Daniel Pipes came to speak last week at Brandeis. Daniel Pipes is not a racist, and does not claim to be one. Daniel Pipes is afraid, as anyone today with any intellect is afraid, of radical Islam. Daniel Pipes believes in something. He believes in the continuity and the moral legitimacy of the Western world, and he despises those who would destroy that continuity. And he makes his feelings known. Pipes is not a racist. He is not a bigot. He may be an Americanist, but last time I checked, there is no crime – moral or tangible – in that. Here are more facts. Fact: During the question and answer session following Pipes’ talk, a time that was supposed to have elicited discussion from people with different points of view – something that Pipes greatly desired – a number of people walked out of the large room where the talk was given. The room was packed with hundreds of people, and only about fifteen people walked out, which normally wouldn’t have caused a major disturbance. The students who walked out probably realized this So they walked out right in front of Pipes, rudely and arrogantly disturbing an otherwise civil and incredibly important discussion. One student even had the gall to throw a ream of paper in the air, right in Pipes’ face. Fact: After the lecture, this same group of about fifteen students stood outside the lecture hall, holding signs with statements like, “We will not tolerate intolerance.” Hmmm. Let’s see. Who’s being open-minded here? Who’s being …

Daniel Pipes came to speak last week at Brandeis. Daniel Pipes is not a racist, and does not claim to be one. Daniel Pipes is afraid, as anyone today with any intellect is afraid, of radical Islam. Daniel Pipes believes in something. He believes in the continuity and the moral legitimacy of the Western world, and he despises those who would destroy that continuity. And he makes his feelings known. Pipes is not a racist. He is not a bigot. He may be an Americanist, but last time I checked, there is no crime – moral or tangible – in that. Here are more facts. Fact: During the question and answer session following Pipes’ talk, a time that was supposed to have elicited discussion from people with different points of view – something that Pipes greatly desired – a number of people walked out of the large room where the talk was given. The room was packed with hundreds of people, and only about fifteen people walked out, which normally wouldn’t have caused a major disturbance. The students who walked out probably realized this So they walked out right in front of Pipes, rudely and arrogantly disturbing an otherwise civil and incredibly important discussion. One student even had the gall to throw a ream of paper in the air, right in Pipes’ face. Fact: After the lecture, this same group of about fifteen students stood outside the lecture hall, holding signs with statements like, “We will not tolerate intolerance.” Hmmm. Let’s see. Who’s being open-minded here? Who’s being …