To the Editor:

Tina Wu misunderstands the role of the opinion page. If the opinions presented there were only those the YDN agreed with, or even just those that the YDN might consider reasonable, there would be no point in publishing it. Instead, the opinion page should be an impartial forum for opinions that are unusual, interesting, and, yes, dangerous. Frankly, it’s good to know that there are bigots holding xenophobic opinions at Yale. I’m thankful to the YDN for providing this service.

I’m further worried that Ms. Wu believes that opinion columns are news. They’re factually not. They’re an independent voice commenting with partisan verve on the news. I think the YDN’s 129-year legacy of reporting is besmirched not a single bit by the recent racist opinion piece; in fact, it’s somewhat offensive to claim Su’s article is representative of the YDN. The only reason I can see Ms. Wu saying that, is that she’s making an effort to chill the freedom of the editorial page. Even so, the YDN is willing to publish her doing so because it believes, I assume, in the value of free speech regardless of viewpoint.

The tide of campus censorship is coming in. Will Yalies stand against it, or be washed away?

David Kasten

October 11

Kasten is a senior in Jonathan Edwards College.