Yale's Freedom of Expression statement acknowledges that some speech really does hurt: "Shock, hurt, and anger are serious consequences of untrammeled expression," it cautions, and "No member of the community with a decent respect for others should use, or encourage others to use, slurs and epithets...."....
Levin's and Bailyn's most common response to critics has been that anyone who truly means to "engage the world" - the phrase is a mantra for Yale-NUS apologists - must be willing to bend principles such as those in Yale's Freedom of Expression statement, out of sensitivity to our Singaporean partners' values.
I would have thought that, when ground-rules were announced in e-mail message days before the meeting, Bailyn, Lewis, and other Yale-NUS personnel would have met their "obligation to foster free expression and to ensure that it is not obstructed," as Yale's Freedom of Expression statement puts it by suggesting that the ground-rules be changed.
You respect Islamic values but the Islamic Republic of Iran does not respect our values [or] our freedom of choice," the statement said.
"The South African government is clear on the role of the media in our democracy, and our Constitution provides expressly for freedom of expression," the statement continued.
"Just as the Noor Party rejects the assault on civilians and the negative effects it has for all Muslims of Europe, it also rejects this barbaric, irresponsible act under the name of freedom of expression," the statement declared.
"Murdering those who work to enlighten, educate, and entertain will not stop Afghans from exercising their universal human right to freedom of expression," the statement said.
"Article 19 considers the attack against the Televisa Matamoros facilities to be evidence of the inaction of local authorities to guarantee the open exercise of freedom of expression," the statement read. .
This to say nothing of his religion of choice -- I am all for freedom of religion (bold statement there), but why do we patronize those that believed in Zeus and Poseidon while one of our finalists in the presidential election believes in the writings of an ancient American civilization that has as much evidence of having existed as does Atlantis?
Columbia has responded to the letter calling for Oz's dismissal by saying that the university "is committed to the principle of academic freedom and to upholding faculty members' freedom of expression for statements they make in public discussion".
