Muslim Action Committee

Thursday, March 30, 2006

786
CIVILITY AT NYU
New York University embraced the concept of civility and the Danish cartoons were not shown at the "Free Speech and the Danish Cartoons" debate. Proof for Peter Risdon and others that they do not need to be present to have a debate.

The event, titled “Free Speech and the Danish Cartoons,” displayed easels with blank panels instead of the cartoons after NYU demanded that the cartoons be removed from display if the public was admitted. Panelists for the event, sponsored by the Objectivist Club, were Peter Schwartz of the Ayn Rand Institute; Andrew Bostom, who edited "The Legacy of Jihad"; Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Education; and Jonathan Leaf, the resigned editor of the New York Press.
“Realistically, one can have a discussion on smallpox without actually handing out the the live virus to the audience,” university spokesman John Beckman said. “Any institution has a responsibility that events on its grounds go smoothly and without disruption.”

CAS junior James Ferguson said it was unfair that so much time was spent on attacking Islam.
“To demonize a religion is not going to help anything,” Ferguson said. “When did free speech turn into a hateful generalization of Islam?”
CAS junior Muniba Hassan said the panel will provoke hatred of Islam, which has caused many of her Muslim friends to be afraid to walk home at night.
“They used free speech as a way to hide their xenophobic agenda,” Hassan said.
GSP sophomore Rizvan Moosvi said the panel didn’t fully understand Islam.

We'd like to congratulate NYU Muslim Chaplin Imam Khalid Latif, Sister Yvonne Ridley, Stop Political Terror and everyone who joined our email campaign to advance Global Civility at NYU.
All Praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds and may his blessings be upon our beloved Master Muhammad, his family and companions.