To the editors:
Re “Keeping it Civil,” editorial, Nov. 8:
The Crimson Staff editorialized based on factually incorrect
information, identifying Harvard Students for Israel (HSI) as the
responsible perpetrators of vocal protest that “violated HLS’s [Harvard
Law School] Protest and Dissent Guidelines.”
HSI as an organization was not responsible for, or even
participatory in, the protest that went on at Norman Finkelstein’s
speech. The protest was conducted by a handful of individuals—a mix of
college and law students, only two of whom were affiliated with HSI.
The Crimson Staff claimed to defend the freedom of speech of all
opinions in an effort to “[enable] people to arrive at the correct
understanding of the truth.” Yet, in reality, this defense is
one-sided. Norman Finkelstein has an extensive history of remarks and
writings that are disparagingly offensive to many. While Finkelstein’s
comments are protected under the Staff’s imperative of promoting
freedom of speech and “academic discourse,” protesters seeking true
moderation and dialogue are condemned.
Furthermore, the editorial makes incorrect assumptions about
the University’s authorization of the protest exercised at the
Finkelstein event, comparing it to the unsanctioned and repulsive
protest that took place at a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
recruitment event last spring. Spontaneous vocal protests are in no way
comparable to self-induced vomiting. The CIA disrupters completely shut
down last year’s event, rendering recruiters unable to continue
presenting employment opportunities to Harvard students seeking jobs;
Finkelstein was able to continue his diatribe for nearly three full
hours. During this time, HLS Dean of Students Ellen Cosgrove was
standing directly behind the protestors along with two Harvard
University police officers. Had this protest violated any of the HLS
guidelines, one of these people would have undoubtedly taken action. In
fact, Cosgrove confirmed the acceptability of the protesters’ actions
in an e-mail, saying, “We had three administrators at the event and we
felt that the protests fell within the guidelines.”
The issue at hand is an empirical one: this vocal protest was
allowed and legitimate. Reports stating otherwise or equating last
week’s Finkelstein protest with last year’s CIA protest are either
irresponsibly ignorant of the facts or shamefully malicious.
AMY M. ZELCER ’07
November 8, 2005
The writer is the president of Harvard Students for Israel.
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