A couple of weeks ago in the Reader Forum, I read the (forum) submitted by M. Vasiur Rahaman (Lies and Distortions Offend Moslems). Not only was I confused, but I was offended.

Many of us feel that Salman Rushdie's book, the Satanic Verses is offensive and tasteless; consequently, not only people of the Moslem faith, but people with a social conscience should be outraged.

While demonstrations and non-violent protests to show unity, faith and disapproval are in order, letting an influential figure whose mental health and motives are questionable lead people astray, is not.

Telling people not to read this book or see that movie, only intensifies curiosities.

Thanks to some extreme religious groups, "The Last Temptation of Christ" was a box office smash, but Martin Scorsese did not have a price on his head. Islam is strong, it need not feel threatened by a book.

Unfortunately, on our own campus we have a handful of these extremists, of many races and religions. These are the people who think that their race is supreme or that their religion is the only one that matters.

Due to the action of a few, the whole University community is taking a bad rap -- it has been branded a racist and intolerant institution. Perhaps this handful of . . . people would get along rather nicely with the Ayatollah. May I suggest relocating?