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Dear Editor:

I am writing in support of D. Gorton's letter to the editor regarding the attack on Dr. Jonathon Bean. I had him as a professor for History 392 last semester. My class, which was diverse, never had any problems with Dr. Bean being racist or requiring propagandist literature. As my professor and advisor, I have had only positive experiences with him and find that he is a wonderful professor, who went out of his way to help any and all students to succeed at SIUC.

I find it refreshing to have a conservative professor in the liberal bubble world of SIU. Conservatives are not given fair or accurate representations in many respects on our campus. Therefore I do not find it hard to believe that Dr. Bean would be singled out for his beliefs. It is a popular pastime of many DAILY EGYPTIAN opinion columnists to generalize conservatives as elitist, racist, evil people. I am none of those things. Dr. Bean is not either.

As for the ad that was paid for by the history faculty regarding the supposed article brouhaha, I find it cowardly to attack a member of your department without being direct enough to state his name. I would also challenge each of those professors to examine their own literature and see exactly what stances and images are being professed and created. If it is not acceptable for Dr. Bean to push an agenda (which he DOES not), then perhaps they also should refrain from handing out materials that include an agenda, be it racist, liberal, inappropriate in regards to religion.

I would support Dr. Bean in any way possible to prevent further attempts to blacken his name.

Bethany C. Peters
senior, history