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Brodhead Reaffirms Duke Policy Not to Divest from Israel September 8, 2004 Dear Ed: Thanks for the letter of September 2 that you and several others signed. I am grateful for your acknowledgement that the University must give wide protection to free speech and free debate. The free exchange of ideas is the very essence of education. As I wrote in a recent essay, “When universities get in the business of suppressing speech, however vile, it lends credence to the notion that it is a legitimate function of the university to suppress speech. A notion is thereby validated that can then be activated on another occasion -- perhaps to suppress one’s own dissident or unpopular expression.” I’ve been grateful for the wide support I have found for this principle throughout the Duke community. Since you speak so directly to the question of divestiture, I want to remind you that the University has an established position on this issue. President Keohane has clearly stated the university’s policy not to divest from Israel. I endorse this policy and the principles that underlie it. As she noted, divestment from Israel is a very blunt instrument to address an extremely complex issue around which there is little consensus and a great diversity of opinions both in the campus community and in the broader society. University policy makes clear that divestiture would be a last resort to be used only when a substantial community consensus existed to support this course of action. I am aware of no change in the situation either in the Middle East or on campus that would justify moving to a different policy. Peter Lange joins me in this message, which you should feel free to share with your colleagues. I will send this letter by hardcopy as well. Best wishes, Dick Brodhead |
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