FEBRUARY
      22,
      2005
      THE
      CADRE
      e
      174
     
     
      LETTS
      ERS
      TO
      THE
      EDITOR
     
    

    
     
      SOCIETY
      FOR
      ACADEMIC
      the
      student
      newspaper
      is
      controversy
      is
      “pathetic”.
      If
      we
      begin
      |
      in
      this
      case
      the
      images
      are
      associated
     
    

    
     
      FREEDOM
      AND
      overreaction
      and
      a
      victory
      for
      ssSieital
      running
      our
      affairs
      on
      the
      basis
      of
      |
      with
      defamation
      of
      the
      Prophet.
      Just
     
    

    
     
      SCHOLARSHIP
      censors
      who
      seem
      to
      have
      intimidated
      |
      what
      might
      offend
      someone
      in
      some
      |
      yesterday,
      the
      Committee
      on
     
    
   
   
    
     
      OPEN
      LETTER
     
    
   
   
    
     
      February
      13,
      2006
     
    

    
     
      Dr.
      Wade
      MacLauchlan
     
     
      President,
      UPEI
     
     
      Charlottetown,
      PEI
     
     
      C1A
      4P3
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dear
      President
      MacLauchlan:
     
     
      I
      am
      writing
      to
      you
      as
      president
      of
      the
     
     
      Society
      for
      Academic
      Freedom
      and
     
     
      Scholarship.
      We
      are
      a
      national
     
     
      organization
      of
      university
      faculty
     
     
      members
      and
      interested
      others
      who
     
     
      are
      dedicated
      to
      the
      defence
      of
     
     
      academic
      freedom
      and
      reasoned
     
     
      debate.
      For
      further
      information,
      please
     
     
      visit
      our
      website
      at
      wwwssafs.ca.
     
     
      We
      are
      writing
      to
      strongly
     
     
      protest
      the
      actions
      of
      the
      UPEI
     
     
      administration
      in
      seizing
      copies
      of
      the
     
     
      student
      newspaper,
      The
      Cadre
      (issue
     
     
      dated
      February
      8),
      and
      preventing
      their
     
     
      distribution.
      UPEI’s
      public
      statement
     
     
      of
      February
      8
      that
      censorship
      of
      The
     
     
      Cadre
      can
      be
      justified
      “on
      grounds
      that
     
     
      publication
      of
      the
      caricatures
     
     
      represents
      a
      reckless
      invitation
      to
     
     
      public
      disorder
      and
      humiliation”
      is
     
     
      contrary
      to
      the
      duty
      of
      all
      university
     
     
      presidents
      to
      maintain
      their
      campuses
     
     
      as
      places
      where
      debate
      of
     
     
      controversial
      issues
      may
      take
     
     
      place.
      Fear
      of
      possible
      ‘mob
      action’
     
     
      must
      not
      be
      allowed
      to
      dictate
      to
      UPEI
     
     
      or
      any
      other
      Canadian
      university
      what
     
     
      ideas
      its
      students
      and
      faculty
      may
     
     
      express,
      disseminate
      and
      debate.
      By
     
     
      censoring
      this
      debate
      at
      your
      campus
     
     
      rather
      than
      taking
      the
      necessary
      steps
     
     
      to
      provide
      appropriate
      security
      to
     
     
      allow
      debate
      to
      happen,
      you
      have
     
     
      encouraged
      the
      view
      that
      the
      threat
     
     
      of
      violence,
      real
      or
      imagined,
      is
      an
     
     
      effective
      way
      to
      challenge
      ideas
      with
     
     
      which
      one
      disagrees.
     
     
      The
      decision
      as
      to
      what
      is
      to
      be
     
     
      included
      in
      a
      newspaper
      must
      be
      made
     
     
      by
      the
      editorial
      board,
      based
      on
      their
     
     
      understanding
      of
      the
      newsworthiness
     
     
      of
      the
      story.
      Those
      who
      disagree
      with
     
     
      the
      newspaper’s
      coverage
      or
      viewpoint
     
     
      can
      register
      their
      opposition
      through
     
     
      writing
      letters
      to
      the
      editor,
     
     
      demonstrating,
      or
      simply
      by
      refusing
     
     
      to
      read
      the
      paper
      or
      to
      advertise
      in
      it.
     
     
      Disagreeable
      speech
      should
      be
     
     
      countered
      by
      opposing
      arguments.
     
     
      Censorship
      is
      not
      an
      acceptable
     
     
      response
      to
      the
      expression
      of
      contrary
     
     
      opinions,
      and
      especially
      not
      on
      a
     
     
      university
      campus.
      Sending
      the
     
     
      campus
      police
      to
      confiscate
      copies
      of
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      administration
      of
      UPEI.
     
     
      UPETI
      has
      given
      the
      impression
     
     
      that
      vigorous
      debate
      is
      to
      be
      avoided
     
     
      whenever
      offence
      may
      be
      taken,
      or
      at
     
     
      the
      very
      least
      that
      such
      debate
      is
      to
     
     
      occur
      only
      on
      terms
      decided
      by
      the
     
     
      university
      administration.
      Surely,
      this
     
     
      is
      not
      the
      image
      of
      UPEI
      that
      you
      want
     
     
      promote.
     
     
      We
      call
      on
      you
      to
      reverse
      your
     
     
      decision
      and
      to
      let
      The
      Cadre
      do
      its
      job.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      to
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Sincerely,
     
     
      Clive
      Seligman
     
     
      President
     
    
   
   
    
     
      CC:
      Ray
      Keating,
      Editor,
      The
      Cadre
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Society
      for
      Academic
      Freedom
      and
     
     
      Scholarship
     
    

    
     
      1673
      Richmond
      Street,
      Number
      344
     
     
      London,
      Ontario
     
    

    
     
      N6G
      2N3:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Website:
      www.safs.ca
     
    
   
   
    
     
      BOARD
      OF
      DIRECTORS
     
    

    
     
      Clive
      Seligman,
      PhD,
      President
      .
     
     
      (UWO)
     
    

    
     
      Grant
      A.
      Brown,
      DPhil,
      LLB
     
     
      (Edmonton)
     
    

    
     
      Andrew
      Irvine,
      PhD
      (UBC)
     
     
      Tom
      Flanagan,
      PhD,
      FRSC
      (Calgary)
     
     
      Steve
      Lupker,
      PhD
      (UWO)
     
    

    
     
      John
      Mueller,
      PhD
      (Calgary)
     
    

    
     
      Peter
      Suedfeld,
      PhD,
      FRSC
      (UBC)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      PAST
      PRESIDENTS
     
    

    
     
      Doreen
      Kimura,
      PhD,
      FRSC
      (Simon
     
     
      Fraser)
     
    

    
     
      John
      Furedy,
      PhD
      (Toronto)
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      To
      the
      Staff
      of
      The
      Cadre:
     
    

    
     
      Please
      accept
      my
      congratulations
      for
     
     
      your
      intrepid
      actions
      in
      reprinting
      the
     
     
      Danish
      cartoons.
      So
      many
      of
      us
      have
     
     
      seen
      what
      much
      of
      the
      media
      actually
     
     
      stand
      for
      in
      the
      face
      of
      real
      threats
      to
     
     
      free
      speech.
      You
      have
      been
      one
      of
     
     
      the
      few
      examples
      of
      those
      willing
      to
     
     
      face
      a
      true
      test
      of
      free
      speech
      in
      the
     
     
      West.
      Thank
      you
      for
      informing
      your
     
     
      readers
      of
      the
      content
      of
      this
      recent
     
     
      controversy.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      All
      the
      best!
     
     
      Dr.
      Jack
      L.
      Edwards
     
     
      Toronto,
      ON
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      You
      have
      my
      full
      support
      in
      attempting
     
     
      to
      have
      those
      “famous”
      cartoons
     
    
   
   
    
     
      published.
      My
      only
      word
      for
      the
      whole
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      other
      culture
      we
      are
      in
      a
      sorry
      state
     
     
      indeed.
      I
      remember
      with
      clarity
      the
     
     
      fuss
      (and
      fatwa)
      over
      Salmon
      Rushdie’s
     
     
      book
      several
      years
      ago
      and
      the
      fury
     
     
      that
      I
      felt
      when
      our
      own
      government
     
     
      initially
      placed
      a
      “stop
      import”
      order
     
     
      on
      it.
     
     
      The
      first
      thing
      I
      did
      when
      it
      did
      become
     
     
      available
      was
      to
      go
      out
      and
      buy
      a
      copy.
     
     
      Where
      was
      the
      “moderate”
     
     
      Muslim
      community
      then
      and
      where
      is
     
     
      it
      now?
      If
      they
      want
      to
      get
      some
     
     
      respect
      from
      me
      (and
      many
      others)
     
     
      they
      had
      better
      start
      reigning
      in
      their
     
     
      fanatics.
      The
      distinction
      between
      them
     
     
      seems
      rather
      blurred
      to
      me.
      Can
      you
     
     
      imagine
      us
      pandering
      to
      our
      own
     
     
      crowd
      of.extremists
      when
      they
      come
     
     
      out
      with
      their
      own
      drivel
      (such
      as
      the
     
     
      world
      having
      been
      created
      a
      few
     
     
      thousand
      years
      ago)?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      All
      the
      best,
     
     
      Scott
      Cunningham
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      My
      name
      is
      Anthony
      Hampton,
      I
      ran
     
     
      the
      Argosy
      at
      Mt.
      A
      for
      the
      2002-2003
     
     
      publishing
      year
      in
      my
      2nd
      year.
     
    

    
     
      I
      read
      about
      The
      Cadre
      publishing
     
     
      the
      cartoons
      on
      cbc.ca
      (I
      live
      in
      Japan,
     
     
      so
      I
      am
      amazed
      I
      heard
      at
      all),
      and
     
     
      then
      I
      read
      your
      editorial
      on
      The
      Cadre’s
     
     
      website.
      I
      just
      wanted
      to
      say
      that
      I
     
     
      think
      you
      did
      the
      right
      thing.
      I
      am
      sure
     
     
      something
      of
      a
      storm
      has
      unfolded
     
     
      around
      you
      and
      The
      Cadre
      of
      late.
     
     
      Looking
      back
      at
      my
      time
      at
      the
      Argosy,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      |
      I
      am
      certain
      of
      only
      one
      thing:
      it
      was
     
    
   
   
    
     
      well
      worth
      it
      when
      we
      made
      a
      stand,
     
     
      and
      I
      wish
      we
      had
      done
      it
      even
      more
     
     
      often.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Best
      wishes,
     
     
      Anthony
      Hampton
     
     
      You
      acted
      in
      a
      reckless
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
      irresponsible
      way
      by
      trying
      to
      publish
     
     
      the
      cartoons.
      I
      suspect
      that
      you
      do
      not
     
     
      fully
      appreciate
      the
      dynamics
      of
      the
     
     
      current
      controversy
      or
      its
      extreme
     
     
      volatility.
      There
      is
      no
      real
      free
      press
     
     
      issue
      involved
      with
      the
      cartoons.
      There
     
     
      are
      just
      people
      (on
      both
      sides)
      who
      are
     
     
      trying
      to
      use
      the
      cartoons
      to
      further
      a~
     
     
      political
      agenda.
      For
      the
      Danish
      paper
     
     
      and
      the
      European
      copy
      cats,
      it’s
      a
     
     
      pretext
      for
      Muslim
      bashing.
      For
      radical
     
     
      islamists,
      it’s
      a
      pretext
      for
      promoting
     
     
      benladenism.
      Furthermore,
      the
     
     
      prohibition
      against
      images
      or
      statues
     
     
      or
      statues
      is
      not
      really
      a
      major
      factor
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      either.
      It
      has
      become
      a
      factor
      because
     
    
   
   
    
     
      American
      Islamic
      Relations
      (CAIR)
     
     
      reminded
      us
      that
      several
      years
      ago
     
     
      there
      was
      a
      request
      for
      removal
      of
      the
     
     
      statue
      of
      Muhammad
      that
      has
      been
     
     
      part
      of
      the
      frieze
      on
      the
      front
      of
      the
     
     
      US.
      Supreme
      Court
      since
      1935.
      That
     
     
      frieze
      depicts
      a
      number
      of
      major
     
     
      “lawgivers”
      who
      changed
      the
      course
     
     
      of
      human
      history
      and
      is
      done
      as
      a
     
     
      tribute
      to
      them.
      The
      Court
      refused
      to
     
     
      change
      the
      frieze
      because
      that
      would
     
     
      alter
      its
      artistic
      integrity
      and
      the
     
     
      Muslim
      community
      at
      that
      time
     
     
      accepted
      the
      decision
      since
      the
      work
     
     
      was
      not
      defamatory.
      Muslims
      know
     
     
      that
      Christians
      have
      no
      qualms
      about
     
     
      depicting
      the
      Jesus
      and
      the
      other
     
     
      prophets,
      even
      God
      himself
      (in
      the
     
     
      creation
      of
      Adam
      panel
      in
      on
      the
     
     
      ceiling
      of
      the
      Sistine
      Chapel).
      While
     
     
      they
      do
      not
      agree
      with
      such
      images,
     
     
      they
      respect
      the
      rights
      of
      others
      to
      act
     
     
      according
      to
      their
      own
      beliefs,
      so
      long
     
     
      as
      there
      is
      no
      blatant
      racism
      or
     
     
      defamation.
     
    

    
     
      Here’s
      why
      we
      know
      there
      is
     
     
      no
      real
      free
      press
      question
      for
      the
     
     
      Danish
      paper
      Jyllands-Posten.
      The
     
     
      Editor,
      Fleming
      Rose
      is
      a
      protégé
      of
     
     
      star
      Muslim
      basher
      Daniel
      Pipes.
      In
     
     
      2003,
      a
      freelance
      illustrator
      offered
      his
     
     
      paper
      a
      series
      of
      caricatures
      of
      Jesus.
     
     
      They
      were
      rejected
      because
      Rose’s
     
     
      Sunday
      edition
      editor
      said
      that
      the
     
     
      newspaper’s
      readers
      would
      not
      enjoy
     
     
      them
      and
      they
      would
      cause
      an
      outcry.
     
     
      In
      January
      (just
      after
      the
      publication
     
     
      of
      the
      Muhammad
      cartoons),
      the
     
     
      International
      Herald
      Tribune
     
     
      interviewed
      Rose.
      The
      IHT
      ask
      him
     
     
      if
      he
      would
      publish
      a
      caricature
      of
     
     
      Ariel
      Sharon
      strangling
      a
      Palestinian
     
     
      baby.
      Rose
      said
      that
      he
      would
      not
     
     
      because
      such
      an
      image
      would
      be
     
    

    
     
      “racist”.
     
    

    
     
      Rose
      set
      out
      to
      provoke
     
     
      Muslims
      and
      he
      has
      succeeded
      beyond
     
     
      his
      wildest
      dreams.
      Unfortunately,
     
     
      many
      politically
      naive
      and
      easily
     
     
      manipulated
      Muslims
      have
      fallen
      into
     
     
      the
      trap
      and
      are
      providing
      Rose
      with
     
     
      exactly
      what
      he
      wanted—a
     
     
      demonstration
      that
      Muslims
      are
      violent
     
     
      and
      dangerous
      and
      that
      they
      receive
     
     
      political
      protection
      and
      support
      that
     
    
   
   
    
     
      others
      do
      not
      APPEAR
      to
      receive.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      That
      trap
      was
      sprung
      by
      radical
     
     
      islamists
      who
      also
      find
      it
      in
      their
     
     
      interest
      to
      provoke
      a
      clash
      between
     
     
      East
      and
      West.
     
    

    
     
      The
      European
      newspapers
      are
     
     
      Johnny-come-latelys,
      who
      jumped
      into
     
     
      the
      fray
      when
      it
      was
      almost
      over;
      Rose
     
     
      had
      made
      a
      lukewarm
      pseudo-apology