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The Ethical Culture
Society of Essex County

Boe Meyerson, Leader

Leader's Message from the November 2007 Newsletter:
Some Thoughts on Truth and Manners

As you all know by now, sparks were flying at Columbia University over President Bollinger's invitation of the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to speak at Columbia University at the request of its Middle East Department. Much controversy followed the undiplomatic introduction of Ahmadinejad by University President Bollinger who called him a man who exhibited "all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator" and whose denial of the holocaust was "either brazenly provocative or astonishingly uneducated." What he said I believe to be absolutely true. However, there has been much controversy about whether he should have said it, the way he said it, and the context in which he said it, i.e., an introduction of an invited guest.

First, it should be noted that what Bollinger said was perfectly true. Ahmadinejad is a dictator (yet under the auspices of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei). He is also a holocaust denier.   Secondly, it should be emphasized that Bollinger had invited him. Bollinger himself surely did so on principle insofar as he is legal scholar and an expert in freedom of speech to which is highly committed. Now, my take on this is as follows.

1.Bollinger was right to invite him at the request of his Middle East department. That is what academic freedom is all about. Ideas should be shared, defended and challenged openly.

2. Bollinger was exercising his right to speak freely and honestly when he described Ahmadinejad as a "petty and cruel dictator " whose denial of the holocaust was either "provocative or astonishingly ignorant."

3. However, he did violate a norm which is sacred in Moslem culture and respected in our culture. That concerns our obligations to an invited guest, especially while introducing him. One is not supposed to insult one's guest when introducing him. There is nothing wrong with his having made clear his strenuous disagreement with Ahmadinejad and his disapproval of his actions and his autocratic method of ruling. Such vigorous and challenging discourse is expected in open academic discussion. Yet that discourse is very different from the name calling exhibited in the pejorative phrase "petty dictator." The inappropriateness of Bollinger's words come from the context of introducing an invited guest. It would be altogether different if they were simply engaged in vigorous debate about the value of his leadership or his values, etc. Rather this is an introduction, not a debate.

4. Is this an ethical issue? If you invite someone to your institution and then introduce him in truthful but insulting manner are you behaving ethically or have you simply set him up. Context here is crucial.

5. Context is the key to this issue. What is acceptable in the locker room or the soccer field is not necessarily acceptable in the living room with one's grandmother. Similarly the level of familiarity and intimacy and mutual acceptance which could be normative in a family setting may not be acceptable in a formal work setting. Truth telling is a virtue but not always. Walking up to a woman at a party which you are giving (and to which you invited her) and telling her in front of others that she dresses like a slut is both bad manners and bad ethics. Taking her aside and giving her fatherly or motherly advice privately in a sympathetic way is not unethical and not bad manners.

6. Lastly there is a matter of style or phrasing. Here the language of "I statements" vs. "you statements" comes to mind. For the sake of Bollinger's integrity, and avoiding outright insult, it would not have been inappropriate for him to frankly express his own beliefs as an "I statement" such as: "We have invited you out of our deep respect for academic freedom and our commitment to be free to hear and affirm or challenge all and any views. I, personally, find your denial of the holocaust to be a product of either a desire to provoke or of simple and astounding ignorance. I also disapprove of your authoritarian style of leadership. Yet you are still welcome here to compete on the open battleground of ideas." Notice here there is no name calling and he is making statements about his own beliefs rather than engaging in direct insult.

I wish to emphasize the subtle but important issue of context and style not as an aesthetic concern but rather as an ethical one. There is a big difference between saying "You are an idiot." and saying "I fail to see any evidence for your dramatic claim."

I am reminded of an old saying, "Do the least harm." I would add, do so consistent with your own integrity.

                                                                                -- Boe Meyerson

 

 

On January 15th, 2007,our leader Boe Meyerson was one of the clergy invited to speak at the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race Martin Luther King Day Celebration at St. George's Episcopal Church in Maplewood, New Jersey. Here is what she said:

 

 

As I look at our nation today, with a contested war abroad and, at home, our great republic deeply divided by an ever widening gap between wealth and poverty – measured more accurately in light years than miles, I cannot but believe that were Dr. King here among us today, he would not be celebrating his own Birthday with adulations but rather with marches and speeches, rousing us from our national slumbers and recalling this great nation to its great heritage of freedom and justice.  

He would be calling us to trouble the waters and the land, to speak truth to power, to stand up for those who are prostrate, and to pay homage to those who have paid with their lives in the service of a greater humanity.  

 

 

 

Our leader Boe Meyerson gives the platform lecture on the first Sunday of each month and offers pastoral counselling as well as services like baby naming ceremonies and humanist weddings and commitment ceremonies.She is also the Humanist Chaplain at Columbia University in New York City.   She represents the National Leadership Council on the Board of Directors of the American Ethical Union and serves on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Division of the United Nations ssociation.

 

To contact Boe Meyerson, call 973-763-1905

For more informaton, call 973-7631905
The Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
516 Prospect Street, Maplewood, NJ 07040
EMail:essex@essexethical.org

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