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Author Draws Crowd, Heated Questions at Lecture |
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Kimyette Finley |
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Nov 6, 2002 |
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| Author Steven Emerson spoke at the College of Law as part of the Stranahan National Issues Forum. |
“Most of you are aware that our speaker today is controversial,” said Phillip Closius, dean of the College of Law, as he opened the Stranahan National Issues Forum yesterday afternoon. “Controversy is an attribute of a vibrant and meaningful speaker series. We’re committed to presenting our students and the public with a diversity of perspectives,” Closius added. The content of some of author Steven Emerson’s speech caused some audience members to respond out loud with heated comments and questions.
Emerson, the author of several books, has served as a national terrorism expert for many media outlets. His 1994 PBS documentary, “Jihad in America,” won the George Polk Award for Excellence in Journalism and Editor’s Award for best national investigation into criminal activity. He was the guest speaker for yesterday’s forum, which was sponsored by UT’s Federalist Society chapter. His appearance to discuss “Terrorism, Militant Islam and the Response of Democracies” filled the Law Center Auditorium to capacity.
“The refusal to acknowledge that militant Islam and the ideology that it spawns is a major problem facing the world, the United States and the Muslim world today,” Emerson said. “The question is whether you are willing to acknowledge that militant Islamic fundamentalism…is a problem that spawns violence. The adjective Islamic to the term terrorism means that those terrorists who are carrying out their acts of violence are informed by their view of Islam. Osama bin Laden is informed by his view of Islam. It doesn’t mean that he speaks for you,” Emerson said as he addressed Muslim audience members. He questioned if the Islamic community could accept the existence of Islamic terrorists. “Your admission will help something more important — the emergence of a true debate within the Islamic community.”
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| The Law Center Auditorium was packed for Emerson's talk. |
When Emerson asked the audience what they thought Osama bin Laden’s objective was, an audience member stood up and offered his opinions. The forum then took a heated turn when several audience members began responding out loud to some of Emerson’s comments — some who disagreed with his speech, while others yelled out that Emerson should be allowed to finish his talk. Closius had to interrupt the forum and say that Emerson would be allowed to continue, followed by a question-and-answer session from the note cards that were passed out before Emerson began his speech.
When Ahmad Hammuda, president of UT’s Muslim Students Association, was asked about Emerson’s comment regarding Islamic clergy and the Islamic community acknowledging the existence of Islamic terrorists, Hammuda responded, “Muslims don’t view anybody who does that type of act as a Muslim. He’s [Osama bin Laden] past what we can describe in words as far as his evilness. I see why that [Emerson’s comments] caused emotion because Muslims always feel we have to be on the defense and that we have to prove we’re not associated with other Muslims. If a murderer comes out who’s a Christian, does every Christian in the world have to say, ‘we’re not Christians like him?’”
Emerson’s appearance on campus took place during Islamic Awareness Week, which began Nov. 4 and runs through Nov. 8. According to Closius, Emerson was invited by the Federalist Society to speak several months ago and their invitation should in no way imply an endorsement from the University or the college. However, Hammuda had concerns about the content of Emerson’s talk. “Clearly from what you heard, it was a hate speech to discriminate against Muslims and abolish any ideas of peace during Islamic Awareness Week,” he said. The Muslim Students Association also questions Emerson’s credibility, arguing that many national media outlets no longer use him as an expert source.
After the speech, Said Orra, president of the Arab American Law Student Organization, spoke about the forum’s direction. “It seemed like one hour of complete miscommunication. It was too emotional and not enough intellect. I wish there was more of a set format.” However, Orra said he was glad Emerson spoke on campus. “Despite the e-mails and inquiries into his coming here, he still came. We appreciate that, and that’s the type of environment we want to foster at the College of Law. We want to have speakers from all different viewpoints.”
Joe Borland, a second-year law student, said his undergraduate studies focused on Middle Eastern subjects and different religions, and that background is why he came to the forum. “I know he’s controversial, so I wanted to come and hear him out and see what he had to say, and hear the other sides as well.”
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