Technique Should Run Terrorism Advertisement · 09 February 2007
Letters to the Editor
The Georgia Tech Technique
It has come to my attention that the Technique's editorial board recently refused to print an advertisement from the Terrorism Awareness Project, a national organization dedicated to educating college students about the terror threats we face (http://www.terrorismawareness.org ).
I have reviewed the ad and concluded that it contains many important facts and allows readers to arrive at their own conclusions. Tech students are wise enough to be able to review the information included in the ad and make their own judgments about its content, without the need for someone to censor any material that is viewed as objectionable by a select few.
Furthermore, the ad is very relevant as it relates to a vital issue in modern America. Violent Islamic extremists present a real threat to the American way of life, and Tech students are not immune to this threat.
The Technique's action of censoring this ad exhibits a lack of commitment to free speech, and worse, an implicit defense of Islamic Jihad and their goals and methods. The ad is not hateful, and the only individuals that would take offense to the ad are violent extremists.
This ad presents significant information that will enliven discussion on campus as we examine the salient challenges of our world. I urge the Technique to reconsider its decision and allow the ad to run for the sake of free speech and open expression.
Chris Dempsey
Fourth-year MGT
—
