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KPFA, a public ration station in Berkeley, California (the city, not the university) has called off a planned live discussion with Richard Dawkins, the noted biologist who taught for many years at the University of Oxford, citing his comments on Islam. "We had booked this event based entirely on his excellent new book on science, when we didn’t know he had offended and hurt -- in his tweets and other comments on Islam -- so many people," said a letter from the radio station to those who had tickets for the event. "KPFA does not endorse hurtful speech. While KPFA emphatically supports serious free speech, we do not support abusive speech."
The New York Times reported that Muslim organizations urged the radio station to call off the event. Dawkins has never denied being critical of Islam but has noted that as an atheist he has been critical of many faiths, especially on issues of science and equality.
An open letter from Dawkins said in part, "I have criticized the ridiculous pseudoscientific claims made by Islamic apologists ('the sun sets in a marsh' etc.), and the opposition of Islamic 'scholars' to evolution and other scientific truths. I have criticized the appalling misogyny and homophobia of Islam; I have criticized the murdering of apostates for no crime other than their disbelief. Far from attacking Muslims, I understand -- as perhaps you do not -- that Muslims themselves are the prime victims of the oppressive cruelties of Islamism, especially Muslim women. I am known as a frequent critic of Christianity and have never been de-platformed for that. Why do you give Islam a free pass? Why is it fine to criticize Christianity but not Islam?"
