Letter to the Editor

Last week the world watched as terrorists attacked a newspaper for publishing cartoons that offended their religious sensibilities. Most of the world then applauded when Charlie Hebdo, in their first edition after the attack, published the same kind of cartoon that supposedly instigated the attack in the first place. Charlie Hebdo told those who sought to silence them that they would not be silenced. Terror and threats of violence would not silence them. Yet, at Duke, a university that supposedly embraces the ideals of pluralism and diversity, caved to threats and outside pressure. The leaders of our university decided to shamefully rescind the permission granted to the Muslim Student Association to sound the adhan from the tower of Duke Chapel. Duke has allowed Islamophobia and the terrorists, who used the threat of violence to influence policy, and the Franklin Graham's of this world to win over freedom of religion and thought. A satiri cal French newspaper has shown more courage than our university. In response to this, should the bells of Duke Chapel be allowed to ring anymore calling the faithful to vespers or Sunday worship? Should the bells be silenced and gagged as our Muslim friends have been gagged by the leadership of Duke? Silence the bells until the adhan is called...

Andrew Hook

Div' 17