Dear Editor,

Just after the last Student Life edition in spring, it was reported that WU Physics Professor Jonathan Katz was removed from a U.S. Department of Energy scientific team working on the oil spill due to his outspoken, self-proclaimed homophobia. The commercial press noted that his removal has drawn criticism from some conservatives.

I am a lifelong, bleeding heart left-liberal, and I object as well. It is easy to stand up for freedom of speech for those with whom you agree. However, belief in the free speech guarantees in the Constitution require free speech supporters to defend the rights of those whose views are as offensive to their values as Prof. Katz’s are to mine. If Katz were to have the bad judgment to attack a co-worker for her or his sexual orientation in the course of the committee’s work, that, in my view, would be grounds for dismissal. What he says in his private capacity is protected speech, despite it being obnoxious to me and others. But I cannot help wonder how comfortable Katz would be working with a self-identified anti-Semitic, proud American Nazi.

–Danny Kohl

Professor Emeritus, Biology