Harvard speaker censored on campus 02-03

This situation is fairly reminiscent of Ward Churchill here at EWU.

(q) Harvard University: Harvard rescinded an invitation for a poetry reading to poet Tom Paulin because he was quoted in April 2002 in Al-Ahram Weekly saying about Jewish settlers on the West Bank: “They should be shot dead. I think they are Nazis, racists. I feel nothing but hatred for them.” In a 2001 poem, Paulin referred to the Israeli army as "the Zionist SS." He also said, "I never believed that Israel had the right to exist at all." Paulin declared, "My quoted remarks completely misrepresent my real views. For that, I apologise."

After consulting with Harvard president Lawrence Summers (who on Sept. 17, 2002 had denounced anyone urging divestment from Israel as “anti-Semitic in their effect if not their intent”), the English department and Paulin mutually agreed to cancel the Dec. 14, 2002 lecture, to which Summers proclaimed, “I believe the department has come to the appropriate decision."

Harvard Law School professors Charles Fried, Alan Dershowitz, and Laurence Tribe wrote a letter declaring, “What is truly dangerous is the precedent of withdrawing an invitation because a speaker would cause, in the words of English department chair Lawrence Buell, 'consternation and divisiveness.'” Harvard’s English department voted on Nov. 19, 2002 to reinstate the poetry reading.

(Harvard Crimson, Nov. 13, 2002; Boston Globe, Nov. 18, 2002; New York Times, Nov. 21, 2002; Nov. 23, 2002; Guardian, Nov. 22, 2002; New Yorker, Jan. 27, 2003; Chronicle of Higher Education, Nov. 21, 2002)

COMMENT: Although urging death upon certain people in foreign countries is deplorable, it is neither unusual nor illegal. Should a speaker be banned for having urging the death of Saddam Hussein?

http://collegefreedom.org/03speak.htm

quotes from People of free speech

Last time I was down South I walked into this restaurant and this white waitress came up to me and said, "We don't serve colored people here." I said, "That's all right. I don't eat colored people. Bring me a whole fried chicken."
Then these three white boys came up to me and said, "Boy, we're givin' you fair warnin'. Anything you do to that chicken, we're gonna do to you." So I put down my knife and fork, I picked up that chicken and I kissed it. Then I said, "Line up, boys!"

Dick Gregory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Gregory

A filming possibility

I have currently discussed working with the Morningstar Boys Ranch to do a film project that will be entered into a national campaign to Congress to convice them to make changes to the current foster care systems across the nation. The title of this campaign is called "Kids are Waiting my Story." I mention this because I think this idea could also be a theme for one of our difficult dialogues.

This film project would interview a group of student and would create a story of their coming to EWU. What was their community like? What was socially challenging for them in their environment? Who encouraged them? Who or what helped them to become a college student? We want this to be a story of our climate. We would find a way to travel to thier hometown (out of state can be a challenge) and be introduced to the elements of their development. We could title it something like, "The Stories We Tell: Life as an EWU student/Faculty etc.."

Thoughts on a Difficult Dialogues Film Project

I was impressed by the interviews Romeal Watson did on camera of various local citizens, asking them what equality meant to them. Talking to Romeal today we agreed that some kind of film project would be a useful ingredient in the project, leaving a permanent archive, possibly for classroom use.... The challenge(s) will be to find good questions, settings, and interviewees.

NYT Articles on Academic Freedom

A helpful source for current information on academic freedom is www.nyt.com. I recommend a search on "academic freedom."

An example of a recent story is: "Students' Right to Free Speech--March 20, 2007

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70A10FC3C540C738EDDAA0894DF404482&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fA%2fAcademic%20Freedom

Note: You need to be a NYT Select subscriber to access the article. You can access this for free by attaining a membership number from the ASEWU office, PUB 303.

Thoughts on an Academic Freedom Reader

One facet of the Eastern Washington University difficult dialogues project is to create an Academic Freedom Reader. Here are some preliminary thoughts on the content of the reader.

Academic Freedom Reader – Possible Elements

From the Faculty Values Statement, adopted January 2004

“We the faculty of Eastern Washington University agree that the following values make university life meaningful and possible:

“Academic Freedom: Faculty members should enjoy the right to express views, teach, and conduct research without fear of retribution of censure….”

Introduction: Overview of Difficult Dialogues, Faculty Values Statement and Committee, Purpose for the Reader

Table of Contents

1. Commentary at KEWU – Renaissance Florence analogy
-- history of the program
-- a sampler of faculty stories, poetry, and opinions from the show

2. Recent Events

a. Savage Bricks Controversy

b. A Brief History of the Ward Churchill Crisis
-- overview
-- newspaper articles, Easterner and Spokesman Review
-- position papers, Faculty Values resolution
-- a primer on academic freedom and outside threats
- separate topic?
- include Eastern’s own rules about threats to academic freedom

3. An Overview of Academic Freedom and Threats on Campuses Today


4. Bibliography of Great Films, Plays, and Books on Freedom of Speech
-- Inherit the Wind, The Crucible
-- The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail
-- Walden Pond

5. Anthology of Important Statements from the Past on Free Speech

6. Articles by Faculty, Staff, and Students – and Campus Talks by Others
-- Rik Orndorf essay
-- Bill Youngs on Alien and Sedition Acts
-- Commencement Speakers
-- Lani Guinier

NYT and Spokesman Review Project

Breakfast with the New York Times and Spokesman Review

In June of 2007 the ASEWU agreed to a year-long trial project between the New York Times and the Spokesman Review. Utilizing the student lounge in the Pence Union Building, the ASEWU hopes to have faculty members lead monthly discussions on current news stories and topics of interest. The NYT and Spokesman Review have agreed to providing publicity and free coffee, pastries, and bagels for the morning discussions. The project seems to tie in nicely with the Difficult Dialogues project proposed by the faculty organization. Perhaps it can lead to some contributions to the Academic Freedom Reader or another campus keynote speaker.