In response to Adam Winter's letter "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week disgraces university" Oct. 24, this event is no different than any other awareness week, such as Coming Out Week, that the university allows to happen, except for the fact that you happen to disagree with the topic brought forth here.

If you attended the speech on Tuesday, you would understand that former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum wasn't here to spread hate.

He went to great lengths explaining the Muslim faith to many people in the audience who didn't know much about it.

He then distinguished that he was discussing one very small sect within that faith. All these facts were very clear in his speech.

I wish people had come with an open mind. The majority of students were there merely to harass and point out flaws in Mr. Santorum's speech.

At no point did he accuse all Muslims of being Fascists; in fact, he went out of his way to make the distinction that the reasonable Muslims were the ones who could help solve this problem.

A university should be about finding truth, and by allowing speeches like this one to happen, Penn State has made a big step in that direction.

Matthew Shaffer
senior-music education