Dear Editor,I was quite upset to learn of an ETSU Atheist and Freethought Club poster being stolen.

Trying to censor an opposing viewpoint is in opposition to the spirit of free debate essential in a free society.

I noticed several fliers and posters for the recent Creation Seminar – a very different group from the Atheist and Freethought Club – scribbled on, turned backwards, removed and in other ways vandalized.

Of course, we should realize that some of this type of behavior is just vandalism for sake of vandalism, and these individuals would just as soon scribble on one affiliation’s flier as another affiliation’s.

But removal and certain messages written on fliers are certainly from someone offended that not everyone shares his or her views.

The seminar was approved by ETSU, just as the Atheist and Freethought Club provides comfort to those skeptical of a higher deity on a campus located in the Bible Belt, so the Creation Seminar allowed those skeptical of Darwinism to debate the issue in an environment where questioning this theory is generally looked down upon.

Universities are meeting places for various religious beliefs, political ideologies, socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, races, nationalities and pretty much any other categorization one can think of.

Differences can sometime lead to conflict, such as the Civil War when the South and the North could not reconcile their differences.

If people are certain of their views, they should not feel threatened by an opposing viewpoint.

When someone pulls this sort of thing [stealing and vandalizing some group’s poster,] it just makes the vandal’s side look bad.

If you cannot learn to accept that there are people different from you, then at least learn to live and let live – and stop stealing each other’s posters!

-Benjamin Hunt

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