I wrote to Hoekstra, you should too
Reader comment on item: [Middle East Studies:] Wasted Money

Submitted by John Hadjisky (United States), Jun 25, 2003 at 14:56

I wanted to share with this forum the letter I wrote to Rep. Hoekstra in the hopes it will inspire others to write.

Rep. Hoekstra,

I wanted to write to express my support for recent efforts of Congress to apply some oversight and accountability to our funding of various Middle East Studies programs.

I think you should follow the lead of scholars such as Daniel Pipes, ... who documents the disturbing, fundamentalist ideology taught in many of these programs. While I support free speech on campuses, I do NOT support federally funded academic programs without accountability. If they take the taxpayers' money, they must answer to the taxpayers, or do without the funding; it is just common sense.

I look forward to hearing more about your work in this regard as chair of the House Subcommittee on Select Education. While I am not in your district, I do live in Michigan, and I feel that as the chair of this important subcommittee, you have the privilege of representing the wider constituency of the entire state of Michigan, and the country.

Sincerely,

[Name]

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