[Peace-discuss] reply to message posted to CGS regarding teach-in on Syria

Mon Sep 16 16:13:23 UTC 2013

What is your position - and that of the other panel members?

None of the speakers' "multiple perspectives" are entirely unknown on campus. 

CGE

On Sep 16, 2013, at 11:07 AM, "Diehl, Paul F" <pdiehl at illinois.edu> wrote:

> I am not sure that this conversation is especially fruitful as it seems to be based on two specious assumptions:
> 
> 1. that Carl or anybody knows where my or panel members' positions, generally or specifically with respect to Syria, fall on some political scale.  Where does that come from?  In the past, I have had posters put up on campus calling me an "ultraliberal" and I have also been shouted down (by a faculty member no less) at a History forum for allegedly not supporting a liberal position when there was no evidence.  Thus, I am wary of assumptions about political views a priori.
> 
> 2. that the speakers will be advocating a particular position rather than raising key questions (from multiple perspectives) and discussing some key choices and implications.  I don't see that as my role nor has ACDIS sponsored events in the past with that purpose.
> 
> PFD
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Paul F. Diehl
> Henning Larsen Professor of Political Science
> Director, Office of Undergraduate Research
> Editor, INTERNATIONAL INTERACTIONS
> 
> Contact Information:
> Department of Political Science
> University of Illinois
> 420 David Kinley Hall (DKH), MC-713
> 1407 W. Gregory Drive
> Urbana, IL 61801
> USA
> email: pdiehl at illinois.edu
> phone: 217-333-9356
> fax: 217-244-5712
> Website:
> http://www.pol.illinois.edu/people/pdiehl
> 
> 
> ________________________________________
> From: Carl G. Estabrook [galliher at illinois.edu]
> Sent: Monday, September 16, 2013 10:45 AM
> To: Kolodziej, Edward A
> Cc: Hoffman, Valerie J; Hanauer, Elizabeth A; Hewitt, Karen M; Williams, Angela Selena; Diehl, Paul F; Wexler, Lesley M
> Subject: Re: reply to message posted to CGS regarding teach-in on Syria
> 
> Ed--
> 
> There are many good reasons not to be Harvard - the Kennedy School is one.
> 
> I have no objection to what you're advocating - just to what you're excluding.
> 
> Your speakers for this session are comfortably within the limits of allowable debate - neoliberal and neoconservative.
> 
> Where are the advocates for paleoconservative or left positions? Which of your panelists agree with Ron Paul or Noam Chomsky's views? It's their exclusion that's objectionable.
> 
> Your "teach-in" (you've borrowed - co-opted - that term from objections to regime-supporting academics 40 years ago) fails "to teach about the complexity of the Syrian civil war" if you exclude those voices.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Carl
> 
> 
> On Sep 16, 2013, at 9:44 AM, "Kolodziej, Edward A" <edkoloj at illinois.edu> wrote:
> 
>> Thanks for the citation, Carl. Hey, we're not Harvard.
>> 
>> As a former U of Chicago President once said to an Illinois legislator who
>> accused the university of teaching Communism: "We teach it.  We don't
>> advocate it."
>> 
>> The teach-in is to teach about the complexity of the Syrian civil war.  We
>> don't advocate it."
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> 
>> Ed
>> 
>> Edward A. Kolodziej
>> Director, Center for Global Studies
>> (CGS) & the Program in
>> Arms Control, Disarmament, &
>> International Security (ACDIS)
>> University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
>> 303 ISB, MC-402
>> 910 S. Fifth Street
>> Champaign, IL 61820
>> (CGS) 217-265-5186
>> (ACDIS) 217-333-7086
>> FAX: 217-265-7519
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 9/13/13 7:08 PM, "Carl G. Estabrook" <galliher at illinois.edu> wrote:
>> 
>>> Here's a shameful model for the local trahison des clercs:
>>> 
>>> http://harvardmagazine.com/2013/09/kennedy-school-forum-debates-us-militar
>>> y-action-in-syria
>>> 
>>> The Kennedy School has been recognized as a joke since its reconstitution
>>> 40 years ago, to support Kennedy-Johnson war policy.
>>> 
>>> Plus ça change. --CGE
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Sep 13, 2013, at 9:10 AM, "Hewitt, Karen M" <khewitt at illinois.edu>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Dear Carl Estabrook and Wayne Johnson:
>>>> 
>>>> This has been designed to be a public forum for learning and debate to
>>>> which audience members are welcome to contribute.
>>>> 
>>>> karen
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Karen Hewitt
>>>> Outreach Coordinator
>>>> Center for Global Studies
>>>> University of Illinois
>>>> 303 International Studies Bldg.
>>>> 910 S. Fifth St.
>>>> Champaign, IL 61820
>>>> 217-244-0288
>>>> http://cgs.illinois.edu
>>>> 
>>>> E. Wayne Johnson 朱稳森 <ewj at pigsqq.org>
>>>> Re: [Peace-discuss] Teach-In on Syria, Sept. 18
>>>> September 13, 2013 1:22 AM
>>>> 
>>>> Since the Goal is Obamize the audience, there is no use
>>>> to bring any extraneous influencers.
>>>> 
>>>> Thank you for your interest in CGS.
>>>> 
>>>> Do have a nice day.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On 09/13/13 5:21, Carl G. Estabrook wrote:
>>>>> Karen Hewitt
>>>>> Outreach Coordinator
>>>>> CGS UIUC
>>>>> 
>>>>> Ms. Hewitt:
>>>>> 
>>>>> I'm surprised that a "public forum to discuss the current crisis in
>>>>> Syria and the international community's response" should include
>>>>> speakers representing only a narrow spectrum of neoliberal and
>>>>> neoconservative opinion.
>>>>> 
>>>>> There are faculty and others on campus who could present
>>>>> paleoconservative and left positions; students and others should hear
>>>>> those views as well.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>> 
>>>>> C. G. Estabrook
>>>>> Visiting professor, retired
>>>>> 109 Observatory
>>>>> 217-244-4105
>>>> 
>>> 
>> 
> 