As many Corner readers know, Yale University Press (apparently at the behest of the Yale administration) has censored a forthcoming book about the Muhammad cartoons by removing any illustrations of the cartoons or historical depictions of Muhammad. To justify their decision, Yale University Press said they consulted a number of experts, but have refused to reveal their identities. A few who have come forward — art historian Sheila Blair, for example — have said they endorsed the publication of the book without censorship.
Now, Martin Kramer outs one of the experts consulted by Yale who supported the censorship, Marcia Inhorn. Here.
Yale’s censorship is especially cowardly and indefensible given how the Danish cartoon crisis was far from spontaneous but rather manufactured by a few radicals, months after the fact. Suggestions that Yale’s decision to compromise on intellectual freedom may be motivated by its efforts to fundraise from the wealthy Persian Gulf states seem, unfortunately, plausible.
It will be interesting to see whether Fareed Zakaria (of CNN) and Margaret Warner (of PBS) will speak up and out about Yale’s censorship. Both are members of the Yale Corporation, Yale’s governing body. They are there to provide oversight and guidance. It is incredible to believe that members of the media entrusted with ensuring Yale’s mission would support censorship.
