Although traveling on University business, word has reached me that The Daily Collegian published an advertisement asserting a revisionist challenge to the U.S. Holocaust Museum. Vice Provost for Educational Equity James Stewart has earned our collective thanks in responding with a letter to the Collegian expressing his own disappointment in this decision on the part of our student newspaper.

I feel it is important to say again that the Collegian, an independent student newspaper, speaks only for itself and not for the University. The Collegian possesses the First Amendment right to publish this advertisement.

It is another case of balancing the question, "Can I?" with the question, "Should I?" There is no doubt in my mind the answer should have been, "We should not publish."

The decision to publish inflames emotions, insults our learning community and hurts all of us, especially the members of the Jewish community. The substance of the advertisement also departs very far from the truth, which has been documented as one of the most terrible events of human history. I deplore this distortion of history and its impact on the environment of this University community.

In the learning community we respect freedom of speech, but with full recognition that the printed and spoken word must accommodate the need for truth and judgment. We must continue to speak out against intolerance so that the voices of reason prevail.