Diverse speakers reflect quality of debate

President George W. Bush, when asked about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's September visit to Columbia University, was quoted by Fox News Channel as having said, "I mean, when you really think about it, he's the head of a state sponsor of terror, he's ... and yet an institution in our country gives him a chance to express his point of view, which really speaks to the freedoms of the country." The issue of speakers on college campuses was brought into the national consciousness by Ahmadinejad's visit to Columbia this fall. It brought attention to Columbia University itself, but said something not only about the quality of American institutions but also specifically about the institution that hosted this particular figure, known for his volatile rhetoric and polemical comments. On Oct. 31, the Boston College Coalition for Israel and the political science department jointly sponsored a lecture entitled, "A Journalist's View of the Israeli-Hezbollah Conflict," featuring Michael Yoschay, former head of film and news productions for the Israeli Defense Force. "What bturned into a full-blown shouting match," wrote Michael Madormo, Heights reporter. Professor Ruth Langer, associate professor of Jewish studies and organizer of the Coalition for Israel, said, "The entire response to him was framed. The insult that people perceived was one comment out of context." Langer said that Yoschay had been to an earlier talk organized by the Global Justice Project (GJP), and had retailored his own as a response. The situation became confrontational after Yoschay made what was perceived as a racially-charged joke that provoked a strong response from an audience member. Madormo reported that the student then stood up and said, "I'm Palestinian - who the f- do you think you are?" After the lecture, literature that the Coalition had left outside the lecture hall was found destroyed, and black balloons seemingly intended to represent cluster bombs were scattered in the hallway. When asked why she felt that there was such a violent reaction to Yoschay's comments, Langer said that she felt a certain anti-Israel sentiment had been developing on campus for some time, and that this incident simply provided an outlet for it. When Ahmadinejad, notorious for his denial of the Holocaust and resistance to the state of Israel, visited Columbia, students organized peaceful protests. Information on the Columbia/Barnard Hillel Web site says, "Columbia/Barnard Hillel urges all protestors to demonstrate in a strong but peaceful manner - a right that Ahmadinejad refuses to grant his own people." Recently, BC has hosted other lectures of a potentially sensitive nature, including "Gays and Grays: The Story of the Gay Community at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in San Francisco." This was a lecture given by the Rev. Donal Godfrey, S.J., the executive director of University Ministry at the University of San Francisco. The theology department, St. Ignatius Parish, the Jesuit Institute, and the Lesbian Gay Faculty Staff and Administrators Association at Boston College organized the lecture. On the issue of speakers as an aspect of campus dialogue, Langer said, "How do we create chances to try to train leaders for world problems?" BC's policy for inviting speakers to the University is found in Section 4: Programming Policies of the 2007-2008 Student Guide distributed by the Office of the Dean for Student Development (ODSD). The policy attempts to balance out the University's two core commitments, that to academic discussion and scholastic inquiry, and that to BC's Catholic heritage and tradition. The policy states, "Since the search for truth demands freedom of inquiry, the free exchange of ideas is a principal value of the University. Such freedom of inquiry is, however, not absolute and must be balanced by the University's obligation to adhere to the principles and values inherent in Boston College's identity as a Catholic and Jesuit institution." In Section 5: Behavioral Standards and Policies of the Student Guide, student rights are listed, including, "the right to express opinion, which includes the right to state agreement or disagreement with the opinions of others and the right to an appropriate forum for the expression of opinion." Sheilah Shaw Horton, interim vice president of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, said in an e-mail that there is going to be a committee that will review the student guide policies, which includes the policy on campus speakers. The committee will be composed of students, faculty, and administrators. The committee's work should be completed by next semester. It is unclear if there is any intention to revise any portion of the speaker policy. The current speaker policy hinders the ability of groups to bring speakers to campus, based on the speaker's accordance with Catholic doctrine and tradition. Should a speaker's views conflict with these principles, the University reserves certain rights. The current speaker policy states, "The University reserves the right to review presentations funded by student activity monies. Such a review could result in necessary adjustments to require that balanced views be presented, postponement of the program for further discussion and review, or, in rare instances, cancellation of the program." The current policy allows great latitude in the speakers that are welcome at BC. From Raymond Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America, to journalist Mike Lupica, BC welcomes a wide variety of thoughts and opinions from all facets of society. Yet, whether or not it allows for the kind of variety that leads to true debate seems to be an unexplored area. The policy leaves much to be desired, particularly in defining exactly what might bar a speaker from being welcomed at BC. There is no explicit statement of what these qualities might be, leaving the policy wide open to interpretation and potential abuse. Langer stressed the importance of open debate, and said, "Don't set up a situation where there is no room for discussion."