A University of Southern Maine student recently mocked Christians by defacing a Bible as part of an “art” display (Jan. 1). A USM VP defended the sophomore, citing freedom of speech rights. The floundering university is perpetrating a position of ignorance and insensitivity.

In 2018 USM took down three paintings by a convicted sex offender over concern that the works would “serve as a trigger” for abuse victims. That same reasoning should apply to desecrating a sacred text.

We’re worried about triggering victims? One need not think beyond the influx of refugees fleeing their home countries because of religious persecution. Consider families (to include U.S. service families) who have lost loved ones due to the religious intolerance demonstrated by the Holocaust. Does the “artwork” contain a page from the Old Testament? If so, then this also serves as an example of anti-Semitism.

If the “artwork” contained a page from the Quran, or a picture of Muhammad, it is beyond doubt that the university would have nixed it. Not because officials would have recognized hate speech for what it really is, but because they’d be too afraid to face criticism of the rabid politically correct crowd, to include the press.

The professed atheist student (motive revealed) says that Christians harm other people. True. So do atheists and everyone else! In fact, there isn’t a more charitable relief organization in the world that serves peoples of all faiths as broadly as the church. I wonder how many humanitarian aid-relief missions the student has participated in.

Ted Bennett

Scarborough