      of
      Rights,
     
     
      and
      of
      his
      role
      as
      a
      promoter
      of
     
     
      independent
      and
      creative
      thought.
     
    

    
     
      Well
      done,
      ladies
      and
      gentlemen
     
     
      of
      UPEI.
      This
      Canadian
      is
      very
      proud
     
     
      of
      you,
      and
      wishes
      you
      and
      your
     
     
      fellow
      students
      every
      success
      in
      your
     
     
      studies,
      and
      burgeoning
      careers
      as
     
     
      staunch
      defenders
      of
      “la
      liberté
     
     
      d’expression”’.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Don’t
      ever
      give
      up!!
     
     
      Guy
      de
      Puyjalon
     
     
      Iroquois,
      Ontario
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      No
      doubt
      you’ve
      had
      a
      small
      deluge
     
     
      of
      correspondence
      regarding
      the
     
     
      Cadre’s
      decision
      vis
      the
      infamous
     
     
      Danish
      cartoons.
      Nonetheless,
      I
      felt
      I
     
     
      should
      add
      my
      name
      to
      the
      list.
     
    

    
     
      What
      I
      have
      to
      say
      is
      very
     
     
      simple:
      thank
      you.
      Thank
      you
      for
     
     
      trying
      to
      do
      what
      the
      Globe
      and
      Mail,
     
     
      CNN,
      and
      a
      host
      of
      other
     
     
      (inter)national
      media
      refused
      to
      do.
     
     
      Free
      speech
      is
      one
      of
      the
      most
     
     
      treasured
      rights
      we
      have
      in
      a
      free
     
     
      society,
      and
      it’s
      a
      shame
      when
      we
      see
     
     
      it
      sacrificed
      on
      behalf
      of
      all
      by
     
     
      squeamish
      individuals
      to
      whom
      the
     
     
      opinion
      of
      totalitarians
      is
      paramount.
     
    

    
     
      Thank
      you
      for
      doing
      your
      bit.
     
     
      My
      highest
      praise
      goes
      to
      your
     
     
      thwarted
      efforts.
      Perhaps
      it’s
      the
     
     
      university
      I’m
      attending
      (Victoria),
      but
     
     
      I
      never
      would’ve
      expected
      from
      a
     
     
      student
      newspaper
      such
      a
      principled
     
     
      stand
      in
      favor
      of
      freedom.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Jarrett
      Plonka,
      UVic
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Ray:
      Hang
      in
      there!!!
      You
      are
      a
      brave
     
     
      soldier
      for
      democracy.
      Do
      not
      give
      in.
     
     
      Thank
      you
      for
      being
      the
      first
      to
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      recognize
      the
      extreme
      importance
      of
     
     
      free
      speech.
      Those
      who
      care
      about
     
     
      free
      speech
      should
      all
      be
      publishing
     
     
      those
      cartoons,
      over
      and
      over.
      We
     
     
      must
      stare
      down
      the
      enemies
      of
     
     
      democracy.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Thank
      you.
     
     
      Jane
      E.
      Lemke
     
     
      Vancouver
      *
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      am
      a
      staunch
      supporter
      of
      freedom
     
     
      of
      the
      press
      and
      academic
      freedom.
     
     
      But
      I
      do
      not
      respect
      your
      decision
      to
     
     
      print
      the
      cartoons
      that
      appeared
      in
      a
     
     
      Danish
      newspaper,
      provoking
      outrage
     
     
      from
      some
      members
      of
      the
      Muslim
     
     
      community.
      There
      are
      a
      couple
      of
     
     
      reasons
      I
      do
      not
      respect
      your
      decision:
     
    

    
     
      First
      and
      foremost,
      there
      are
     
     
      no
      absolutes
      in
      this
      world
      -
      Context
      is
     
     
      Everything.
      And
      the
      context
      here
      was
     
     
      that
      the
      cartoons
      had
      already
      provoked
     
     
      outrage
      and
      accompanying
      mindless
     
     
      violence.
      The
      reaction
      to
      this
      is
     
     
      therefore
      predictable
      -
      this
      will
      add
      fuel
     
     
      to
      the
      fire.
      There
      are
      times
      when
      it
      is
     
     
      important,
      even
      imperative
      to
      take
      a
     
     
      stand
      and
      make
      a
      statement.
      I
      ask
      you
     
     
      to
      thoughtfully
      consider
      whether
      this
     
     
      was
      such
      a
      time.
      You
      have
      taken
      a
      risk
     
     
      of
      causing
      pain
      and
      provoking
     
     
      violence
      -
      but
      were
      you
      really
     
     
      defending
      a
      right
      that
      was
      under
      any
     
     
      threat.
      I
      think
      not
      -
      freedom
      of
      speech
     
     
      and
      freedom
      of
      the
      press
      are
      healthily
     
     
      expressed
      in
      Canada
      just
      now
      -
      the
      real
     
    
   
   
    
     
      threat
      probably
      comes
      from
      the.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      concentration
      of
      the
      media
      in
      the
     
     
      hands
      of
      a
      handful
      of
      corporations
      -
     
     
      that
      would
      be
      something
      worth
      writing
     
     
      about.
     
    

    
     
      When
      I
      view
      your
      actions,
      I
     
     
      view
      it
      in
      the
      context
      of
      those
      who
     
     
      have
      gone
      before
      -
      a
      student
      newspaper
     
     
      at
      Queen’s
      “Golden
      Words”
      routinely
     
     
      used
      freedom
      of
      the
      press
      as
      an
      excuse
     
     
      to
      print
      material
      whose
      only
      purpose
     
     
      was
      to
      provoke
      -
      not
      to
      provoke
     
     
      thought,
      but
      to
      provoke
      hatred
      and
     
     
      violence.
     
    

    
     
      In
      the
      case
      of
      “Golden
     
     
      Words”
      it
      was
      hatred
      of
      women
      and
     
     
      racial
      minorities.
      They
      may
      have
      been
     
     
      free
      to
      print
      the
      material
      -
      but
      at
      what
     
     
      cost?
      I
      am
      not
      accusing
      you
      or
      your
     
     
      editorial
      staff
      of
      racism
      or
      religious
     
     
      intolerance,
      but
      I
      do
      think
      you
      have
     
     
      acted
      without
      looking
      at
      the
      context
     
     
      of
      your
      actions
      -
      which
      may
      cause
     
     
      much
      pain.
      Would
      you
      have
      printed
     
     
      cartoons
      that
      were
      equally
      offensive
     
     
      to
      other
      religious
      or
      ethnic
      groups,
      just
     
     
      for
      the
      sake
      of
      making
      a
      statement?
      I
     
     
      find
      myself
      in
      the
      extremely
      unusual
     
     
      position
      of
      agreeing
      with
      a
      member
     
     
      of
      the
      conservative
      government
     
     
      (yikes!)
      who
      has
      said
      that
      rights
      come
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      with
      responsibility
      -
      in
      this
      case
      I
     
     
      believe
      you
      have
      acted
      in
      the
      interests
     
     
      of
      sensationalism
      rather
      than
     
     
      responsibly
      address
      the
      issue
      of
     
     
      violence
      and
      religious
      intolerance.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      |
      Jill
      Irwin,
      Ph.D.
      C.Psych
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Adjunct
      Assistant
      Professor
     
     
      Department
      of
      Psychology
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Academic
      freedom?
      Freedom
      of
      the
     
     
      press?
      Freedom
      of
      religion?
      Nice
     
     
      sellout,
      losers!
      ’'m
      now
      ashamed
      to
     
     
      admit
      that
      I
      was
      once
      a
      student
      of
     
     
      UPEI.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      John
      Neish
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      am
      dismayed
      at
      your
      decision
      to
      print
     
     
      the
      cartoons
      that
      have
      offended
      and
     
     
      outraged
      so
      many
      people.
      You
      said
      to
     
     
      CTV
      Newsnet
      that
      you
      decided
      to
     
     
      publish
      the
      cartoons
      so
      that
      your
     
     
      readers
      could
      decide
      for
      themselves
     
     
      whether
      the
      cartoons
      are
      offensive.
     
    

    
     
      Mr.
      Keating,
      it
      truly
      does
      not
     
     
      matter
      whether
      or
      not
      your
      readers
     
     
      find
      the
      cartoons
      offensive.
      The
      fact
     
     
      of
      the
      matter
      is
      that
      many
      thousands
     
     
      of
      people
      DO
      find
      them
      extremely
     
     
      offensive,
      so
      much
      so
      that
      riots
      have
     
     
      escalated
      to
      the
      point
      where
      we
      have
     
     
      already
      seen
      several
      deaths.
     
    

    
     
      It
      makes
      no
      sense
      whatsoever
      to
     
     
      do
      anything
      to
      risk
      fanning
      the
      flames
     
     
      in
      this
      situation.
      I
      believe
      your
      decision
     
     
      to
      publish
      the
      cartoons
      was
      based
      on
     
     
      very
      poor
      judgment.
      You
      owe
      an
     
     
      apology
      to
      all
      who
      have
      been
      offended
     
     
      and
      hurt
      by
      this
      move.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Vaughan
      Marshall
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Regarding
      your
      direction’s
      decision
      to
     
     
      remove
      all
      copies
      of
      your
      student
     
     
      newspaper,
      you
      should
      be
      ashamed
      of
     
     
      your
      censorship.
      Isn’t
      free
      speech
      the
     
     
      pillar
      of
      academia?
      What
      a
      disgrace.
     
     
      My
      congratulations
      to
      The
      Cadre’s
      staff
     
     
      for
      standing
      proud
      in
      front
      of
      the
     
     
      barbarism,
      intolerance
      and
      violent
     
     
      intimidation
      from
      a
      part
      of
      the
      Muslim
     
     
      world.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Mathieu
      M.
      Bolduc
     
     
      Université
      de
      Sherbrooke
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      am
      writing
      to
      express
      my
      support
      for
     
     
      your
      decision
      to
      print
      the
      cartoons
      that
     
     
      ate
      so
      much
      in
      the
      news
      these
      days.
     
     
      They
      are,.as
      you
      said
      in
      an
      interview
      I
     
     
      heard
      on
      CFRA
      here
      in
      Ottawa,
     
     
      offensive.
      But,
      the
      proper
      point
      is
      “So
     
     
      what?”
      Being
      offensive
      is
      not
      against
     
     
      the
      law.
      Being
      offensive
      is
      part
      of
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THE
      CADRE
      e@
      16
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      democracy.
      And,
      you
      are
      absolutely
     
     
      correct
      to
      ask,
      “Why
      have
      the
      major
     
     
      media
      outlets
      in
      Canada
      and
      the
     
     
      United
      States
      been
      so
      reluctant
      to
     
     
      demonstrate
      their
      support
      for
      free
     
     
      speech.”
     
    

    
     
      The
      argument
      on
      the
      other
     
     
      side
      seems
      to
      be
      that
      if
      members
      of
     
     
      the
      Muslim
      faith
      are
      offended
      because
     
     
      non-Muslims
      fail
      to
      follow
      the
      rules
     
     
      of
      Islam,
      then,
      somehow,
      the
      non-
     
     
      Muslims
      have
      violated
      a
      rule.
      But,
     
     
      said
      “rule”
      does
      not
      exist
      outside
      of
      a
     
     
      Muslim
      state,
      which,
      as
      far
      as
      I
      am
     
     
      aware,
      we
      are
      not.
     
    

    
     
      There
      are
      those
      who
      would
     
    

    
     
      argue
      that
      such
      cartoons
      are
      “hate
     
     
      speech”
      and
      are
      akin
      to
      cross
      burnings
     
     
      by
      the
      KKK.
      Such
      an
      argument
     
     
      shows
      a
      great
      ignorance
      of
      the
      KKK
     
     
      and
      the
      purpose
      of
      cross
      burnings
      —
     
     
      which
      was
      to
      intimidate
      ex-slaves,
      to
     
     
      prevent
      them
      from
      exercising
      the
     
     
      rights
      granted
      to
      them
      by
      the
     
     
      Amendments
      to
      the
      Constitution
      that
     
     
      grew
      out
      of
      the
      American
      Civil
      War.
     
     
      Cross
      burnings
      were
      used
      to
      gather
      the
     
     
      Klan
      together
      before
      lynchings.
      In
      the
     
     
      1920s,
      cross
      burnings
      were
      also
      used
     
     
      to
      intimidate
      Jews.
     
     
      Publishing
      offensive
      cartoons
     
     
      is,
      well,
      publishing
      offensive
      cartoons.
     
     
      If
      a
      person
      were
      to
      burn
      a
      Koran
      in
      a
     
     
      mosque,
      that
      would
      be
      illegal
      —
     
     
      according
      to
      our
      criminal
      and
      civil
      law.
     
     
      We
      would,
      properly,
      seek
      to
      prosecute
     
     
      said
      person
      (or
      sue
      him/her
      in
      civil
     
     
      court
      for
      damages)
      in
      the
      courts
     
     
      established
      under
      the
      Canadian
     
     
      Constitution
      —
      not
      under
      a
      religious
     
     
      code;
      ditto
      for
      those
      who
      desecrate
     
     
      churches
      and
      temples.
     
    

    
     
      In
      closing,
      let
      me
      again
     
     
      commend
      you
      for
      your
      stand.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dr.
      Nathan
      M.
      Greenfield
     
     
      Gloucester,
      Ontario
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Since
      our
      troops
      are
      being
      attacked
      by
     
     
      Muslims,
      it
      would
      be
      nice
      to
      know
     
     
      what
      in
      hell
      the
      fuss
      is
      about.
      This
      is
     
     
      our
      country
      and
      we
      can
      do
      what
      we
     
     
      want.
      Print
      as
      many
      cartoon
      photos
      —
     
     
      as
      you
      like,
      and
      if
      possible
      send
      me
      a
     
     
      copy
      so
      I
      can
      get
      it
      enlarged
      and
      walk
     
     
      around
      town
      with
      it.
      Stand
      fast
      Cadre,
     
     
      Keep
      up
      the
      good
      work.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Neil
      Flemming,
     
     
      Charlottetown
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dear
      Misters
      MacLauchlan,
      Dodds
     
     
      and
      Bridges,
      I
      was
      very
      disappointed
     
     
      to
      learn
      of
      your
      administrations’
     
     
      decisions
      to
      use
      censorship
      in
     
     
      response
      to
      the
      recent
      appearance
      of
     
     
      controversial
      cartoons
      on
      the
      UPEI