Shame! By ignorantly reprinting the recent anti-Islam cartoons you hurt this University and even hurt this Country that gives you the right to freedom of the press.
Sadly, there will be fewer Muslim students and faculty here in years to come because you made your choice “to promote a dialogue.” Many of the 1.2 billion or more worldwide followers of the Prophet (peace be upon him) have now one more reason to mistrust the USA–even beyond our recent attacks upon two of their countries.
Religious ignorance and intolerance are sadly widespread in this country (and at this University). Few American high schools teach about religion because of a strange alliance between Christian fundamentalists–who only want taught their beliefs–and liberals who fear such zealots will be the only teachers. And the U of I still has only a “Program” not even a Department of Religion. Here students can get a Ph.D. in P.E. (now called Kinesiology), but not even a Masters degree in the study of Religion.
I pray that in the future there will be a much higher percentage of students, and editors, who will learn more about the very different faiths of this planet and choose not to ignite cartoon bombs that harm many.
Steven Shoemaker
Executive Director
University YMCA
