A week ago Yale University Press drew a hailstorm of criticism when it announced its decision not to publish cartoons depicting Mohammad in a scholarly book about cartoons depicting Mohammad. The book, The Cartoons That Shook the World, examines the controversy over a set of drawings that appeared in a Danish newspaper in 2005, and its author Jytte Klausen is a professor of politics at Brandeis University.
Outcries against the decision have continued throughout the week. Most everyone has chipped in; here’s a quick roundup:
New York Times, Patricia Cohen 08/12/2009
American Association of University Professors, Cary Nelson 08/13/2009
Pajamas Media, Roger Kimball 08/15/2009
New York Post 08/16/2009
Slate, Christopher Hitchens 08/17/2009
Huffington Post, Sandy Goodman 08/17/2009
Critical Mass, Erin O’Connor 08/17/2009
Let us add our voice to those of many who have spoken out. Shame on you, Yale.
It has been encouraging, however, to read article after article—from media across the political gambit—and find unanimous disapproval of Yale for its cowardice and disregard for academic freedom. Here is one rare instance where we can all agree that Yale’s censorship was an example of a university’s craven capitulation to political correctness.
Ironically, the publicity engendered by Yale’s decision has multiplied the presence of the controversial cartoons.
