CALL TO ACTION: Protest Removal of Dr. Subramanian Swamy’s Courses From Harvard

INCIDENT

Dr. Subramanian Swamy teaches couple of economics courses at Harvard University. He wrote an op-ed piece in online publication DNA India (see appendix) wherein he gave his views on Islamic terror and how to deal with it. As it is well known, Dr. Swamy is crusading against the massive corruption and scandals underway in India. In retaliation to his views on Islamic terror, a cabal of Leftists, Islamists and retainers of Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty combined, represented by co-opted faculty at Harvard, launched a campaign to have Swamy removed from Harvard. Initially, Harvard University stood by Dr. Swamy as a matter of its long-standing principle of supporting free speech and academic freedom ( Ref – http://www.thecrimson.com/ article/2011/8/6/harvard- swamy-summer-school/ ), but came to its knees as a result of continuous attack by the aforementioned cabal. Finally, Harvard University has dropped Dr. Swamy’s courses from its summer school offering. (Ref – http://www.thecrimson.com/ article/2011/12/7/faculty- final-meeting/ ).

ASSESSMENT

Dr. Subramanian Swamy is a feisty public activist crusading against corruption in India. He is also troubled by the wave of Islamic terror that has engulfed India. Dr. Swamy’s op-ed in DNA actually does not advocate anything extra-ordinary that has never been mentioned before in the political discourse in India. Moreover Dr. Swamy does not have any political clout to translate his ideas into a public policy. If at all anything, his op-ed echoes frustration that any common man would feel in India, who is subjected to the relentless attacks by Islamic terrorists. Where Dr. Swamy is being highly effective is his crusade against corruption that is exposing corrupt politicians who have looted a poor nation of its wealth. If anyone has to gain from actions against Dr. Swamy, it is this class of looters.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

In order of effectiveness:

(a) TELEPHONE CALL
(very effective)

Call up Harvard University’s President and complain, and ask her to reinstate Dr. Swamy’s courses.

Dr. Drew Faust, President

Telephone Number: 617-495-1502

(b) FAX
(significantly effective)

Compose a protest and demand letter (see sample letter enclosed below)

Dr. Drew Faust, President
Harvard University
Office of the President
Massachusetts Hall
Cambridge, MA 02138

Fax Number: 617-495-8550

(c) POSTAL MAIL
(medium effective)

Send the protest/demand letter in postal mail. See (b) for further details.

(d) E-MAIL
( ineffective as such protest e-mails go to the bit bucket )

Send E-mail protest

E-Mail: [email protected]

Dean of the faculty of arts & sciences his name is Michael Smith
email: [email protected]

Feedback: Please send an e-mail to < [email protected] > if you take any of the aforementioned actions, stating what action you took, and your name/e-mail please.

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SAMPLE LETTER
(Please do NOT use the sample letter verbatim)
 
Dear Dr. Faust,
 
It is very disheartening to note that your institution has dropped Dr. Subramanian Swamy’s courses from your summer offerings ( http://www.thecrimson.com/ article/2011/12/7/faculty- final-meeting/ ), under pressure from the few faculty members, who might be ideologically opposed to Dr. Swamy. You had initially stood by his freedom of speech ( http://www.thecrimson.com/ article/2011/8/6/harvard- swamy-summer-school/ ) few months back. The flip-flop is even more troubling.

It does not behoove a world renowned institution such as yours to take such a regressive step. Such actions reminds me of Nazi Germany’s Gestapo and Soviet Russia’s Gulag. If Dr. Swamy’s detractors are indeed serious about the issues that are pertinent, then they should engage with him at an intellectual level, instead of gagging his academic career.

Moreover, if you study his supposedly “offensive” article dispassionately, you would not find anything that has not been part of the Indian political discourse before (Abrogation of Article 370, restoration of Hindu temples that were demolished to build mosques). Further, Dr. Swamy does not seem to have any significant political clout to have a say in Indian public policy.

What is indeed at stake is that, the actions of your institution signify a victory of looters of India’s public wealth in the form of massive scandals of corruption that Dr. Swamy is relentlessly pursuing. By your thoughtless actions, you have not only violated your covenant of free speech and academic freedom, you have appeared to have taken the side of corrupt politicians of India who have robbed a poor country’s wealth and stashed in tax havens all over the world. You have become an indirect partner in acts of economic criminality by victimizing a crusader against corruption.

I request you to kindly examine the matter dispassionately and reinstate Dr. Swamy’s summer courses as was the case in the past. Kindly inform me of the actions taken in this regard and inform me of your decision. I can be reached via e-mail at _______________and/or via phone at _____________.
 
Thanking you.

Sincerely yours,

Responses