I was distressed to read the article in the Monday, Sept. 15 issue of The Kent Stater, “Tenure protects professor’s employment.”  The article used Julio Pino as an example.

The episode used by the Stater for this article was excerpts of a recent letter by Pino published by the History News Network (HNN), an academic online publication run by George Mason University. I believe the entire letter is even more disturbing.

(Editor’s Note: The full letter can be read online at historynewsnetwork.org, and is linked in the online version of this letter. I believe in the freedom of speech. It’s part of the foundation of our country and embodies our ideals. There is a fine line, however, where free speech becomes hate speech.)

Hate speech is speech that offends, threatens, or insults groups, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits.

In my opinion, Pino’s remarks cross that line by a very wide margin.

Joan Marold is the administrative secretary for the Economics department at Kent State University. Contact Joan Marold at [email protected].