I never look at the Chronicle online. Nowadays I can't even think of any particular Duke site I visit. I learned about Nelson's injury from ESPN (though we still have the meaningless title of best starting five in basketball). Apparently, someone does read the Chronicle since they posted an article on kuroshin about an apparent uproar over an editorial about "The Jews". I haven't actually read any of this at the moment, but I just want to assure the world Duke is not an anti-Semitic location. While any community composed of diverse individuals will have diverse opinions, the University is generally an accepting and open place. Hopefully, if there indeed is an uproar, it will not leave a negative impression of the University.
Posted by shs4 at October 27, 2004 12:28 PM | TrackBackI will strongly echo the poster's point that Duke is in no way anti-Semitic. In fact, it is the very tolerance of the University that led to this problem. The University decided to let a pro-Palestinian student group hold its national conference at Duke. This led to a large number of counter-speech events, protests, and editorials/ads, as well as touching off this whole conflagration. In hindsight, perhaps not the best idea to agree to this event.
Although I strongly disagree with the author's points (first of all, the notion that Jewish persons are less of a "minority" because they resemble Caucasians is absurd), I fear that we have forgotten Voltaire's admonition that while we may disagree with what someone says, we should defend to the death his right to say it.
Academia is founded on free speech, perhaps even more so than society at large. The viewpoints of one person do not reflect the climate of the entire Duke community, but the reaction to them does. The author has a right to state his views, however wrongheaded they may be. In turn, his detractors have a right to state their views that he is a racist, a bigot, or simply misinformed. That's how the process works. His statement of his views does not and should not trigger the automatic forfeiture of his Duke enrollment, his scholarship, his bodily health or anything else.
Similarly, the author's views should not be used as a critique of the University. As long as the school allows *all* viewpoints to be expressed, it is fulfilling its function. If you are offended by the author's views (as I am), you may criticize him with equal vigor or attempt to educate him and change his views. A recent federal court decision quipped that September 11, 2001 cannot be the day that our civil liberties died; by the same token, our freedom of speech did not die when we uncovered the brutal horror that was the Holocaust.
Posted by: Mr. Sparkle at October 28, 2004 11:09 AMDBR is getting incredibly useless. I still check it every couple of days, and didn't see anything about Nelson getting injured. Hell, they didn't even mention anything about it in the Blue-White game writeup. I guess they're too busy writing "Our Call" and Duke football articles too notice...
Posted by: lurp at October 28, 2004 05:36 PMI know what you mean. I didn't see anything about it except on the bulletin boards. I was really shocked that it wasn't in the Blue-White report.
In other news, what do you think about the new poster:
http://www.dukestore.com/ePOS?store=106&item_number=65401&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=106
I'm not sure if I like it (WTF is J.J. doing?), but I like the 100th Anniversary one better:
http://www.dukestore.com/ePOS?store=106&item_number=62465&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=106
As far as J.J., didn't you hear? Duke is moving to the Harlem Globetrotter offense this year which puts a high value on spinning the ball on your finger, attaching the ball to a string, and throwing buckets of confetti at the refs. It is going to be an awesome year!
Posted by: boo at October 28, 2004 09:57 PM