Like all students at the University of Wisconsin, I am many things. I am a junior here on campus. I work for ASM, College Library and Street Pulse Newspaper. I am a journalism and political science major. I am a daily reader of The Badger Herald and the Daily Cardinal. I am also a proud Muslim-American.
It is for a combination of these reasons that I was offended, hurt and angered by the advertisement that The Badger Herald featured on page four of their October 19th issue. The ad, titled, “You deserve a factual look at … Muslim Arab Anti-Semitism,” was clearly labeled as a paid advertisement by the organization Facts and Logic About the Middle East.
I was saddened and hurt to read the advertisement, which included quotes such as “Anti-Semitism is integral to Muslim culture,” “That [lionizing killers, encouraging children to emulate Nazis] is, however, standard practice in the Muslim world. To kill Jews, to become a martyr, is the highest goal and promises immediate access to a paradise of unbelievable pleasures” and “While anti-Semitism has indeed been shunned by the civilized world, things are quite different in the Muslim/Arab world.”
Seeing one of our campus’s most read publications, in the very popular Wednesday edition, publish an ad that accuses me and my family of being bigots, hate mongers and uncivilized took all the air out of the room I was in. It is not an exaggeration to say that I have never felt more ashamed, hurt and saddened due to my heritage – a topic of which I am immensely proud. These sort of claims are not a new experience for me. I am outspoken about my culture and political views and am accused of being an anti-Semite a few times a year simply because of my ethnicity. But to see those hateful views promulgated by our student paper is another issue entirely.
One thing should be made abundantly clear: I am in no way suggesting or supporting a censorship of any publication. Those who know me (or have the misfortune of being in my Political Science 470 discussion) know that I am a free speech absolutist in nearly every respect. I would consider the First Amendment one of my driving motivations in life, and it plays heavily into the way I see the world. But this is not a matter of freedom of speech. This is a matter of responsibility and what sort of campus climate The Badger Herald wishes to promote. They are of course free to print whatever they see fit – that is the beauty of a free press. It is, however, also the duty of the press to be responsible and thoughtful.
The Badger Herald advertising policy explicitly states that it “reserves the right to refuse any advertisement in the case of possible liability or offensive content.” Under this policy, the Herald is giving itself an out, an ability to reject ads simply because its staff views them as too offensive. The very presence of this policy demonstrates that the Herald understands the negative impact certain messages can bring and is not an unchecked forum upon which any idea can be displayed. If a racially motivated ad had been taken out that claimed a certain group of students on campus were inherently racist, poor at learning or a whole host of other racial stereotypes that bigoted pseudo scientists have published fallacious studies in support of, would it have been printed? I would hope not.
To claim that this sort of advertisement promotes a positive dialogue or debate on campus is incorrect. All an ad like this does is promote hatred and stereotypes about a group of students. As such, I have a difficult time understanding the reason for publishing this ad.
I am not accusing any member of The Badger Herald staff of being racist, anti-Islamic or anti-Arab. I am, however, suggesting that more care be given when deciding what sort of messages are communicated through their paper. Even if there is no editorial support behind an advertisement, printing it allows its message to spread throughout our student body. To claim, as some are, that no one even reads the ads, is factually inaccurate: I was approached by numerous people throughout the day, asking me if I’d seen the advertisement and how I felt about it.
Aside from my own pain and anger, I am writing because of my fear about campus climate towards Muslim students. Looking at me, hardly anyone can tell that I am Muslim or Arab. But for those who choose to wear the hijab, or other overt religious indicators, campus can be a difficult place. I recall a conversation I had two years ago with a Muslim student who said she fears walking home at night because of the harassment she receives due to her hijab.
The views expressed by FLAME’s despicable advertisement are already present on campus, and coverage and publication of their ad only serves to strengthen that intolerance. This is not a case, as former Badger Herald Editor-in-Chief Jason Smathers wrote two years ago, during the height of the previous advertising issue the Herald faced, of an “obvious untruth” like Holocaust denial. This is a message of hatred and vitriol directed at students who desire to be included like any other on campus.
The solution to this mess? I support the Herald’s decision to leave the ad online; if they chose to print the ad, they should stand by that decision, however wrong and offended I am by it. I do, however, suggest that students across campus, including the staff of the Herald, get to know their Muslim and Arab classmates personally. Attend a meeting of the Muslim Students’ Association, strike up a conversation with someone in your discussion and inform yourself of the true beliefs of Arabs and Muslims across the world. We need to all work together – Muslim students, The Badger Herald and the student body as a whole – to promote an atmosphere of positivity, acceptance and inclusion. The decision to run FLAME’s ad does nothing but take a step backwards from all of these goals. I hope that the next time such an ad is considered for publication, it’s given more thought.
Sami Ghani ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism and political science.
