As members of the faculty and staff of the University of Illinois, we are writing to add our voices to those of the many students, alumni, parents and faculty who have expressed shock over the Daily Illini's decision to publish a grossly anti-Semitic letter in the January 22 issue under the title "Jews Manipulate America," and the equally objectionable attempt by the Editor-in-Chief, Angie Leventis, to justify or explain this decision in her "Dear readers" letter in the January 24 issue.

There is no need to discuss the anti-Semitic letter itself. "The President should... separate Jews from all government advisory positions..." "Jewish ability to promote their desires, disguised, as being in the interest of the American people, one day will evaporate. Then the Jews might face another Holocaust." Racist garbage of this kind has been around for many years. The only matter worth discussing is the DI's astonishing decision to publish the letter.

In her letter in the January 24 issue, rather than apologizing for her shocking error in judgement, Ms. Leventis incredibly attempts to defend the decision to publish this trash. Her use of the language of civil liberties in this context is bizarre. "While we might not agree with the letter, we defend the speech's right to a place in our paper... [T]here is... grave danger in silencing these views based on the opinion of the editor or editorial staff."

Is it really necessary to point out that the Constitution does not obligate a newspaper to print unsolicited letters? The author of the anti-Semitic letter is free to write what he wants, say what he wants, post what he wants on the internet, and pay whatever he wants to whomever he wants to get it published. The First Amendment, which guarantees these rights, also guarantees the right of a newspaper to accept or reject letters from readers. There is a noble tradition under which newspapers accept letters articulating points of view with which the editors disagree. There is no rational framework under which a piece of racist hate mail can be construed as a legitimate expression of opinion.

We are embarrassed to have to spell out these principles, which are the stuff of a junior high school civics course. Yet they seem to have eluded Ms. Leventis, who is Editor-in-Chief of UIUC's main student newspaper. The real embarrassment for the entire U of I community is Ms. Leventis's continued presence on the editorial staff of the Daily Illini.

Matthew Ando
Assistant Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Patrick Bahls
Assistant Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Marla Baker
Director, Levine Hillel Center
University of Illinois at Chicago

George I. Balch
Associate Professor of Marketing
Health and Research Policy Centers
University of Illinois at Chicago

Janet Beauchamp
Associate Director for Development and Alumni Relations
School of Public Health
University of Illinois at Chicago

Donald L. Burkholder
UIUC Center for Advanced Study
Professor of Mathematics, Emeritus
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Barry R. Chiswick
UIC Distinguished Professor
Research Professor and Head, Department of Economics
Director, UIC Center for Economic Education
University of Illinois at Chicago

Carmel Ullman Chiswick
Professor, Department of Economics
University of Illinois at Chicago

Joseph Doob
Professor Emeritus, Department of Mathematics
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Elizabeth Essex
Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholar
Assistant Professor
Jane Addams College of Social Work
University of Illinois at Chicago

George Francis
Professor, Department of Mathematics
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Shmuel Friedland
Professor, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
University of Illinois at Chicago

Merrill L. Gassman
Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Biological Sciences
University of Illinois at Chicago

Ben Gerber, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine
University of Illinois at Chicago

Robert Ghrist
Associate Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Robert Gordon
Professor of Chemistry
University of Illinois at Chicago

William Haboush
Professor, Department of Mathematics
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Steven Hurder
Professor, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
University of Illinois at Chicago

David P. Jordan
Distinguished Professor of French History
Department of History
University of Illinois at Chicago

Steven L. Jordan
Professor, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
Director, Office of Mathematics and Computer Education
University of Illinois at Chicago

Ilya Kapovich
Assistant Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Cynthia Klein-Banai, CHMM
Assistant Director for Chemical Safety
Health and Safety Section
University of Illinois at Chicago

Alexander Kostochka
Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Denka Kutzarova
Visiting Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Sandra Levi
Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy
University of Illinois at Chicago

A. Libgober
Professor, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
University of Illinois at Chicago

Judith Maas
Functional Analyst
UI-Integrate Student Syst Team
University of Illinois at Chicago

Alica Miller
Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Howard Osborn
Professor Emeritus, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Jean Paley
Professor and Assistant Chair, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Uri N. Peled
Professor, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
University of Illinois at Chicago

Vera Pless
Professor, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
University of Illinois at Chicago

James Quinn
Library Clerk III
Circulation Department
Richard J. Daley Library
University of Illinois at Chicago

Joseph Rotman
Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Yoram Sagher
Professor, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
University of Illinois at Chicago

Peter B. Shalen
Professor, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
University of Illinois at Chicago

Frank Tachau
Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science
University of Illinois at Chicago

Jeremy Teitelbaum
Professor, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
University of Illinois at Chicago

Alexander Tumanov
Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Gyorgy Turan
Professor, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
University of Illinois at Chicago

Jerry Uhl
Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Steven Ullom
Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Lou van den Dries
Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Betsy Vandercook
Assistant Director, Facilities Management
University of Illinois at Chicago

Dror Varolin
Assistant Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

John H. Walter
Professor Emeritus, Department of Mathematics
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Paul M. Weichsel
Professor, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Elliot Weinberg
Professor Emeritus, Mathematics Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

W. Kent Wilson
Associate Professor Emeritus, Department of Philosophy
University of Illinois at Chicago