Change 'communist' to 'hate speech,' McCarthyism is alive and well

The July 10 article on the dismissal of Dr. Howell from the University of Illinois shows that political correctness ends in intolerance and indoctrination. According to the article, Dr. Howell was fired for explaining why Catholics think homosexuality is wrong after a student in the class was offended by the explanation and considered it "hate speech."

What are our universities for but to explain what people think and why they think that way? This process helps students understand the world, their own thoughts and how to think themselves. Now students are to given only politically correct ideas and explanations? McCarthyism is alive and well. The accusation has just changed from "communist" to "hate speech."

Mark Bodett

Wheaton