Harvard Debates Islam

by Daniel Pipes
Sat, 17 Dec 2005
updated Wed, 28 Dec 2005

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Jennifer King posted an analysis in July 2005, "Know Islam," in which she argued that "Islam is in fact the real inspiration of the terrorist regime that threatens the world today." I don't agree with this point of view but do believe that in time of war there should be "a freewheeling discussion about the Koran, jihad, radical Islam, Islamist terrorism, and related topics."

Today, shortly after Harvard University announced a $20 million donation for Islamic studies from Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal of Saudi Arabia, King sent a copy of "Know Islam" to Doug Gavel, media relations manager at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Here is the full text of Gavel's response to her:

Subject: Re: ISLAM & TERRORISM
From: doug_gavel@harvard.edu
To: [Jennifer King]
Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 09:12:44 -0500

and bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla

Comments: (1) This is an odd form of media relations. (2) The level of discourse at Harvard seems to have degenerated since I long ago spent time there. (December 17, 2005)

Dec. 28, 2005 update: I had checked with Doug Gavel before going public with this story, making sure to hear his side of the story. His reply to me ("Hello, I would appreciate it if you removed me from your lists. thanks, Doug") puzzled me (he is on no list of mine) but as it did not contradict Jennifer King's account, I posted the above information. Gavel then heard from a number of my readers ("I have been beseiged by emails which I do not appreciate") and wrote to me to explain the situation:

the gibberish "blah blah" message was sent by me, but was only done as by mistake, as it was intended to be sent to a friend who had sent me a silly message. It was NOT intented as a response to Mr. King or to her article, which I have not had the opportunity to read. I hope you understand that I am not an academic nor a scholar, but an administrator, who certainly has no expertise in these issues being deliberated on your blog.

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Reader comments on this weblog entry

Title	By	Date
Economic development by itself will not get Israel accepted [236 words]	Ian Mordant	Dec 30, 2005 13:52
Question for Dr. Pipes on Ayas & Jennifer King's Assertion [w/response] [135 words]	Ira Katz	Dec 30, 2005 00:27
↔ yea [32 words]	Omar	Jun 3, 2006 05:57
Harvard anno 2005 : A mind is a terrible thing to use [40 words]	Ben van de Polder	Dec 28, 2005 23:39
Harvard Sinks Even Lower [34 words]	Always On Watch	Dec 27, 2005 13:12
2 comments [36 words]	tom dykhuizen	Dec 27, 2005 02:09
Harvard debates Islam [108 words]	William Papke	Dec 26, 2005 23:42
Harvard Debates Islam [w/response] [90 words]	shoshana pugh	Dec 26, 2005 18:22
↔ There is Only One Doctrine in Islam [w/response] [494 words]	Luther R. Lloyd	Dec 30, 2005 17:14
An Open Letter To Doug Gavel [612 words]	Dale Evans	Dec 26, 2005 17:58
For Ms Jennifer King and her Comments on Islam [18 words]	Karam Chand Ramrakha	Dec 26, 2005 17:40
↔ ISLAM & DECEIT [342 words]	Jennifer King [AGAIN!]	Dec 27, 2005 12:26
↔ Quran 5:41 [47 words]	Luther R. Lloyd	Dec 31, 2005 10:39
↔ a true joke [169 words]	jlk	Oct 11, 2006 00:30
bla, bla , bla , bla [27 words]	ralph shapiro	Dec 26, 2005 14:58

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