Defend Hatem Bazian!

From: "Hatem Bazian" <hats [at] igc.org>

Subject: FW: Concern over UC Berkeley Lecturer remarks
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 16:19:54 -0700

I have received the following complaints submitted to the university
over my speech at the emergency demo held at the UN Plaza in SF. It seems
that those recording the event are working for some group which is
attempting to make a major issue of it.

Hatem




Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 10:16:46 -0700
To: "John Cummins" <jcummins [at] berkeley.edu>
From: Stephanie McLemore <smclem [at] berkeley.edu>

Subject: Fwd: Concern over UC Berkeley Lecturer remarks

<chanclor [at] calmail.berkeley.edu>

From: <zzx375 [at] cox.net>
To: chanclor [at] berkeley.edu
Subject: Concern over UC Berkeley Lecturer remarks
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004

Dear Chancellor Berdahl:

I have recently had the opportunity to read remarks attributed to
one of UC Berkeley's faculty members, Hatem Bazian, at a Saturday (4/10) peace rally
in San Francisco.

The remarks to which I refer are as follows (edited for the sake
of brevity):

"...Well, we've been watching intifada in Palestine, we've been watchingan uprising in
Iraq, and the question is that what are we doing? How come we don't have an intifada
in this country?...and it's about time that we have an intifada in this country that
change[s] fundamentally the political dynamics in here.

And we know every- They're gonna say some Palestinian being too radical-well, you
haven't seen radicalism yet!"

Assuming that the above quote is correct, I cannot help but be concerned that these
comments appear to advocate armed over-throw of the US government by connecting
intifada in that region known as Palestine and in Iraq with the absence of such a
phenomenon here. As we all know, events in Palestine and Iraq have been recently
characterized by suicide bombings, armed uprisings, and deaths to many, including
the innocent who have not taken part in any hostilities.

Regardless of one's personal political points of view on current events, any
reasonable person cannot believe that anything positive comes
from such occurances as we have seen in the Middle East.

While I realize that Mr. Bazian was undoubtedly speaking as an individual, and not as
a spokesperson for UC Berkeley, his remarks still reflect on the insttitution and
all of
its employees. I value free-speech as much as any person, but there are limits to
what free-speech entails, such as yelling fire in a crowded movie
theater, or what might be easily interpreted as advocating the armed over
throw of the US government. I wonder if alumni and others who donate to
the university will disagree with me.

Respectfully,

John C. Langston
205 S Yellowood
Broken Arrow, OK 74012
zzx375 [at] cox.net

Jenny Hanson, Interim Executive Assistant to the Chancellor
(From January 5 - May 3, during Stephanie McLemore's leave)
Chancellor's Immediate Office
200 California Hall # 1500

Tel: (510) 642-7464
Fax: (510) 643-5499