College Daze: Reporting the News - 'Satanic Verses' cause students to examine rights (Catalyst, March 9, 1989)

The author during his days as a journalism student at Miami-Dade Community College, South Campus (now Miami-Dade College, Kendall Campus) Photo Credit: Prof. Peter C. Townsend (Author's collection) 

This article was originally published in the March 9, 1989 issue of Catalyst, Miami-Dade Community College, South Campus' student newspaper. It was the author's only Page One - Lead article during his four academic years on staff. 

'Satanic Verses' cause students to examine rights

Alex Diaz Granados

Staff Writer

Although British author Salman Rushdie's controversial novel The Satanic Verses has been pulled from most major bookstores' shelves after Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini sentenced the Indian-born writer to death, most students and faculty here say that the book should be available to the public. 

Rushdie's novel is the target of violent protests not only in Pakistan and other Islamic countries but also in the United States.

As a result, many major booksellers have chosen not to publicize the book but to continue to sell it to the public, while some booksellers have given in to the threats. 

However, most students and faculty here have defended Rushdie's right to publish his work. 

"What's really important is to respect a variety of opinions. That's what Miami-Dade is about and what America is about," English professor Betsy Hilbert said.

"We must be prepared to defend the right of a writer to publish and be distributed," Hilbert said. "If one of us is silenced, all are silenced." 

© 1988 Viking Press

She added, "If B. Dalton and Waldenbooks distributed The Satanic Verses after Khomeini's statements would it endanger innocent lives? Would you be willing to put your life on the line to sell a book? However, I think the reaction of the major booksellers is an overreaction.

"But instead of worrying about them, I admire the courage of Books and Books, which is openly selling it." 

However, according to a notice posted inside the Waldenbooks & More outlet on North Kendall Drive and S.W. 112th Ave., "We have never taken the book off sale and have completely sold all copies," and that copies of the book would be available as soon as Viking Press (U.S. publishers of The Satanic Verses) printed more.

Abdul Baset, sophomore, said, "It's absolutely ridiculous. They shouldn't ban the book." 

Despite the scarcity of copies of Rushdie's novel, the controversy has spurred interest and demand for the book."

"I want to know what's in the book," Baset said. "I definitely want to read it."

Baset was even more critical of Khomeini's death threat. "One thing that bothers me is that the image of Muslims is now more negative ﹘ people think all Muslims are savages. Our holy book would have a different view of this episode than the Ayatollah's.

"The Koran is more tolerant," he added.

SGA senator Oscar Rizzo said, "It's a shame that the Ayatollah has as much power as he has ﹘ he'll probably try to ban sales of books all over the world." 

Rizzo compared The Satanic Verses flap to that generated last year by Martin Scorsese's hotly-debated film The Last Temptation of Christ.

"Everyone has been satirized at one time or another. Mel Brooks has poked fun at Christianity and other institutions in films like History of the World Part I and others.

"This issue is a highly emotional one ﹘ does an artist have the right to satirize or artistically challenge religious beliefs ﹘ like last year's controversy over The Last Temptation of Christ." 

Rizzo said he believes students should be open-minded to different viewpoints. "If you don't expose yourself to other ideas," Rizzo said, "you won't learn anything."