My Unwillingness to Be "Balanced" at Campus Talks
Daniel Pipes
My Unwillingness to Be "Balanced" at Campus Talks Although still over three months off, my talk on April 14, 2005 in the "Globalization, Human Rights, and Citizenship" series at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, is already setting off more heat than light.
In particular, I note the topic of balance, raised in a letter to the president of RIT:
he is to be the only speaker this year on the current schedule that will not have a counterpoising view on stage with him to provide balance and perspective. How can the Gannett Lecture Series purport to be promoting the academic principles of debate and discussion when it allows his ideas to go without criticism by his peers? … Also if the Lecture Series is going to select someone with as far right extreme views as his to have a forum, then I think the far left should be given equal opportunity.
This issue arises from time to time, and most notably at my talk at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in April 2003, when a minor tempest brewed up over my unwillingness to be "balanced" by someone with an opposite point view.
Here is why I reject that proposal: My major purpose in going to universities like UW-Madison and RIT is to offer a different point of view from what students usually hear (at RIT, for example, the talk before mine is by Ali A. Mazrui). I dislike the idea of balance because (1) it cuts into my time and (2) it implies that my views need to be wrapped and controlled.
Instead, I offer a lengthy question and answer period. I typically speak for 20-25 minutes and then entertain questions for about an hour. I find that this procedure most interests the audience (and myself) while making best use of our time together through interaction, not potted statements.
Paul Grebinger, organizer of the RIT series in which I will speak about "Militant Islam and the War on Terror," made this point in his own way in replying on behalf of the RIT president:
It is often valuable to hear from individuals whose ideas we may oppose and whom we may not even like. I expect that Pipes will draw representatives from the Islamic community here on campus and from Rochester. They will no doubt be asking very pointed questions. So, I don't expect any lack of debate.
I don't either. (December 31, 2004) |
