September 5, 2008

Southern Cal Deletes Muslim Scripture From Web Site Following Complaint

The University of Southern California has removed a portion of Islamic scripture from the Web site of a Muslim-student group on its campus, The Daily Trojan reported today.

The deleted material came from the hadiths, collections of words and reports of deeds of the Prophet Muhammad not included in the Koran. The university’s provost ordered the removal of the passages after a rabbi in a Jewish human-rights group told a Southern Cal trustee that the Islamic scripture advocated violence against Jews.

David Horowitz, the conservative activist, has been campaigning against Muslim-student associations, which he sees as tied to radical Islamist thought. He told the newspaper that this was his first concrete victory. —Beckie Supiano

Comments

1. So we can get rid of violent parts of the hadiths, but Bible passages prescribing the stoning to death of gay people and non-believers can stay up on websites?

   — Tom    Sep 5, 03:43 PM    #

2. Careful, Tom. When I made a comment like that the other day, I got replies calling me “anti-Christian” and “an idiot”.

   — swish    Sep 5, 03:49 PM    #

3. Tom, Will you give us any concrete examples of university websites that specifically include language advocating the stoning-to-death of gay people, nonbelievers, or anyone else? I’m truly curious.

   — Rob    Sep 5, 03:50 PM    #

4. Does USC have such a bible passage on its website? If so, you should call them on it and I am sure they would remove it. This is NOT a theoretical discussion.

   — another voice    Sep 5, 03:53 PM    #

5. If any religious content is allowed, then it must be fully allowed without censorship.

   — DG    Sep 5, 03:54 PM    #

6. Southern California is a private university, so the normal rules on “viewpoint discrimination” don’t apply. I very much doubt this action would pass legal muster at a public institution.

   — Gustave    Sep 5, 03:57 PM    #

7. The haddith are as significant as the Talmud or the Summa Theologica in the history of Western culture.

   If access were to be denied to any of these documents, we would be doing a disservice to any student seeking a greater understanding of our history.

   — Lawrence Johnson    Sep 5, 04:03 PM    #

8. More than ever, we need the flying spaghetti monster’s wisdom to guide us in these times of violence and conflict. I pray that his noodleness turns all of us into loving pastafarians.

   — Taavetti    Sep 5, 04:05 PM    #

9. What were the hadiths in question and what were their wordings?

   — Richard Hennessey    Sep 5, 04:10 PM    #

10. As a Christian, I am offended daily by many things. It is a part of living free and letting others do so as well. University web sites will always have content that “offends”.

    I want to keep my freedoms – and will also fight so that others may have theirs.

    This decision should be rescinded.

    — Lela Marshall    Sep 5, 04:22 PM    #

11. Here’s your naked truth: Both Christianity and Islam are built and codified on a hatred of Jews, and both religions have slaughtered Jews unmercifully for centuries. In that, they are to be compared to Nazism and Czarism, and to be truthful that’s all they are, two pagan death cults that became religions at the point of a sword. Sorry if the truth hurts.

    — Brilliant Blonde    Sep 5, 04:23 PM    #

12. Brilliant Blonde has it right. catholicism rather than christianity is responsible for a 1700 year long genocidal war against Jews. islam wants to continue the destruction of Jews and will be happy to obliterate christianity in the process.

    — Marty    Sep 5, 04:34 PM    #

13. Rob (#3): I never thought of looking for such a thing before.

    I just looked around a bit for Christian student groups’ web pages, including only those which reside on the web sites of non-religious or non-denominational universities. The only Bible verses I’ve found so far have been pretty general ones. Purdue’s Christian Student Center links out to some sites that look like they could post anti-gay or anti-non-believer verses or quotations; I haven’t had time to fully explore it yet.

    I think I’ll keep pursuing this for awhile. It may take some time. This is an interesting little project.

    Lela (#10): I agree with you almost without reservation — almost. If the passages are arguably threatening or inciting violence, and posted on the university’s site, isn’t it permissible for the U to remove them?

    #12 & #13: Where were you guys the other day when I needed you?

    — swish    Sep 5, 04:47 PM    #

14. While I do not support promoting the idea of killing persons who are members of any particular group or religion based on their membership in that group or religion, I am puzzled by the decision to eliminate hate speech in this instance using, it appears, an implicit speech code. The right wing, primarily via FIRE and its adherents, have challenged speech codes implicit and explicit for many years. I wonder what FIRE will do about this action by USC?

    In any case, I still believe Associate Justice William O. Douglas’ dictum is still relevant: the best answer to “bad” speech is “good” speech. Silencing those who espouse hate does not stop them from them from influencing others, it simply changes the venue for their vitriol. Perhaps we need to act more directly to challenge hate speech with speech that promotes love and acceptance of others, whether the hate speech is found in haddiths, the Torah, the gospels or any other medium.

    Post #14 makes an excellent point about not confusing what Jesus taught with what his alleged adherents practice.

    — Just wondering    Sep 5, 05:24 PM    #

15. Actually “Brilliant” Blonde, Muslims do NOT have a history of hatred/violence towards Jews. So please don’t make the claim that it was founded on the destruction of Jews. That’s completely false. Christians are the “founders” of anti-Semitism… prior to the state of Israel many Jews lived comfortably in predominantly Muslims countries (Egypt, Yemen, etc).

    — Sarah    Sep 5, 05:28 PM    #

16. As a Christian and a teacher of World Religions, I’m appalled by some of the above posts. Although some Muslims are violent and justify such acts with sacred texts, Christians and Jews have also done so in recent years. (The work of the Fundamentalism Project led by Martin Marty, as well as M. Juergensmeyer’s volume “
    Terror in the Mind of God,” show this clearly.)

    To label Islam as violent and Christianity as non-violent is manifestly false — both traditions have elements of both behaviors among their practitioners over the centuries.
    As for “Brilliant Blonde”‘s contention that both Christianity and Islam are founded on a hatred of Judaism, and that both seek to obliterate it — well, again, this is not uniformly the case. Both of the later Abrahamic traditions have oppressed Jews, but have tolerated Jews at other times. However, Christianity’s record is MUCH worse. In the medieval and early modern periods, in fact, the Islamic world was a much SAFER and more prosperous place for Jews than was “Christian” Western Europe.

    Blanket statements about the innate violence and hatred of Islam are historically wrong, and morally offensive to me, as a Christian, a scholar, and a human being.

    As for the action by USC, it’s unfortunate, and as others have urged, ought to be rescinded.

    — JamesDee    Sep 5, 05:30 PM    #

17. Why does it take post #19 to point out the big, grey, stinking elephant in the room: David Horowitz. Hello? It’s David Horowitz! He’s spending his time—his valuable days on this earth, days he could spend reading and thinking and growing herbs—trashing muslim student groups because he is in the grips of a bilious fever dream in which bearded jihadists rise up and change the direction of the discussion in “American History 101.” USC might have asked Horowitz to take a hike. And then they might have removed the scriptures. After all, universities really should not tolerate student groups that advocate religious violence on University web space. (And I wonder if F.I.R.E. and Horowitz are headed for a death match over this one!).

    — BP    Sep 5, 05:54 PM    #

18. Sarah (#17), while some Jews may have “lived comfortably” in Muslim countries prior to 1948, this was hardly typical…See, for example, Stillman’s “Jews of Arab Lands: A History and Source Book.” I don’t want to accept absence of state sponsored genocide as the threshold for comfortable living.

    — perplexed    Sep 5, 06:43 PM    #

19. Since you are bashing Christian and Islamic scripture (actually you are bashing each faith’s nut jobs’ interpretation of scripture). Let’s not forget the Jewish nut jobs that actually believe themselves to be God’s “Chosen People.” Most of them are currently occupying illegal settlements in Palestine or sending money from the United States to kill Arabs.

    — Croak    Sep 5, 07:04 PM    #

20. The elephant in the room is David Horowitz, now revealed as the politically correct censor. Don’t any advocates of freedom of expression, open discussion, and academic values see the irony? If the provost – rightly in my view – doesn’t like what the students posted, s/he can simply say so, just like anyone else. Censorship is not the answer. Horowitz’s delight is that speech s/he doesn’t like has been censored. Till now, he’s presented himself as against censorship of all stripes.

    — Dick    Sep 5, 10:03 PM    #

21. University admins really should stop trying not to offend anyone. There is always someone, somewhere at some time who will be offended by something including what I am now writing.
    Religious people actively seek to be offended and have orgasms over feelings of persecution. Hence removing Islamic material from a university website only vindicates Islamicist feelings of being a persecuted minority. Religious types should be systematically denied any opportunity to project themselves as being persecuted. They should be shunned and ignored; pandering to them is asking for trouble. They are never satisfied. The good Rabbi will go off now and find something else that offends him and next time it could be your own or your parents religion or sect.
    I personally feel that religious groups, especially student groups, should not be allowed to use university websites but such an opinion is bound to offend someone.

    — Raymond J. RITCHIE    Sep 5, 11:45 PM    #

22. It is interesting how generalization is taking place, when the fact of the matter is that there are numerous interpretations of both the Islam and Christianity —- adherents of each religion within the broad groups have practices which are diametrically different.

    Apropos, Islam has over 70 different interpretive groups —- akin to Christianities’ (Catholics, Baptists, Quakers, Etc.) —- ergo, Muslims like Christians, subscribe to widely varying ideologies.

    Take for instance the Sufi Muslims —- Mostly Pacifists, Muslims nonetheless, who …

    Expounding Briefly: Consider the following from Encyclopedia Britannica (1961: V. 21., Page523):

    “The germs of mysticism latent in Islam from the first were rapidly developed by the political, social and intellectual conditions which prevailed in the two centuries following the prophet’s death. devastating civil wars, a ruthless military despotism caring only for the luxuries of this world, Messianic hopes and presages, the luxury of the upper classes, the … The terrors of hell, so vividly depicted in the Koran, awakened in them an intense consciousness of sin, which drove them to seek salvation in ascetic practices.

    Sufism was originally a practical religion, not a speculative system. It arose, as Junayd of Baghdad says “from hunger and taking leave of the world and breaking familiar ties and renouncing what men deem good, not from disputation” … “

    Additionally Consider the role of Sufi Women vis-a-vis Women in other sects of Islam (Encyclopedia Britannica (1961: V. 21., Page523):

    “Toward the end of the 2nd century the doctrine of mystical love was set forth in the sayings of a female ascetic, Rabi’a of Basra, the first in a long line of saintly women who played an important role in the history of Sufiism. Henceforth the use of symbolic expressions, borrowed from the vocabulary of love and wine, becomes increasingly frequent as a means of indicating holy mysteries …”

    It should be noted that Rabi’a al-Adawiyya [of Basra], —- is better known for her reply to the question: Do you hate Satan?

    Answer: “My love for God leaves me no room for hating Satan.”

    Elaborating on the above, —- there are many variations within the Sufis themselves (akin to the variations within Baptists, Catholics, etc.).

    From Encyclopedia Britannica (1961: V. 21., Page523; Under Subheading “Many Shades Of Opinion”):

    “The Sufis comprise many shades of opinion —- from asceticism and quietism to pantheism. The pantheistic type … throw the transcendental and visionary aspects of Sufiism into undue relief, as the sayings attributed to Bayezid (d. A.D. 874), e.g., “I am the winedrinker and the wine and the cupbearer”; “I went from God to God, until they cried from me in me, ‘O Thou I.”

    Additionally, consider other aspects and variations (refer to works of Rumi, Sachal, Shah Latif, etc.

    Apropos, the Sufi Muslims, even in current times, in general are pacifist. —- The 70 plus sects of Islam ranging from Quaddians, Aga Khanis, Sunnis, Shias, etc.) Have wide variations in terms of beliefs, practices, mores, etc. (e.g. Islam forbids images —- Moslem graves in Sindh have images) —-

    Following the actions of some, generalizing, and then collectively lumping diversity as one, simply isn’t —- reductio absurdum —- it is also extremely dangerous, given the conditions of our times.

    For, let us not forget that the largest population of Muslims resides in India —- and, in percentage terms if Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, etc. are included, then the entire Muslim population in the Mid-east, constitutes a minority (believe it is under 25%).

    And, as final thought on the above, —- one should not ignore the practicalities of preaching vs. practice —- How many Catholics strictly adhere to the pope’s edicts? Clearly, the same exists in other religions, groups, and subgroups.

    As far as the matter of the posting & removal is concerned, free speech should prevail, —- it would however, be nice to actually know what was posted [and the relevant context/accuracy] —- more importantly, in my opine, a rebuttal in form of denial of accuracy or multiple interpretations by religious scholars, would have been a positive action —- an intellectual and scholarly debate probably would do more for peace and harmony, than mere censorship, which aids in fostering the forces of bitterness and hatred.

    — zahid    Sep 6, 06:46 AM    #

23. Post 24 was very interesting, but I had thought that Sufi’ism is to “mainstream” Islam pretty much like what Mormonism is to Christianity – that is, they claim to be a “member” but all of the rest of the members reject them. And given the recent violent attacks on civilians in India, suggesting that the violence problem relating to Islam is more about the Middle East Muslims seems at odds with reality.

    Also, to all of those Christians who argue that Christians who are violent ignore Jesus’ teachings seem themselves to ignore the fact that Christianity (or at least American Fundamentalist Christianity) claims all of the Bible to be the Word of God, not just the chapters that claim to quote Jesus directly. And a huge amount of the Christian-justified violence is based on those other parts of the Bible (see Book of Revelations and cf to Fundamentalist support of US policy wrt Israel and the Palestinians).

    Maybe Christianity needs a new sect, the “Word-of-Jesus-ers”.

    — Melissa Belvadi, a librarian    Sep 6, 11:50 AM    #

24. Lets not forget the atheist threat too. Remember Adolf Hitler, Mao Tse Tung and Joseph Stalin!!

    — TarquinFarquhar    Sep 6, 02:18 PM    #

25. It’s a canard that Hitler was an atheist – he invoked God in speeches just like any modern American politician. And don’t forget the Nazi slogans “Gott mit uns” and “Kinder, Kueche, Kirche.” I am not so sure about your other two examples, either.

    — Nitpixter    Sep 6, 03:39 PM    #

26. Jews did not live peacefully in Arab and Muslim lands before Israel was established. They suffered occasional persecution in nearly all Islamic countries, daily humiliations, forced conversion, and genocide. The ones who survived had to pay a special tax simply to live. When Israel was founded 650,000 Jews were expelled from Arab states in the most brutal way. They were taken in by Israel. One refugee problem was solved. Israel shouldn’t be asked to solve the Palestinian refugee issue. It’s about time Arabs and Muslims did something to assist their co-religionists find a home that isn’t Israel.

    — Marty    Sep 6, 05:14 PM    #

27. For Melissa Belvadi, a librarian (#25):

    Your interpretation: “Sufi’ism is to “mainstream” Islam pretty much like what Mormonism is to Christianity.”

    You are correct for that in most of the Mid-East in general is (or rather was the case); for, in current times, considering that the Sufi’s are somewhat akin to the Mormons (is being generous for they would not be even allowed to exist in many parts of the Mid-East). —- howsoever, it should be noted that the same is not the case in other parts of the Muslim world —- interestingly, the largest population of Sufis’ is in Sindh (Pakistan) —- where most of the original Sindhi population (Muslims, Hindus, etc.), consider themselves as Sufis first, —- and then identify themselves as Hindus or Muslims (incl. of Shias, Sunnis, etc).

    It must also be pointed out that Sindh, unlike the rest of India, was for nearly 700 years or so part of Greek Empire, as such, cultural influences, intermarriages, etc., do come into play.

    Briefly, underscoring the above, even in current times Hindus, Muslims, etc. from all walks of life (doctor, lawyers, farmers, laborers, janitors, etc.,) gather at Sufi Saints gravesites all over Sindh, and jointly celebrate and rejoice (how much of the dance and music is spurred by intoxication maybe unknown, but so is violence in any form a rarity).

    Melissa, you might also find it interesting to note that Sindhi Hindus —- never adhered to a caste system, never practiced Suttee, etc. —- oftentimes we tend to focus on the generalities of a religion (or culture, or belief, or country, or…), and ignore the wide variations present —- given the myriads of influencing factors at play.

    With regards to your other point [Ref: recent violent attacks in India…], it should be noted that we live in an interconnected world —- and, some of the same comes overseas, whilst some is local.

    It might also behoove us to note that despite the violent attacks, —- there does not exist the equivalent of a Patriot Act, nor can anyone be held as an enemy combatant. In fact the last Prime Minister, who sought such powers was the highly popular Indira Ghandhi (during/following the war with Pakistan), not only did the Indian Supreme Court unanimously reject the same, —- it also cost Ms. Ghandhi her premiership.

    — zahid    Sep 6, 05:20 PM    #

28. For Melissa Belvadi, a librarian (#25):

    Following-up, on the above, and providing synoptic overview for your perusal, —- kindly, consider the following:

    (a) In terms of relevance, —- The Muslim population of India approximates the entire U.S. population. The incidents of local unrest/violence attributable to “Indian Muslims,” are somewhat akin to the violence of our own mentally disturbed (Oklahoma City, uni-bomber, etc.). Additionally, there are the Tamils, and other separatist groups in Northeast parts of India who are also responsible for some of the unrest/violence.

    (b) It should also be noted that in Pakistan —- until our support for the fundamentalist President General Zia (remember today’s Taliban and terrorists were yesterday’s Mujahaddin —- who we armed and supported against the Russians) —- No Islamic Party ever won more than a couple of seats in any elections.

    © The Northwest Border provinces in Pakistan Baluchistan, NFWP), which are currently the stronghold of the fundamentalist —- were in the past socialist strongholds, —- in every election in those provinces was won overwhelmingly by the Socialist Party (prior to our support of the fundamentalist —- i.e., the prior to Gen. Zia’s military coup, and declaration of martial law).

    (d) Islamic laws, courts, were introduced by General Zia, and fundamentalism took roots under General Zia’s rule (whom we supported and kept in power), Zia, at the time was deemed vital to the U.S. interests in fighting the Communists/Socialist, and assisting the Mujahaddin in defeating the Russians.

    (e) If one were to read most Pakistani newspapers of the early 1970s —- one would see several ads for topless dance clubs, liquor sales, etc. —- hardly the case today.

    (f) In fact Pakistan would have had its first woman President in the 1960s were it not for election rigging —- Fatima Jinnah ahead in all polls/popular vote —- lost narrowly to Gen. Ayub Khan, in the rigged electoral college vote (the electoral college members were theoretically free to vote as they pleased) —- again we [U.S. Govt.], were supporting Gen. Ayub, who was vital to our interests —- the Turkey, Iran (remember the Shah), Pakistan alliances (SEATO, CENTO —- encirclement of Russia), —- U-2 missions, etc.

    (g) The variations in terms of Muslim thought and action are throughout the Muslim world per se., are readily apparent, —- just consider the status of women in Saudi Arabia vs. Bangladesh which has had women Premiers (and where both major parties have been simultaneously led by women); or Pakistan, that has had several elected woman serve in Cabinet Posts (incl. Head of Govt.) —- whilst, we still haven’t had a nominee even head a ticket.

    — zahid    Sep 6, 05:43 PM    #

29. #28 and and #20 – If you want to talk about the true persecution of Jews lets talk about Hitler and the history of Europe (i.e., the Spanish Inquisition)… I KNOW Jews who lived in Egypt before ’48. While I don’t agree with their being forced out of their homes in Arab countries, I was talking about their lives before then. I recommend Karen Armstrong’s Islam – A Short History

    — Sarah    Sep 6, 09:09 PM    #

30. Hello. This is Mahmoud Lamadanie. Islam in Arabic means peace as Shalom is in Hebrew. Also, Islam is a semantic derivative signifying the one who surrenders or submits to God’s will. That why Muslims contend that all prophets since our grand father Adam are all Muslims as they are submitters to God’s will.

    Monotheistic Jews and Christians are described in the Quran as “People of the book”. In the Quran “Surat Mary” Jesus, peace be upon him, is mentioned more than Prophet Mohammed. True Muslims honor both the Jews and the Christians.

    An honorable Christian King called Al- Najashee in Habasha, modern day Ethiopia, helped save early Muslims 1400 years from extinction. Muslims then sought refuge from the persecution of the pagan Arabs of today’s Saudi Arabia who wanted to exterminate Islam as they wanted to continue to worship Gods that are made of stone statues.

    Islam absolves the Jews from killing Jesus. There is no theological basis in Islam for hatred against the Christians or the Jews.

    We are all the children of Adam so by extension, we are all brothers and sisters. The Quran says killing one human soul unjustly is tantamount of genociding all of humanity and saving one person is like saving all of humanity.

    Islam says: “None of you is a true believer until you love for your brother, what you love for yourself” This is same as the Christian golden rule.

    As for the Jews and I, we need to follow the moral ethos of the universal truths of the Ten Commandments so that we can be good human beings. After all, there is a reason why they are called the Ten Commandments and NOT the 10 suggestions.

    Give peace a chance, Conquer hate with love, as the prince of peace recommended!

    Salam , Shalom, Peace Barokh Ha shem

    Mahmoud Lamadanie
    Ruston, Louisiana

    — Mahmoud Lamadanie    Sep 7, 06:58 AM    #

31. The thing that blows my mind about all this is that people are arguing about Islam and violence based on the claim by an individual that a particular line advocates violence against Jews—and yet we don’t get any idea of what the specific line might have been!

    I second the request that #9, only to be ignored by everybody since: Let us know what the removed line was, so that we can talk about whether it really should have been deleted or not.

    — ZS    Sep 7, 06:49 PM    #

32. According to an organisation called Jihadwatch.com, the hadiths in question were these. (They will be familiar, I’m sure, to many; they’ve cropped up in numerous similar conversations.)

    Book 041, Number 6981:

    Ibn ‘Umar reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: You will fight against the Jews and you will kill them until even a stone would say: Come here, Muslim, there is a Jew (hiding himself behind me) ; kill him.

    Book 041, Number 6982:

    Ubaidullah has reported this hadith with this chain of transmitters (and the Words are):” There is a Jew behind me.”

    Book 041, Number 6983:

    Abdullah b. ‘Umar reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: You and the Jews would fight against one another until a stone would say: Muslim, here is a Jew behind me; come and kill him.

    Book 041, Number 6984:

    Abdullah b. ‘Umar reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: The Jews will fight against you and you will gain victory over them until the stone would say: Muslim, here is a Jew behind me; kill him.

    Book 041, Number 6985:

    Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.

    — Gustave    Sep 8, 09:34 AM    #

33. #35 A lot of general statements are being made here regarding who hates who. I would like to point out that many Christians risked, and some gave their lives to protect Jews from the Nazi regime. Though the Catholic chruch made a pact with Hitler I don’t think it had anything to do with the Jews at all. It was a mistaken effort to protect Catholics living in the Nazi State. I would like to point out that there was no Holocaust in Italy and that was considered to be because of the influence of the Vatican.

    — Tommye Adams    Sep 8, 09:58 AM    #

34. It seems to me that the student group in question is probably a bunch of idiots to think they could post those particular hadiths and no one would notice…

    — Legend    Sep 8, 03:36 PM    #

35. To Sarah (#31)— Armstrong’s book is a very brief history of Isalm that barely mentions Jews and their relations with Moslems. The theology of Islam (as briefly noted by Mahmoud Lamadanie #32) has indeed been more sympathetic to Jews than has traditional Christian theology…and that ideal was in rare times and places realized; but most often, 2nd class citizenship and absence of violent persecution was the best that a Jew could hope for.

    — perplexed    Sep 8, 04:27 PM    #

36. Lawrence Johnson: access is not being denied to these texts. They just aren’t being broadcast on the university’s website.

    Marty: I suppose this is why the Papacy during WWII actually helped Jews escape from the Nazi’s grasp? By the thousands?

    Snake (#14) excellent comments.

    #19, so growing herbs has the same transcendental impact as reading and thinking? I have no problem growing herbs – in fact I do it myself. However, I do not mention them as equal or even in the same breath as reading and thinking. Are you so far to the left that you are left-handed?

    Danish journalists post cartoons of Mohammed and get their lives threatened. “Artists” depict a frog crucified on a cross or show a crucifix with cow urine on it and when Christians and/or Catholics complain, they are told to suck it up.

    “Don’t offend the Muslims, they’ll lop your head off faster than the French Revolution could have done it. But the Christians…don’t worry about offending them.”

    — dsyind    Sep 9, 09:10 AM    #

37. So the message here is that Christians and Jews should stop being the victims and start killing Muslims? Uh, isn’t that what Christians and Jews are doing now in Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan?

    — Croak    Sep 10, 03:44 PM    #

38. While USC is a private institution, California has state law which compels private universities to afford students their first amendment rights as if the institution was public.

    — John    Sep 11, 10:37 AM    #

39. Gee, wouldn’t it be nice if David Horowitz was the censor for all universities? Isn’t that one of the signs in Revelations?

    — gregS    Sep 11, 11:06 AM    #

40. Although there is some nonsense on this post and alot of finger pointing (People kill people, period. Let’s get real here.) These have got to be some of the most educational and informative comments that I have read on the Chronicle. Good job everyone (well, most of you anyway).

    — Marjorie    Sep 11, 02:09 PM    #

41. Does anybody else find the DVD entitled, “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against The West” that came with the recent hard copy issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education as a “Special Advertising Insert” a bit disturbing? This piece of propaganda lends great evidence that the soul of the U.S. is under more threat from neoconservatives who are more loyal to Israel than they are to the U.S. than it is from Islam.

    — Croak    Sep 11, 05:56 PM    #

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