To the Editor:
Dartmouth Counsel Robert Donin's conclusion on the state of free speech at Dartmouth is perhaps one of the most slanted views on the issue that I have read ("Free Speech and its Limits," April 18).
For example, he cites the that the College has hosted speakers who are "hardly a pantheon of political correctness." To set the record straight, I think it should be recognized that being conservative does not render one politically incorrect. Secondly, he states that student publications prove that "the marketplace of ideas is flourishing" and that the Zeta Psi incident should not obscure the true situation on campus. Clearly, he missed a the memo in which other student publications have claimed to have endured repeated attempts from the College to censor them.
As for the College's dedication to the "unfettered" debate that flourishes here daily (he defends this by listing speakers whom he has deemed "politically incorrect), I think it should be noted that the professor who introduced Daniel Pipes spoke of the difficulty he encountered in convincing the College to extend him an invitation. In fact, I believe he stated that he was told on many occassions that Pipes would be "too controversial."
Highlighting token efforts by the College to appear objective hardly presents the full picture. Furthermore, one need not brag about such efforts; presenting multiple sides of a view should be the norm at a university dedicated to intellectual diversity. The bottom line is that a biased mentality clearly sets both the agenda and policy for Dartmouth, particularly when it comes to free speech.
Sincerely,
Kenan Yount '06
