To the Editor:Why all the hype over Pipes? I strongly oppose the message Daniel Pipes' speaking engagement makes about Brandeis and the values of this campus. My opposition is not related to policy on Israel or the Middle East, but to the way this country and this community views and treats American Muslims.

Pipes has often purveyed a message of racism, hate and intolerance, using his two organizations, the Middle East Forum and Campus Watch, to attack public figures, academics and institutions that support Islam. Pipes' fearful and simplistic view of Muslim beliefs does not help in the war on terror, but serves to distract policy discussion, focusing attention on individuals and institutions that pose no threat.

Pipes does indeed, as many have countered, draw a distinction between radical and moderate Islam. Yet the distinction is undermined by his declaration that mainstream Muslim institutions like the Islamic Society of Boston are tainted by ties to terrorism.

The manner in which Pipes makes unfounded assertions that various groups are extremist directly parallels the way he ostracizes those academics whom he defines as un-American in their teaching style. Supporters of Campus Watch have sent thousands of e-mails - many of them containing threats - to those academics whom Pipes listed on his Web site. The actions of Campus Watch supporters have gone so far as to drive one professor to leave the country, and have tormented untold others.

Denise Katz, president of the Middle East Forum at Brandeis, claims that Pipes' detractors have created an "atmosphere of fear" by posting oppositional flyers. But where is concern for the fear Pipes has inspired in millions of American Muslims?

Furthermore, the assertion that these actions in some way infringe Pipes'
First Amendment rights is flat out wrong. None of the groups mobilizing against Pipes are opposing or limiting his ability to speak on campus. In rebutting his prior statements and by attempting to unite the Brandeis community in opposition to his views, we are simply exercising the same free speech rights as Pipes' supporters.

Even though Daniel Pipes does not have a definitive legal right to speak on campus, the Brandeis Coalition for Tolerance, in a principled stance, has refrained from attempting to stop his scheduled talk. But we will not stand by silently, for while it is clear that not every word Pipes utters is hateful, he has generally demonstrated a level of racism and intolerance that Brandisians will unite to oppose.

- Albert Cahn '07