Campustruth.org ad offensive to Muslims

I would like to express my feelings about the Wednesday ad paid for by campustruth.org. I am very much offended by this ad, not just because I'm Muslim, but because this institute is supposed to be for education and not for spreading hatred among students. What truth does that picture tell? This should not be publicized by an institute that claims to be a center of education. I think the Wildcat should think twice before putting such an ad in the newspaper and be more responsible with the actions it takes. We all can live in peace if others let us; centuries ago, when Islam was ruling and had a lot of power over the regions that it had under its control, Christians, Jews and Muslims were all living in peace. But now others are in control, and as you can see, no one can live in peace.

I hope you get my point and try to get some background about why there is war and hatred everywhere; the media, like the Wildcat, is one of the biggest problems.

Shaban Barzanjy
pharmacy graduate student
international student coordinator, Muslim Students Association

Ad serves to exploit Israel-Palestine issue

I condemn the ad printed in the Wildcat concerning the Israeli and Palestinian issue. I believe that such ads are not helping students in any way, but rather spreading hate. I would appreciate it if the Wildcat would remain UA students' source of news, and not a source of hate and prejudiced sentiments.

Imaad Malik

management information

systems sophomore

Poor discretion used in Wildcat's decision

This letter is in response to the advertisement sponsored by campustruth.org that ran on the bottom of page 20 in the Wednesday issue of the Wildcat.

While I understand there are many valued freedoms (albeit fewer and fewer day by day) that are protected in this country, I found this ad's intentions questionable and the choice to run it in the Wildcat irresponsible.

Many students read the Wildcat every day, and I hope they realize that the desire the ad accuses Palestinian school children of having (become suicide bombers). If it exists at all, it falls far behind their desire to survive another day without being crushed to death in their homes or killed in crossfire around the corner.

I strongly doubt that the Wildcat would run a full-page ad advocating segregation, white supremacy or slavery ÷- so I know there is some judgment involved in deciding which ads to run. I don't understand why you would allow something like this ad, from campustruth.org, which likens Palestinian school children to murderers and terrorists, to disrepute your newspaper and further polarize the students on this campus.

Faisal Momen
electrical and computer
engineering graduate student

Ad does not inform, only promotes hate

The choice to run this ad shows a serious lack of judgment on the part of the Wildcat. The ad does not seek to educate, nor does it inform, but only seems to promote hate and discrimination while claiming to be the "one truth."

Faisal EL Azzouzi
electrical engineering junior

Student may transfer due to insulting ad

I have asked many Americans how they felt about the picture of the ad for campustruth.org. Everyone except one individual agreed that it was insulting and promoted a distorted view.

After my parents graduated and I enthusiastically enrolled at UA, I was surprised that you guys had the nerve to pull this one off. I thought you guys had values and respected others' beliefs, but I guess you guys don't. And for this reason, I am going to discourage everyone I know from going to UA and am also going to transfer to Berkeley. UA, I thought you could do much better.

Amjad M. Ali
biochemistry freshman

First Amendment not a defense for hatred

I am just writing to tell the Wildcat how biased and unfair ÷ and that's an understatement ÷ the ad on Israel/Palestine that was published was.

Now, you might tell us that the ad was paid for, and that there is this whole thing about the First Amendment and freedom of speech in the U.S. Well, let me tell you that if someone is being reasonable, no one's freedom should interfere with the freedom of

others. However, my point is that I really wish that this kind of hate-spreading advertising would stop, at least in the Wildcat. Why don't you all leave that to Fox News?

Habiboullah Ould Gah
pre-computer science freshman

Ad presents a double standard to students

I was sorry to see that the Wildcat accepted advertisements that so explicitly supported hatred toward Palestinians. Perhaps you were only supporting campustruth.org's freedom of speech. I can only assume, however, that if such an ad was placed suggesting that Israelis, or any other nationality for that matter, were violent and hateful, it would never be printed. Why is there a double standard when it comes to Palestinians?

Noah Haiduc-Dale
Near Eastern studies graduate student

Ad ignores diversity of races on campus

I was extremely offended by the ad that was placed in the Wildcat on Wednesday. I believe that it has no place in a newspaper, or anything else, for that matter, especially on a college campus. It is just promoting hate, and for the Wildcat to have published this horrifying ad signifies that the Wildcat was OK with such hatred. I believe that college campuses, above all, need to realize that they are made up of a diverse student body. And for such a thing to happen is a shame and can ruin the way in which the campus atmosphere is viewed.

No matter what happens, people seem to blame everything on the Middle East, whether they have proof of it or not. I believe that the ad was offensive and disrespectful to everyone of any race or background. The ad signified pure hatred toward Palestinians, as well as all Arabs and Muslims. I, being of Palestinian origin, was horrified to see that someone would have the audacity to say such a thing about me. I have never wished harm on anybody or ever hated anybody, and I never thought that someone could be so full of hatred that they would pay for such an ad. I also thought that people would have better sense than to allow something like that to be published, but I was wrong. The Wildcat should have never published something that is dripping with so much hatred and false information as that of the ad that was published on Wednesday. I was horrified and hope that I will never see any such thing published against Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims or any other race or religion.

Nisreen Tawil
molecular and cellular biology junior

Hillel not affiliated with campustruth.org

I am writing this letter on behalf of the Arizona Israel Alliance regarding the ads placed in the paper this week about the Arab-Israeli conflict. I would first like to point out that an organization named campustruth.org, which is based in New York, paid for, designed and placed the ads without the knowledge of any group at the University of Arizona. Neither Hillel nor the Arizona Israel Alliance were consulted at any time, nor did we contribute any funding for these ads.

I question Mr. Navabi's motivation in attacking Hillel as a whole and the Arizona Israel Alliance in particular in his Friday letter. Mr. Navabi emphasized in letters to the Wildcat that both must desist in promoting "extremist" views. There must be some reason Mr. Navabi tries to delegitimize the center for Jewish life on campus and call it "extremist." I personally have only seen Mr. Navabi in Hillel when he has come to pick up literature for his anti-Israel tirades. Hillel is by no means an extremist organization, as its position on Israel is consistent with most mainstream national Jewish organizations.

Had he taken the time to actually research facts in a situation (something which he seems not to understand how to do), he would have found out that International Hillel's official position statement on Israel is: "Hillel is committed to Israel's right to exist and flourish as a Jewish state within secure and recognized boundaries." Indeed Israel is but a small part of Hillel's programming agenda on campus.

These ads have caused a great deal of controversy on each campus where they have appeared. While I personally would not have chosen to run those ads, they do force us to remember the suffering of the Israeli people, and while this may be one-sided, it is an important component of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Clearly for peace to be achieved in the Middle East, terror must stop.

Charles Givre
computer science senior
past president, Arizona Israel Alliance

Jews, Muslims should seek peace together

I am quite disappointed to see a rift between some members of the local Jewish and Muslim communities of Tucson. It reminds me of the time when Mr. Horowitz placed an ad in college newspapers. Instead of arguing about the Israeli-Arab conflict in the holy land, I'd like to offer an olive branch to both Muslims and Jews and a prayer that they attempt to start programs to meet with each other. Jews and Muslims worship the same god, respect Prophet Abraham as their spiritual father and teacher and follow the same family values.

While our contemporary media and fanatical good-for-nothing extremist Muslims say Islam considers Christians and Jews as infidels is completely wrong. In the Quran, as well as in all sayings of Prophet Muhammad, Jews and Christians are regarded as "Ahlay Kitab." Ahlay Kitab means "people of the scripture." Jews are specifically called "Bani Israel" or "Children of Israel."

Muhammad did business with Christians and Jews. Muhammad, during his persecution in Mecca, sent many of his followers to seek amnesty under the Christian King of Abysinia (modern day Ethiopia). The modern hatred between Israelis and Arabs is more political than religious.

During the Spanish Inquisition, the Ottoman Empire gave amnesty to Sephardic Jews of Europe. While persecuted in medieval Europe, Jews were well-off in Arab Kingdoms of Umayads, Abbasids, Mamluks, and Fatimids.

Under Mughal rule of India, many Jews and Gypsies moved with Uzbek and Pushtun explorers to India. To this day, there is a prominent and well respected presence of Jews in the western state of Gujurat.

Whether Muslims or Jews, whether we congregate in a mosque on Fridays or in a synagogue on Saturdays for Sabbath, whether we pray by kneeling and touch our forehead on the ground or sing hymns, we seek mercy, good health, a better future and peace from the same God. Hence Muslims pray to Yahweh and Jews pray to Allah.

Jesus, a great Jew and a Muslim prophet, said love thy neighbor.

Ahmad Saad Nasim
UA alumnus

Sherman should drop out of science debate

I was very concerned to hear about the upcoming "creationism debate" to be held at the McKale Center. Duane Gish, the notorious anti-evolution rabble-rouser, has made a career out of bamboozling the scientifically illiterate with blatant distortions and falsehoods, putting forward specious arguments (like the second law of thermodynamics or the fake Paluxy footprints) that have already been refuted over and over again, and bulldozing over his opponents with bloviating rhetoric, to the cheers of the faithful who have been bussed in en masse. I don't know Professor Sherman, who is supposed to take the pro-science side, but I fear he will be a lamb to the slaughter.

As a former member of the UA academic staff I am very disturbed that UA is essentially giving this dog-and-pony show its blessing as a "scientific debate" by allowing the use of University facilities. Since Professor Sherman seems willing to mount only a half-hearted defense of science at best, he should do the honorable thing and withdraw.

Hugh Dunne
former mathematics professor

Creation's questions ignored by scientists

The "debate" between evolution and creationism can only help us understand the means by which we, and the universe were created. It can't resolve whether or not there is a Creator. The significant scientific evidence related to quantum physics and the theory of evolution leave little room for thinking the universe and the creatures that inhabit it were literally created in any of the specific ways described in many religious traditions. But science does not answer the more important question of whether there is an intelligent Creator behind the Big Bang and the evolution that followed. That will remain a matter of faith. It is also interesting to note that for some quantum physicists, their scientific work has increased their spirituality and religious beliefs.

Chris McDonagh
international trade law LL.M. student

ÎSupernatural' lacks experimental evidence

I would like to commend Caitlin Hall on a logical, well-reasoned, and factual column on the upcoming "creationism vs. evolution" debate. While perhaps calling Dwayne Gish a "vulture of intellect" was a bit inflammatory, this column showed a sound understanding of how the scientific method works.

If Mr. Gish insists on calling his cause "scientific creationism" he enters into the domain of science, and is expected to provide meticulously assembled evidence to support his theories. However, as Ms. Hall correctly pointed out, Mr. Gish does not provide any such evidence, and instead attacks the vast array of evidence that supports natural

selection, usually twisting the facts to suit his agenda. It is, in other words, pure theater. If Mr. Gish feels he has a legitimate scientific case, he should publish it in a major peer-reviewed scientific publication, to be scrutinized and critiqued by the members of the scientific community.

I'd also like to comment on the letter in the Friday's Wildcat that claimed that "any scientist at this university will agree that it takes just as much faith to believe the principles of quantum mechanics or natural selection as it does to believe in the supernatural." I would like to meet one who would tell me that with a straight face. The basic principles of quantum mechanics, such as the blackbody spectrum and the photoelectric effect can be verified with simple devices like a spectrometer and a photovoltaic cell. Our understanding of quantum mechanics is based on carefully accumulated data from many repeatable experiments. Likewise, as Ms. Hall already said, the evidence supporting the natural selection is overwhelming. What hard scientific evidence obtained from controlled experiments do we have for the supernatural? None.

Keep up the good work, Caitlin Hall. Carl Sagan would be proud of you.

Oleg Abramov
planetary sciences graduate student