http://www.obsessionthemovie.com/
...and now this public relations message from my university:
November 26, 2007
To: All University Students
From: Dr. Patricia Telles-Irvin, Vice President for Student Affairs
Re: Official Response to a recent advertisement for the movie "Obsession"
Throughout our country, we have witnessed a rise in offensive behavior and
actions taken against others, which has created greater divisiveness and
misunderstandings among the various ethnic groups residing in our
communities. One of these events occurred on our campus recently with the
promotion of an event.
Advertisements for the movie "Obsession" sponsored by several student
organizations appeared during the past several weeks on campus bulletin
boards and they illustrate the importance of balancing freedom of speech
with responsibility.
The ads, which promoted a showing of the movie on Nov. 13 and a panel
discussion afterward, entitled "Radical Islam Wants You Dead," offended
many Muslim students on campus. Regardless of its original intent, the
language reinforced a negative stereotype, created unnecessary
divisiveness and contributed to a generalization that only furthers the
misunderstanding of the religion of Islam.
We cannot speak of rights without also addressing the responsibility
associated with our actions or statements, including understanding the
potential consequences. One of our roles as a learning institution is to
teach our students to express themselves freely, and also in a fair and
conscientious manner. In an academic setting, differences of opinions are
strongly encouraged, yet such opinions must be based on accurate
information when describing other members of the community.
Unfortunately, in the case of the "Obsession" ads, that did not happen. I
believe the groups that posted them owe the campus, and particularly
campus members of the Islamic faith, an apology and a clarification.
At the University of Florida we have embraced a set of values, one of
which is diversity. Diversity is not just about having representation from
various cultures on campus, it also is having each member contribute to an
inclusive and safe environment and collectively enhancing our
understanding and appreciation of the richness brought by such
differences. The University of Florida is committed to being an
institution of excellence, where all members are valued and feel safe on
our campus. Our role as an institution is to create opportunities for
students to learn in an open and accepting environment; one that
emphasizes respect for all. Let's remember that part of our mission is to
prepare each other to be effective members of a global community. With
that in mind, I encourage each member of our campus community as a start
to learn more about the religion of Islam and some of its tenets of peace,
hard work, charity and compassion.
There is little room for divisiveness in our world if we are to find peace
and understanding among us. We all can win if we focus on greater
inclusion and understanding as well as the delicate balance between our
rights and responsibilities.