"Borders kill people," read the sign graduate student Gabriel Cortez held at a rally for peace Wednesday evening outside Foellinger Auditorium.

About 150 people gathered for a rally and candlelight vigil for victims of oppression worldwide. The rally coincided with a speech given by Daniel Pipes, a commentator on issues in the Middle East. Many students said that Pipes' messages are anti-Muslim and anti-immigration.

"We should all be able to see both sides of the issue," said senior in LAS and Justice for Palestine President Sara Bokhari. Bokhari helped organize the rally in the hopes that students could gain an understanding of the Palestinian viewpoint before hearing Pipes' speech.

"By seeing both points of view, people can better educate themselves about the situation (in the Middle East)."

Baseer Tajuddin, a senior in LAS and president of the Muslim Students Association, said Pipes' message affects all people, not just Muslims and Palestinians.

"This vigil is for everyone and is meant to promote peace rather than (simply) to protest Pipes himself," Tajuddin said.

Dahlia Weinberg, a senior in LAS and co-president of the Illinois-Israel Public Affairs Committee, or IlliniPAC, the organization that sponsored Pipes' visit, said she thinks Pipes presents fair, expert views about Israel.

"He knows more about Israel and Palestine than most people," Weinberg said. "I think he can speak articulately about the situation and help more people gain an understanding of what is going on."

"I don't agree with the views that protesters have," she added. "However, I'm glad we live on a campus where everyone is allowed to express their opinions freely. They may not have read all the information, but if they want to protest, that's what they should do."

Neil Parthun, junior in LAS, said he has read many of Pipes' writings and thinks his views are very extreme.

"I don't agree with him at all. Pipes is just a thinly veiled bigot, and I don't think he lets the other side of the issues be heard at all."

David Green, a University employee and member of the Anti-War Anti-Racism Effort activist group, came to speak at the vigil. Green attends the Sinai temple in Champaign and said he wanted to show that not all Jews support Pipes' opinions.

"I believe in promoting peace in a peaceful way, and Pipes speaks in a very aggressive way," Green said. "I came out because I believe the way to counter bad speech such as Pipes' is through good speech."