Committee on Student Life to hear complaints against Primary Source
Kat Schmidt
Issue date: 4/30/07 Section: News
The Committee on Student Life (CSL) will hold a hearing today to address two complaints against The Primary Source.
One complaint comes from senior David Dennis in response to the Source's parody Christmas carol from last semester. The second comes from the Muslim Student Association (MSA) in response to an item emphasizing the hostility and violent tendencies of Muslims in the April 11 issue.
Both complaints allege that the magazine broke university policy by publishing content that constituted harassment and created a hostile environment. Both are actionable offenses, according to the Pachyderm, Tufts' student handbook. Primary Source members maintain that they were exercising their right to free speech.
The CSL, comprised of faculty members and five students, hears complaints rendered against student organizations as well as appeals from some other campus judiciaries. After a meeting two weeks ago, the committee dismissed a libel charge but decided to have a hearing on the other two.
Dennis said that he filed the complaint because no action had been taken against the carol despite student uproar and national media attention.
"We tell students there's nothing we can do because of free speech. But there is language in the Pachyderm written for this purpose [that] allows students to be able to say, 'I don't want to be harassed in a hostile environment,'" he said.
Dennis hopes that the hearing will yield "a recognition that the carol was a break in university policy," he said.
The MSA joined the case after the publication of an April 11 item in the Source saying that Islam is a violent religion. "We have to take it seriously," said junior Shirwac Mohamed, the MSA co-chair who will represent the organization at today's hearing. He said that many Muslim students, even those not normally active in MSA, have complained about the item.
"I looked at the article and was flabbergasted," he said. "It's intentionally putting a negative spin on Islam."
One complaint comes from senior David Dennis in response to the Source's parody Christmas carol from last semester. The second comes from the Muslim Student Association (MSA) in response to an item emphasizing the hostility and violent tendencies of Muslims in the April 11 issue.
Both complaints allege that the magazine broke university policy by publishing content that constituted harassment and created a hostile environment. Both are actionable offenses, according to the Pachyderm, Tufts' student handbook. Primary Source members maintain that they were exercising their right to free speech.
The CSL, comprised of faculty members and five students, hears complaints rendered against student organizations as well as appeals from some other campus judiciaries. After a meeting two weeks ago, the committee dismissed a libel charge but decided to have a hearing on the other two.
Dennis said that he filed the complaint because no action had been taken against the carol despite student uproar and national media attention.
"We tell students there's nothing we can do because of free speech. But there is language in the Pachyderm written for this purpose [that] allows students to be able to say, 'I don't want to be harassed in a hostile environment,'" he said.
Dennis hopes that the hearing will yield "a recognition that the carol was a break in university policy," he said.
The MSA joined the case after the publication of an April 11 item in the Source saying that Islam is a violent religion. "We have to take it seriously," said junior Shirwac Mohamed, the MSA co-chair who will represent the organization at today's hearing. He said that many Muslim students, even those not normally active in MSA, have complained about the item.
"I looked at the article and was flabbergasted," he said. "It's intentionally putting a negative spin on Islam."
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 6
Patricia Ward
posted 5/04/07 @ 6:49 PM EST
I'm not surprised to find such disparagy with a right leaning viewpoint as with one of the left leaning type. FREE speech means just that. Unfortunately, when alternate views of the left are always viewes as an infringement of their free speech. (Continued…)
mrbill
posted 5/11/07 @ 9:18 PM EST
Sorry guys but Truth is an Absolute defense. There is nothing in the flyer that is not true.
As for "negative spin", how else can you spin Dhimmification, beheading, mutilating and beating your wives. (Continued…)
Mark Bernadiner
posted 5/12/07 @ 11:11 AM EST
I am interested if anybody in the university knows a difference between western freedom and Nazi&KGB-style totalitarian regime ? No doubt for me that the answer is "NOBODY". (Continued…)
Stephanie
posted 5/13/07 @ 9:42 AM EST
This is really shocking. The things published about Islam and Islamic countries are FACTS! The quotations from the Koran are DIRECT QUOTATIONS!
You can bet that the PC Dhimmis have never even opened a Koran. (Continued…)
submandave
posted 5/14/07 @ 1:28 PM EST
Suggestion to The Primary Source for follow-up articles:
- Publish a list of slavery facts and then have a KKK member accuse you of creating a hostile environment. (Continued…)
Patrick_A_Nonny_Mouse
posted 5/15/07 @ 6:26 PM EST
It always amazes me how thin-skinned the MSA & other Muslim associations nationwide (think: CAIR) seem to be. Create "art" from a crucifix in urine and the Christians don't whine about hostile environments; deny the Holocaust and the Jews don't complain that their civil rights are threatened. (Continued…)
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