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I commend Hosain Aghamoosa on his spirited, articulate expression of his reaction to Dr. Charles Fairbanks’ lecture, which was held on campus on Feb. 4. As Director of the new Program in Western Civilization and American Liberty, Fairbanks spoke on my invitation. The program was established this year with a gift from an anonymous donor to the university, which stipulated that I be responsible for its administration.
Mr. Aghamoosa made numerous valid points in his op-ed article on that first lecture in the series, and I do not wish to dispute specific points – many of which I agree with. Ironically, I believe Dr. Fairbanks would also agree with many of Mr. Aghamoosa’s points were he able to hold an extended dialogue with him; unfortunately, he is not. I do believe, however, that some points in Mr. Aghamoosa’s article could lead readers who did not attend the lecture to misperceive what Dr. Fairbanks said, as well as the nature of the new program.
First, Dr. Fairbanks was not invited to speak on U.S.-Iranian relations, but was asked about them during the question period. Having had insufficient time to explore the complex history of U.S.-Iranian relations, I’m sure Dr. Fairbanks would agree with Mr. Aghamoosa’s point that his remarks were not placed in a sufficiently broad historical context. He did agree, however, that America’s support of the Shah, which would include, I believe, the installation of the Shah into power, was a mistake.
Second, your readers should know that the remark, “I don’t know how placing women’s underwear on someone’s head counts as torture,” was made in the context of a comparison with the way captives have sometimes been treated when they have fallen into the hands of certain terrorist groups: beheadings, dismemberment and bodies being burned and dragged through the streets before cheering crowds.
We are all appalled, I’m sure, at the deplorable acts committed at Abu Ghraib, but we should note that there were no cheering crowds in America. Rather, serious investigations into these atrocities ensued, and even the presumptive Republican nominee for president has condemned the acts or any use of torture by the U.S. This was the point, I believe, that Dr. Fairbanks was making.
I am gratified that Mr. Aghamoosa expressed his “respect” for “the right of Professor Michael Palmer and the anonymous donor to bring different viewpoints to campus,” but this statement could lead readers to draw mistaken inferences. Let me clarify.
The anonymous donor who established the program has had no input whatsoever concerning whom I have chosen to invite to speak on campus, nor have I been asked to answer to anyone. It should not be assumed that either I, or the anonymous donor – who is as anonymous to me as to your readers – agree with all the positions of any of the lecturers invited to speak this semester. In fact, if tentative arrangements are confirmed, the last two speakers in April shall be two authors who have published recent books on the political philosophy of Benjamin Franklin, and who radically disagree with each other.
Finally, lest readers think this new program is ideologically slanted, a confirmed upcoming speaker is a registered Democrat who expressed to me his difficulties in trying to decide whether to cast his ballot for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama in the Illinois primary. In short, this is not some kind of “right-wing conservative” lecture series I am directing, but one which I hope will encourage respectful dialogue on campus about controversial public issues – the kind of respectful dialogue in which Mr. Aghamoosa and I have engaged.
Michael Palmer is a professor of political science at UMaine and director of the Program in Western Civilization and American Liberty.
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