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OPINIONS
[ Monday, Jan. 8, 2001 ]

Letter to the Editor
If one group is censored, all groups are in danger

Was I surprised to read in the Collegian that someone from Young Americans for Freedom was offended by the word cunt? Certainly not!

The problem is that not everyone has the same concept of freedom. I support the right of anyone to bring controversial speakers to Penn State. YAF brought Phyllis Schlafly here and supported speakers like Charlton Heston.

In the case of Phyllis Schlafly, YAF advertised by comparing feminists to Nazis. Similarly, Heston compared the plight of gun onwners to the Holocaust. Did I or anyone I know try to stop them from seeking funding? No.

Freedom means that everyone is free to speak his or her mind, not to be oppressed. To me, these comparisons to the Nazis are far more offensive than any slang word for the female genitalia could ever be, but I still support the rights of people to say these things. Now if we want to start censoring groups because someone is offended, then I say it should be open hunting season. We can ban art organizations because someone will eventually paint or draw something a little too racy. Now following this same line of flawed reasoning, I guess we should get rid of everything else from classes to the different styles of architecture found in various buildings until there is literally nothing left of Penn State.

Brandon M. Forsht
Class of 2000
 

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Updated: Monday, January 08, 2001  12:03:16 AM  -4
Requested: Thursday, July 24, 2008  6:00:44 PM  -4
Created: Wednesday, May 07, 2008  6:32:03 PM  -4