Your editorial (Oct. 7) is wrong in declaring that we should “celebrate” President White’s Oct. 6 email clarifying the ethics rules. It’s true that the U of I administrators have finally overturned the most idiotic decrees banning bumper stickers and attendance at political rallies. But the Button Police are still in full force. White explicitly declares that employees are banned from wearing political buttons in the classroom or on the job, and faculty are still prohibited from expressing views about political candidates. As a UIUC alumnus and the author of a blog and a book about academic freedom (collegefreedom.org), I see nothing to celebrate in the repression of free speech, even when that repression is slightly less onerous than two weeks ago. We should not accept partial victories when it comes to censorship at a university. We must demand full freedom, and nothing less.

John K. Wilson

Chicago