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Painting with a broad brush

Reader comment on item: Islamists Police the Classroom [at the University of South Florida]

Submitted by Naomi Hordes (United States), Jan 5, 2004 at 13:14

Hi again Mr. Pipes:

As usual, I agree with the general content of your article on the possible dangers of Islamist pressure on academics teaching courses on Islam and the ME.

But, would you not agree that we should be careful not to paint with too broad a brush - i.e. if there was a university course being taught on Judiasm, Yahadut, Israel, the ME, the Jewish community would not find it unacceptable or even unusual to have Jewish students enroll in the course to monitor ( even for YOUR own monitoring system) and perhaps to try to ensure that the course presented views that the Jewish community thinks represents itself. Any community has the right to define for itself what it considers its own values and an academic institution shoudl be a place where a variety of interpretations can be offered, even including an accurate presentation of those of a religious community itself.

Academics have the right to interpret any subject , including the history, beliefs and views of another religion, in whatever way they want. I certainly would not want Eward Said to have presented a course on Judaism with no input from knowledgeable Jews.

I can envision some perfectly normative Moslems who might feel the same way about a non Moslem teaching a course on a topic they feel strongly about.

I am certain that you were not intending to indicate that they should not have that right - merely to indicate that no group ought to have the right t o censor academic freedom and that attempting to attract converts should have no place in an academic environment. But I think you do your argument harm -and run the danger of having it dismissed as a polemic - if you don't at least acknowledge that there could be legitimate reasons for monitoring even classes on Islam.

Keep up the good work. I marvel at your output - and your stamina! You are a welcome voice in the wilderness. Hopefully more people are seeing the light.

Cordially,
Naomi
Submitting....

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Reader comments (32) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1I am Muslim and totally disagree with that practice... [622 words]MarciaDec 12, 2008 15:11144987
108 A counterpoint. [137 words]Phil GreendMar 30, 2008 13:52124112
2Islamic treachery [199 words]AnonymousJun 19, 2005 11:2422745
3to outlaw islam, it is not a religion [76 words]joseph anonymousMay 10, 2006 21:5822745
2Spirit of America [136 words]AngeleJan 26, 2004 23:3813571
2Shame and submission [135 words]MauricioJan 22, 2004 22:2913497
2It is mind control at its' most destructive [80 words]Mukmaad SadaakiNov 27, 2006 10:5413497
21402# comment [163 words]S.C.PandaJan 19, 2004 05:1613403
Why don't you say it clearly and unequivically ? [105 words]Saul PfefferJan 14, 2004 19:4213367
1Tolerance on Campus [410 words]Seth FrantzmanJan 12, 2004 16:4113310
Put yourself in their place [200 words]Charles R.L. PowerJan 7, 2004 16:5213215
1We should put ourselves in their place to defend our free and secular societies [122 words]Herman Van KeerMar 9, 2007 16:4513215
1What? [195 words]Daryle DawsonDec 23, 2007 11:0913215
1High School vs 7th Grade [85 words]Walt BreedeJan 6, 2004 20:5213174
2islam in world history-will it contain the last 50 years? [64 words]vijay ladJan 6, 2004 12:3413166
Not subjective artcle [86 words]shaker AsiriJan 6, 2004 05:2813159
Islam in the universty class room taught by devotees. [250 words]kameelfaragJan 6, 2004 02:1313154
Islam in classrooms [72 words]HArry WelelrJan 5, 2004 22:4913149
Not proven [107 words]Leif KnutsenJan 5, 2004 14:1913123
1separation of church and state [80 words]pattiJan 5, 2004 13:4913118
Painting with a broad brush [335 words]Naomi HordesJan 5, 2004 13:1413113
1The Thought Police [162 words]Dov Sussman, Esq.Jan 4, 2004 22:2513100
1Campus watch [98 words]robert fusfeldJan 4, 2004 21:4713099
1PLEASE STOP THIS TRAGEDY [85 words]Maged RofailJan 4, 2004 21:2613098
2racial profiling among other things [135 words]Norm L.Jan 4, 2004 21:1513097
An Omission? [205 words]ron thompsonJan 4, 2004 18:5313095
Jihad [81 words]steven charlesJan 4, 2004 15:3013092
Is There An Islam Behind The Islamism? [346 words]Alain Jean-MairetJan 4, 2004 13:5713089
1Teaching "Sunday School" religion [55 words]mikeJan 4, 2004 13:5313087
2Are our schools to be taken over in america by muslims [30 words]SchoolsJul 8, 2010 23:3613087
1Islam, The Religion of Fear [402 words]Arlinda DeAngelisJan 4, 2004 12:0113082
1like it or lump it [61 words]Richard HandJan 4, 2004 09:0113078

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