As academic freedom comes under increasing attack in America during the Bush/authoritarians' reign, a conference was held last week addressing this problem endemic to all authoritarian societies.
Chicago IndyMedia recorded the In Defense of Academic Freedom conference held in Chicago on Oct. 12, 2007 at the Rockefeller Chapel, University of Chicago.
Conference speakers and links to speakers' comments made at the conference are below.
- Tariq Ali, Editor of the New Left Review and Verso Books - Listen now to Tariq Ali.
- Dr. Noam Chomsky, Institute Professor & Professor of Linguistics (Emeritus), Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Listen now to Noam Chomsky.
- Dr. Akeel Bilgrami, Johnsonian Professor of Philosophy and Director of The Heyman Center, Columbia University - Listen now to Akeel Bilgrami.
- Dr. Tony Judt, University Professor and Director of the Remarque Institute, New York University - Listen now to Tony Judt.
- Dr. John Mearsheimer, R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago - Listen now to John Mearsheimer.
- Question and Answer period - Listen now to Q & A.
- Mr. Evan Lorendo, Academic Freedom Committee, DePaul University - Listen now to Evan Lorendo.
- Dr. Mehrene Larudee, International Studies Program, DePaul University- Listen now to Mehrene Larudee.
- Dr. Neve Gordon, Professor, Department of Politics and Government, Ben-Gurion University - Listen now to Neve Gordon.
- Dr. Norman Finkelstein, author of Image and Reality of the Israel Palestine Conflict, The Holocaust Industry and Beyond Chutzpah - Listen now to Norman Finkelstein.
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Showing posts with label John Mearsheimer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Mearsheimer. Show all posts
Oct 16, 2007
Aug 23, 2007
Scott Horton: ADL in the Wilderness
Abraham Foxman has often veered into the irrational:
- Smearing prominent critics of American and Israeli militarism as self-hating Jews or anti-Semites
- Joining with the likes of Alan Dershowitz in campaigns of hate and Rovian character assassination against political opponents like Norman Finkelstein and Noam Chomsky
But Foxman seems lately to be, for lack of a better expression, flipping out.
Scott Horton at Harper's has a post:
For the second time in two weeks the name of Abraham Foxman, the long-serving director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has surfaced in the news in a way that discredits the organization. The first appearance was in connection with an effort to block Professors Mearsheimer and Walt from speaking at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; the second and still more grim appearance is in connection with ADL’s firing of its New England director over his support for recognition of the Armenian genocide of 1914-15. Foxman issued a statement last week in which he essentially said that the Armenians and Turks have a historical problem, and that Jews should keep out in order to preserve Turkish-Israeli relations. In response to a storm of indignant reaction within the Jewish and Armenian communities. Foxman has changed course. His change looks every bit as opportunistic and insincere as his initial stance.
The ADL has a very long and noble tradition, starting with the traumatic case of Leo Frank in Atlanta between 1913-15—a case which ended with Frank being lynched. ADL’s involvement in the civil rights movement in the United States was a glorious moment, and ADL’s battle against anti-semitism, especially abroad, has been important.
I frankly have difficulty understanding what has happened to this organization and to Mr. Foxman. (Instead) of standing for principle, ADL seems now beholden to an increasingly crass political calculus. The fact that Foxman would compromise on a matter as important as the twentieth century’s first genocide because he feels raising his and his organization’s voice might interfere with Turkish-Israeli relations speaks volumes, and not to his or his organization’s credit. The only solution would appear to be a complete restructuring of the ADL’s leadership, introducing new voices with moral stature and credibility.
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- Smearing prominent critics of American and Israeli militarism as self-hating Jews or anti-Semites
- Joining with the likes of Alan Dershowitz in campaigns of hate and Rovian character assassination against political opponents like Norman Finkelstein and Noam Chomsky
But Foxman seems lately to be, for lack of a better expression, flipping out.
Scott Horton at Harper's has a post:
For the second time in two weeks the name of Abraham Foxman, the long-serving director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has surfaced in the news in a way that discredits the organization. The first appearance was in connection with an effort to block Professors Mearsheimer and Walt from speaking at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; the second and still more grim appearance is in connection with ADL’s firing of its New England director over his support for recognition of the Armenian genocide of 1914-15. Foxman issued a statement last week in which he essentially said that the Armenians and Turks have a historical problem, and that Jews should keep out in order to preserve Turkish-Israeli relations. In response to a storm of indignant reaction within the Jewish and Armenian communities. Foxman has changed course. His change looks every bit as opportunistic and insincere as his initial stance.
The ADL has a very long and noble tradition, starting with the traumatic case of Leo Frank in Atlanta between 1913-15—a case which ended with Frank being lynched. ADL’s involvement in the civil rights movement in the United States was a glorious moment, and ADL’s battle against anti-semitism, especially abroad, has been important.
I frankly have difficulty understanding what has happened to this organization and to Mr. Foxman. (Instead) of standing for principle, ADL seems now beholden to an increasingly crass political calculus. The fact that Foxman would compromise on a matter as important as the twentieth century’s first genocide because he feels raising his and his organization’s voice might interfere with Turkish-Israeli relations speaks volumes, and not to his or his organization’s credit. The only solution would appear to be a complete restructuring of the ADL’s leadership, introducing new voices with moral stature and credibility.
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