Bienen an embarrassment

University President Henry Bienen’s recent campus wide e-mail on the personal views of McCormick Prof. Arthur Butz is an abuse of power. Although Bienen was correct in clarifying that Butz’s personal views are his own and that the official view of Northwestern is that the Holocaust did occur, Bienen also exploited his position as university president to deride Butz’s personal views as “reprehensible,” “a contemptible insult” and an “embarrassment to Northwestern.”

Although I have no respect for Butz’s views on the Holocaust, NU was not subjecting me to them in any way until I received Bienen’s e-mail. I fail to see how Butz can be an embarrassment to NU if he always makes it clear that his views are not endorsed by NU and he never exploits his professional position to advance them.

Rather, I am proud of the fact that NU can tolerate Butz’s unusual views without accepting them.

In contrast, Bienen’s personal assault on Butz got delivered right to my inbox.