The April 5, 2016 issue of The Gleaner, the student paper of Rutgers University–Camden, published a cartoon of Muhammad, Buddha and Jesus in a bar. Then the April 19 issue of The Gleaner contained a letter from the Muslim Brotherhood campus group, the Muslim Students Association, saying that it found the image offensive and asking The Gleaner to remove the image from the April 5 issue and recirculate that issue without it. The MSA letter claims that Christians and Jews on campus told MSA members that they, too, found the image offensive.
The MSA letter states: “Even though freedom of speech and press is emphasized and is something all of us value as proud Americans, the University prides itself on diversity of people of different faith and backgrounds so we feel that it is necessary to respect those faiths and backgrounds by honoring their beliefs.”
The April 19 Gleaner also contains a response to the MSA letter, written by Christopher Church, the Editor-in-Chief of The Gleaner. Church apologizes to the MSA and agrees to meet with it “so that we can rectify this issue and ensure that it doesn’t happen again.” He also agrees to remove any copies of the offending April 5 issue from the Gleaner boxes around campus and destroy them.
The Jihad Watch reader who alerted me to this sums up what is wrong here:
1. Freedom of speech is a Constitutional right. It is not negated by someone’s taking offense. This could have been and should have been a chance for Rutgers and The Gleaner to explain why the freedom of speech must be protected as our fundamental bulwark against tyranny, and why that means that we must all learn to put up with material that offends us.
2. Once a group’s feeling offended is taken as decisive, it may begin to take offense at other aspects of campus life it finds offensive. In the MSA’s case, it may begin getting offended at men and women sharing classrooms or coeds wearing tight jeans on campus.
3. In light of the violent attacks on those who have depicted Muhammad, The Gleaner by removing the image is bowing to the implicit threat of violence — which only in the long run encourages more violence. Rutgers’ Art Library recently featured an “artwork” depicting Jesus on a dartboard. It was ultimately removed, but not because it offended Christians. No one cares if Christians are offended: Rutgers officials know that offended Christians won’t murder them. Their solicitousness toward the MSA, by contrast, reveals that they know offended Muslims might very well kill them, and rather than stand up for the freedom of speech and against this kind of bullying, they signal their willingness to surrender and fall into line, accepting Sharia restrictions on speech.


Jerry says
Now wait a second. Are they talking about the same muhammad that killed, raped, and tortured while living the life of a warlord, that muhammad? And they offended this guy with a depiction of him in a bar? HA! These aren’t religious sensibilities, these are f*cking gangsters! You offend the “Don” and you’re dead, that’s what we’re dealing with here.
My dog sh*ts on the koran. Even he knows it teaches murder, bigotry, and hate.
Jerry says
I’d vote myself up with that one if the button worked!
Jay Boo says
Jerry
It is not all about you.
Seriously,
It really is not all about you.
Jerry says
Okay, this is where you cross the line. You gotta learn not take things personally. Just because we scuffled in another thread is no reason for you to chase me down with childish resentment. I don’t come in here to squabble with posters. I’m here to support JW and offer my opinions on the important issues. If you can’t rise to that level I would ask that you step back and respect those that can. Thanks in advance.
And one side note, it was you that attacked me with vicious ad hominem. Your hatred of me is far beyond anything I might have done to deserve it.
Jay Boo says
Jerry
Very good deflection
I am impressed.
You try to paint me as a hater to discredit where I have merely shown what was clearly obvious.
No one need take my word for it
It is still up there
—————————-
Jerry said above,
“I’d vote myself up with that one if the button worked!”
Jerry says
Jay Boo says
April 27, 2016 at 10:48 am
Very good deflection
I am impressed.
You try to paint me as a hater to discredit where I have merely shown what was clearly obvious.
The only thing obvious here is your lack of concern for the important issues. I wanna let you know now I will not be responding any more to your personal attacks on me. I don’t hold grudges, I have a short memory for offense. So if you want to talk about the issues then I’m looking forward to that conversation, otherwise just let me wish you a happy life right now and be done.
Jerry says
The prophet muhammad was a respectable, influential figure in our religious tradition.
We know! That’s why we’re so concerned! People who think serial-killing pedophiles are “respectable” present a real challenge for us here in the west. I hope you can understand our reservations about embracing your demonic evil!
Hoekom Jy My Haat says
He was a rapist, a warrior and a paedophile. I urge everyone to look up “The Rape of the Jewess Raihana bint Amr to see what a terrible man old Mo’ actually was. Piss be upon him.
Christianblood says
(…Rutgers’ student paper complies with MSA’s demand, destroys all copies of issue containing Muhammad cartoon…)
This is the same institution that mocked Jesus week as an object of a disgusting target practice. See it below:
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2016/04/rutgers-displays-artwork-of-christ-crucified-on-a-dartboard-christians-worldwide-riot-no-wait?doing_wp_cron=1461763157.1316680908203125000000#comments
What does this tell us of today’s Western elites?
Christianblood says
(correction)
…This is the same institution that mocked Jesus this week…
Jay Boo says
This is the same institution that will have Obama speak in 2 weeks.
See the connection.
Christianblood says
Jay Boo
Obama was twice elected by the majority of the American people as their president. Obama reflects American values, culture and norms.
Jay Boo says
Obama was elected by states without voter ID laws and with early voting weeks ahead of the official voting day.
This is clear evidence of Obama’s plan for the future.
The State University of New Jersey Rutgers is a (public university).
They are institutionalizing the mockery of Christianity.
With gleeful Rutgers Muslim Students Association approval no doubt.
Jerry says
What does this tell us of today’s Western elites?
It says they are spineless when it comes to islam. They are leading us down the path of self-destruction with their appeasement and unworthy deference for islam’s murderous agenda against us.
Christianblood says
Indeed!
Western Canadian says
It ells us that the Soviet Union was very successful in attacking the west, removing the truth of its history from education, corrupting the media, bribing or blackmailing politicians… Something for good soviet soldiers like unChristiancrap to be proud of.
Angemon says
It tells us you have zero knowledge of American culture and mindset.
Charli Main says
I once owned a much loved Doberman ( or was it the other way round ) who never failed to piss on the wall of the local mosque on his daily walks to the park. He would walk past trees, lampposts and the fences of dozens of houses on the way but the mosque was always his target.
As the saying goes ” you can fool people but you can´t fool animals “
E.L.O=0 says
Muhammad devout rapist !
JawsV says
Look at dumb Rutgers. I wouldn’t send my parakeet there. Bunch of cowards and grovelers.
Jay Boo says
I guess you will not be attending Obama’s upcoming (commencement / MSA ) visit to Rutgers University on may 15.
I suspect that he will be attending clandestine meetings with the Rutgers Muslim Students Association to plan terrorism against infidels and laugh about the dartboard.
Oh yes, Anti-Christian Obama is really having a belly laugh at the expense of all non-Muslims.
JawsV says
You’re right – I won’t be in attendance! And neither will my parakeet!
susan opihory says
rutgers university has a figure of jesus on a dartboard displayed as art. why isn’t that considered offensive. why aren’t the students led by christian students complaining? it should be taken down immediately. shame on the double standard. shame on the christian students for not standing up for their religion and shame on the rest of the students for not demanding it be removed
Jay Boo says
Rutgers Terror Friendly
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2015/10/top_10_universities_most_friendly_to_terror.html
Muslim Obama should feel right at home on his MAY 15 visit after the Jesus dartboard welcome.
Jay Boo says
Buy a Qur’an drill holes, super glue darts, deliver to Rutgers as a welcome gift for Obama.
Hoekom Jy My Haat says
I bought a koran and tore the pages out and leave them in public toilets.
Westman says
Islam should have it’s own flag emblazoned with, ‘We came, We saw, We Demanded”
Islam_Macht_Frei says
The editors of the Gleaner just don’t want to end up like Molly Norris….or worse.
pdxnag says
If the MSA wants to argue that every last Muslim represents a mortal threat then every last Muslim must be ejected. An offended Muslim means to enforce the sharia law, which necessarily includes the death penalty for both apostasy and blasphemy. Sharia law deserves zero respect, other than acknowledgment of the mortal threat and incitement that it represents.
All of man’s gods are man made. Today and tomorrow anybody can design their own with as much ease as any cartoon figure. By analogy no current business should be allowed to prevent the formation of new competing businesses, which can engage in vigorous belittlement of the past.
Western Canadian says
The worst of all man made religions, following after islam, is of course atheism. !00 million murdered in a single century…. The average muslim murder count was ‘only’ 20 million per century…. Lucky atheism is losing ground.
Ellie says
Any apology to the Christians and Jews? So I suppose this means no further insults to other religions? I doubt it.
linnte says
Sent off a letter to the Editor of this paper. Ha! I love this stuff!
mustapha crap says
I find Islam deeply offensive so we should deport every single one of its followers back to the 7th century retarded 5h1tholes they came from
D says
Muslims are immature children who can’t take a joke.
DRHazard says
We have to respect a murderer? We have to show respect for a pedophile? We have to show respect for a slave owner/rapist. Why not repaint the entire history of the world. How dare you oppose slavery if God didn’t? How dare women demand equal treatment if God doesn’t want it? How dare you mock one of the most repulsive religious leaders ever?
Peter Charles says
not God, allah, a different sort of thing entirely.
ballotcode says
Abrahamic religions have same God.
Arabs are derived from the son of disbelief, a wild beast of a man to be in enmity with his neighbors. I agree, Mohamedans do NOT have the same God as Abrahamic religions.
Hope says
The Editor’s Response from Christopher Church is an embarrassment. This guy blew right past appeasement and went straight for the groveling and sniveling. What a wuss. Should have told them to F.O.
linnte says
I emailed the Editor and read him the riot act. So far, he has not written me back, and I suspect he won’t either. It would be good if lots of people emailed him and told him how wimpy it is to give in to Shari’a!
Hoekom Jy My Haat says
The dhimmification of Rutger’s is now complete.
GAP says
The image is described as one of Jesus, Muhammud, and Buddha at a bar. I haven’t seen it, but if the description is accurate, we can know that the MSA’s claim that Christians and Jews voiced objections to them is at least half a lie. The image doesn’t include any figures revered by Jews and therefore there would be no reason for any Jews to be offended. To be honest, I think it is a full lie because who would go to some religious student organization to make this complaint if the organization doesn’t represent them? Wouldn’t it make more sense for a huffy Christian student to seek a Christian student group instead?
I don’t understand why someone would try to make a statement with a mildly offensive image and then instantly take it back when someone complains about religious sensibilities. Go hard or go home.
John says
And again, cow-towing to Islam and smacking down the First Amendment. Rutgers, you should be ashamed!
John says
Rutgers seeks to appease Islam in direct defiance of the First Amendment. You should be embarrassed, Rutgers!