The Northern Star recently received a letter rebutting an editorial concerning the re-evaluation of three NIU Public Administration faculty members. Although we realize that every individual is entitled to his or her opinion, we were a bit miffed over the fact that someone who has doctorate in political science would call for the punishment of the editor and the editorial board for voicing their opinion.

In the letter, it was stated, “I personally feel you are engaging in libel behavior and slander of the worst kind. … I will be writing the University President, and the Chair of Political Science to also ask them for an apology and that action be taken of some disciplinary form against your newspaper.”

The author went one step further and contacted NIU President John La Tourette, calling for the editor and the adviser of the newspaper to be fired. A move such as this brings question as to one’s knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and the First Amendment.

How can a person who is teaching in a department directly related to constitutional freedoms be so naive to ask that a newspaper be punished for its opinion? This is not Pravda, and we do not live in a totalitarian state.

Moves such as this, to try to intimidate the free flow of opinion, will not work, and we stand behind every editorial we write. We hope this free flow of ideas continues in a healthy fashion from all angles.