Barbara Harvey wrote the following summary of the University of Michigan controversy to the Jewish Voice for Peace-Detroit Coordinating Committee and allowed us to publish it. –Ed.
In a nutshell, the globally worshipped Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker was invited — and then “disinvited” to be the featured speaker at the U of M Center for the Education of Women celebration of its 50th anniversary, reportedly because donors to the event do not like her views on the Israeli Occupation. The current news is that Prof. Gloria Thomas, the Center director, has privately assured recently retired literature professor Alan Wald that she is now “working on re-extending” “an” invitation. Apparently, there was effective media coverage by Ali Abunimah in Electronic Intifada and Phil Weiss at Mondoweiss, and effective behind-the-scenes activity by the powerful writer and UCLA professor, Robin Kelly, as well as by widely loved recently retired U of M professor and author, Alan Wald. Alan describes Prof. Gloria Thomas [director of the women’s education center] as a lovely person with integrity. This is not about her, personally, but about the process.
The incident is not resolved yet. The Center director denies that donor pressure influenced her decision and claims that the agent “misunderstood” what happened. And is the “re-extended” invitation an invitation to speak at the Center’s anniversary event? The Provost’s statement –link – suggests that it is not an invitation to the Center’s anniversary celebration.
This incident may reveal whether financial donors to the U of M are allowed to veto speakers at official University events or otherwise influence students’ exposure to various perspectives — a question that goes to the academic integrity of the institution. The Provost denies that the University interferes with free speech on campus, and it does seem to be the case that Alice Walker will be invited to speak on campus at some future time, giving students a chance to hear her views, albeit apparently not the audience that will be attending the Center’s anniversary. We don’t know with certainty whether one or more donors actually sought to influence the content of an official University event by threatening to revoke a financial gift unless the invited speaker (Walker) was “disinvited,” and we don’t know whether the donor(s) actually succeeded in wielding the power of the purse by forcing cancellation of the chosen speaker — one of the most esteemed writers in the world — based on her support for a view widely shared outside the U.S. and Israel about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, though it certainly looks like it from the evidence that has already come to light.
The sort of behind-the-scenes financial pressure that we fear may have been at work here has been responsible for decades of self-censorship in the U.S. media on this issue, with the result that Americans are the only people in the world who lack balanced and undistorted mainstream media coverage of one of the most important human rights and justice issues of the modern era. We can’t tolerate the same dynamic on U.S. campuses; it would be a serious assault upon campus free speech and academic freedom. And if this was an attempt at blacklisting, we must speak out strongly against such a modern-day resurrection of McCarthyism.
How often will it happen that such actions see the light of day? The answer is: Not often. Of this much, we are sure.
Money quote:
This situation, without exaggeration or hyperbole, will eventually be understood to be one of the most important political controversies in American history — especially when considered in combination with a wide range of destructive policies that have been promoted by the Israel lobby.
Thanks to Ms. Harvey. She puts forth a strong position, as you do Phil. I really hope that this gets wider attention from the MSM– the ENTIRE sorry story of how money and influence are destroying free speech and expression.
Alice Walker is a world treasure, and more people should read/hear her. I guess that her plea to Alicia Keys put her in disfavor with the “in” crowd. Unfortunately, Keys ignored her honorable plea and performed in Apartheid Israel, but this action by U of M was/is unconscionable.
I would still like to hear Mr. and Mrs. Obama speak out on this. At least Arne Duncan should have something to say.
Phil,
There appears to be a dead silence about the Alice Walker story in the mainstream media — consult Google News:
https://www.google.com/search?q=alice+walker&tbm=nws
In essence, the story is being heavily suppressed and censored by the powers that be. They don’t want any public knowledge or discussion of the controversy — they are afraid of where that discussion may lead.
Alice Walker in response to the dis invite “the truth can not be hidden forever” Heck the truth came out rather quickly this time around. So great that people contacted Univ of Michigan and let them know what they thought about the censorship
I agree too. We already have censorship by the controlling shareholders and/or owners of our handful of US news corporations, as well as by their advertisers on the issue of Israel. And our government officials, elected or appointed, are also curtailed on the same issue. Remember Hagel getting vetted and 29 standing ovations for Netanyahu’s hasbara by our congress critters? Remember the Jerusalem amendment issue at the last DNC, on public television yet? Burial of the AIPAC spy case? Lavon, USS Liberty?
The last thing Americans need is censorship on our university campuses, last bastion of the free play of ideas.