In response to controversial speaker, Avi Melamed, the Religious Studies Department hosted a panel discussion so that students could further the discussion. Melamed spoke at Elon on Tuesday, Oct. 28 in the Numen Lumen Pavilion before the event had to be stopped early when the speaker began to get off topic and offend those in attendance.

The panel was made up of Elon Religious Studies professor Michael Pregill, Philosophy professor Yoram Lubling, Love School of Business professor Haya Ajjan and moderated by professor Brian Pennington.

The panel started off by addressing directly what Melamed had said by each delivering an opening statement. Then the discussion was open up to students and other in attendance to ask questions.

There was a common sense of disappointment between the panelists in what Melamed said as they felt that his comments were biased and to an audience that did not know better the comments were misleading.

Several students in the audience were angered with the fact that a speaker like this was allowed on campus without someone to provide a counter argument. Despite the arguments, many connected with the event feel that the panel discussion was able to further the conversation in a healthy way and that there need to be more discussions like this in the future.

"I think we need to have more such discussions," said panelist Professor Lubling. "I think both sides feel a little alienated, attacked."

Professor Lubling said that the speakers that come to Elon sometimes have these effects on students.

"I sometimes feel that there are presentations and speakers at Elon that present a one sided view about Islam and Arab cultures," Professor Lubling said. "Obviously Islamic students and others feel the same thing when a speaker of that nature comes.

In order for students to solve these problems, however, their will need to be more open dialogue and open ears.

"That only requires that people will talk more, not accuse each other, but rather listen to each other and I welcome more conversations like that," Professor Lubling said.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdqoyMI74Qs&feature=youtu.be&noredirect=1&w=550&h=315]