The Union Senate and Executive Board jointly signed a letter of support to the Muslim Student Association (MSA) last Sunday in response to what they termed an offensive e-mail sent by Yitzchok (Ian) Pinkus '02.Pinkus wrote in response to another e-mail he received about a Feb. 11 event on campus in which the MSA held services for a holiday called Eid-ul-Adha.

Pinkus replied to the e-mail: "Wow, this sounds really interesting. And, it's probably the safest event on campus. You can be sure that no Islamic fundamentalist nut will blow it up. I'm there!"

MSA President Ammad Bahalim '04 said he was shocked when he received the e-mail. "When I saw it ... I stared at it, I was shocked and didn't know what to do," he said.

"The e-mail we were responding to expressed hateful sentiments," Union Executive Senator Kate Vogel said. "Our concern was to emphasize to the MSA that we understand the power of those words to hurt. We not only strongly condemn those words of hate and prejudice; we also praise the dedication and strength of the Muslim students on campus."

The Union Senate and E-board responded to the e-mail by signing a letter of support saying, "We were all saddened and disturbed to read of the sarcastic and intolerant sentiments expressed by one individual in response to the campus-wide announcement of Eid-ul-Adha prayer services. Like the majority of the student body, we were honored by the invitation to join you at services, and we hope this invitation will be re-extended in the future. We all recognize and appreciate the tremendous amount of time, energy and hard work members of the MSA invest in this community. Your organization is a model for all Brandeisians."

"It is very, very, uplifting ---the fact that they cared enough to condemn it," Bahalim said. "I think this is an isolated incident, I think that people's feelings should be more out in the open ... we should be open with each other so we can all be OK as a community."

Pinkus said he does not remember who sent him the e-mail or under the context in which it was sent.

"I just sent that two-line reply based on what I was thinking and the nature of the event that was to take place and the sponsor, although now I do not recall what the details were," Pinkus said.

Pinkus said he was unaware his view would have such a significant impact in the Brandeis community.

"I was voicing my response to an event -- mind you, I do not remember the details of the event -- on campus, sponsored by a Muslim group that is both anti-War, anti-American and overall not my favorite campus organization," Pinkus said. "Additionally, I did not think that anything would come of it."

Bahalim said the MSA has no stance on the war as an organization and added that he and Co-president Bariza Umar '04 are both citizens of the United States.

"We are an apolitical organization," Bahalim said. "We serve no political purpose, we are simply an organization to educate the campus about a religion often misunderstood."

Although Pinkus said he does not have an opinion of the Muslim community at Brandeis specifically, he said he has certain convictions about the Muslim community on a broader level.

"In general, I believe that observant Muslims are God-fearing, productive members of society," Pinkus said. "Fundamentalist Arab Muslims, however, are an enemy to this country. The war on terror is a war between Islam and the West. Everyone knows this, but some are afraid to say it."

According to Vogel, the Executive Board and Senate felt compelled to respond to this e-mail for several reasons.

"The e-mail was hateful, it was written by someone no longer a student here, and we communicated our concerns and support to the MSA," Vogel said. "As always, I hope that the Senate continues to be a place that groups can turn to when they feel alienated from the community. I hope that the MSA, in particular, will continue to let us know what we can do to help."

Pinkus was critical of the Senate and E-board letter of support to the MSA.

"I find it humorous that they took it upon themselves to apologize to MSA for someone expressing freedom of thought and speech," Pinkus said. "I like their wording as well, yet I question how 'saddened and disturbed' they actually were versus how they thought were supposed to feel."

Despite Pinkus' disagreement with the letter of support, he said he acknowledges the Senate and E-Board's right to have their own opinion.

"Every American citizen has a right to free speech and therefore the right to hold opinions, so the Student Senate is entitled to theirs, however ridiculous it may be," Pinkus said. "Liberal does not mean enlightened, despite what the Senate thinks."

Pinkus said he would not have written his e-mail knowing it would have received such resistance.

"The e-mail I sent was written in a quick, sarcastic manner, and if I had known that there would be any response whatsoever, I would have either decided not to write it at all, saving me the time of a response, or I would have sent a protest worded much more respectfully," Pinkus said.