Journalists are trained to remain objective at all times, but if we have one bias, it is a die-hard devotion to the First Amendment. Everything we do is dependent upon the rights citizens have under the First Amendment. The reality of that freedom, however, is that all opinions are protected, not just the popular ones, or even moral ones. We, therefore, support the printing of an ad from the Committee for Open Debate on the Holocaust that appeared in the Oct. 6 issue of the Parthenon. As a media outlet, we think it is our responsibility to encourage public debate and not to censor the opinion of any group. This does not, however, mean we support the CODOH. In fact, we think the organization's ideas are ridiculous and that its denial of the Holocaust is an insult to every reasonable person. Sounds like a contradiction, right? We think they're crazy, but at the same time, we print their opinions in our paper. Again, our actions can be explained by our respect for free speech. Like John Milton wrote in his "Aeropagitica," we believe in an "open marketplace" of ideas. Although this forum allows people such as members of the CODOH to insult others with their propaganda, it also gives citizens the chance to defend their own convictions. We think others should debate the CODOH, and should stand up for what they believe; the Holocaust did exist. It is only with such opposition, that acceptable ideas become stronger. As Milton also wrote, the principles that go unchallenged are taken for granted. In a letter to our editor in today's paper, two faculty members say they are threatened by the opinions of the CODOH. The fact is, we are too. None of us enjoy watching the group insult millions of Jewish families whose ancestors were murdered during World War II. The solution to the problem, however, is not to silence the CODOH, but for those who disagree to speak louder. Those who were offended by the ad have no reason to be intimidated by The Parthenon. We simply believe in free speech for everyone, even those who have unpopular ideas. If we begin to make decisions that censor people based on judgments of what is morally right and what is wrong, all speech will suffer. A little censorship eventually gives way to more suppression, and if one group can lose its First Amendment rights, we all are subject to lose ours as well. As human beings, we wish everyone could accept ideas of multiculturalism and that groups like the CODOH did not exist. As journalists, however, we must maintain an objective forum for discussion, a forum that accepts the good with the bad and gives everyone a fair chance to be heard. We hope this explains our position that we do not respect the CODOH's opinion, we do however, respect the group's right to express it.