[GHHF] Second request to the President and FAS of Harvard to meet with Dr. Subramanian Swamy
Second request to the President and FAS to meet with Dr. Swamy
December 20, 2011
To: Dr Drew Faust, the President
Harvard University
Dr. Michael Smith, Dean
Harvard University
Dear Dr. Faust:
This is to remind that we sent you the following letter on December 15 for your consideration to have open discussion between Dr. Subramanian Swamy and FAS / Harvard Faculty. Whenever we charge some body's peaceful, nonviolent and accommodative proposal to wipe out Islamic Terrorism as "hateful", "vicious", "reprehensible", "destructive" and "inciting violence", an academic institution like Harvard has the moral and academic obligation to invite Dr Swamy and have an open, robust and face to face discussion with the faculty who charge him with being anti-Muslim. One just cannot throw a rock at your house and run away and hide behind freedom of speech denying the same for other person. The hallmark of any academic institution is to discussion any issue affecting the society openly without fear and intimidation. Stifling the free speech is un-academic, undemocratic, unfair and even unconstitutional.
Total silence, non-response and indifference from Harvard to our request for a discussion on free speech by Harvard faculty is numbing, mind-boggling and shocking.
If the members of FAS have nothing to hide, if they are not hateful to the concept of Hindu nation, if they are not influenced by petro dollars, if they are honest to their profession, if they are not against Dr Swamy personally, if they believe in championing the free speech, if they have done enough research on the topic Dr. Swamy was talking about, if they are aware fully aware day to day bleeding of India by Islamic terrorists, and if they believe in academic objectivity, they should not be afraid to invite Dr. Swamy to have open debate, dialogue and discussion on his views.
Let the world know and understand the views of Dr. Swamy and members of FAS, who unilaterally removed the two economic courses Dr. Swamy was supposed to teach. Knowing that the members of FAS have made the decision with “overwhelming majority” to remove the courses, we feel that they should have a very strong, compelling, and persuasive reason that can be explained openly.
Indeed, this would be a good opportunity for the faculty of comparative religion, philosophy, political science, pluralism project, and others to question and query Dr. Swamy. In fact they should be delighted to have this rare opportunity to defend their views and action they had taken during the approval of Summer School offerings.
We trust and hope that your office will take necessary steps to arrange such a meeting between Dr Swamy and members of FAS. As mentioned in our earlier email, we will take the full responsibility to arrange Dr. Swamy’s travel to Harvard and have him present his views on wiping out Islamic terrorism.
I called the President’s office on 16th and 19th. My calls reached Dr. Margo Griffin Wilson’s voice mail asking us to leave the message. We have not heard from her office. I called Dr. Michael Smith’s office on 16th and one of the staff members said that she would convey the message to Dr. Smith. I asked whether they would call me back, she said that they would respond by email. Not heard so far. I call Dr. Smith’s office on 19th and left message also.
Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you.
Sincerely,
V. V. Prakasa Rao PhD
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GHHF Team
V. V. PrakasaRao, PhD, ( cell), ( home); (; ), (); (); (); (); (); (); (); (); (); (); Raghavendra Prasad; MD (); (); (); (); (); (); (); (); P. Viswanadham (); (); (); (); ().