Dear Prof. Gagiano
Thank you for your e-mail. As you wish, I will refrain from further "rather fruitless correspondence".
-----Original Message-----
From: Gagiano AH
Sent: 17 Februarie 2005 04:05
To: Protea Boekhuis
Subject: RE: Dringend vir Nicol Stassen asseblief::: FW: Dan Roodt
Mr Stassen - I do not wish to prolong this rather fruitless correspondence between us, so I end with the following comments on your latest missive to myself:
a) your claim to have "the highest respect" for my "academic abilities" comes across as a disingenuous disclaimer (of disrespect), since it is irreconcilable with your accusation in your initial reply to my first email that you found it "shocking" that "at an institution which stands for free speech [I] should be engaging in [what you term] this kind of censorship which is totally against the spirit of a university", and with your suggestion that what I was asking for was a demand for "fascist-type censorship";
b) your statement "I am not going to be forced to invite only people of the same convictions as myself to events hosted by us" is an invalidly distorted version of my actual request to yourself/Protea management to reconsider the opportunity (or at least 'setting') provided by your business to a notorious purveyor of racial contempt who had also attached dangerously scurrilous labels to two important members of the local university community;
c) I did not "translate" the term "skandpaal" "wrongly" (as you claim) but explained that the "skandpaal", given Roodt's label of "anti-white racists" applied to both Van Niekerk & Malan, functioned as a "hate list" and that - given the level of actual persecution (including serious physical assault) recently suffered by Malan - a purveyor of what I and a number of others certainly see as such hate speech (despite Roodt's not having been formally charged with the accusation) was an utterly inappropriate invited speaker at a university event that would lend him an air of academic respectability;
d) your suggestion that my letter demanded that Roodt not be "allowed" to "express his views" is also beside the point that I was concerned with in my letter, which was not that Roodt not be "allowed" to air his ideas (which, as your own letter acknowledges, he does copiously!) - something neither of us is in a position to curtail - but, instead, that Protea Bookshop should reconsider whether it wanted to provide Roodt with a respectable platform to express his (within the present national and local campus context) divisive and (to most sane persons) repellent ideas (termed his "lewensfilosofie" in the Woordfees programme blurb).
But as I suggest above, there is no point in further pursuing this correspondence.
Annie Gagiano.
-----Original Message-----
From: Protea Boekhuis
Sent: 17 February 2005 08:46
To: Gagiano AH
Cc: Protea Stellenbosch; WOORDFEES AFRIKAANS NEDL
Subject: RE: Dringend vir Nicol Stassen asseblief::: FW: Dan Roodt
Dear Prof. Gagiano
I am sorry if you perceive my reply as intemperate, unpleasant and hostile. This was not intended to be any of these. I don't think my reply is "intemperate, unpleasant and hostile". I apologise if it can be construed as such.
I also have the highest respect for your academic abilities.
I am not going to be forced to invite only people of the same convictions as myself to events hosted by us. In fact, one of the people on Dr Roodt's 'skandpaal' (which you translate wrongly as 'hate list') - Prof. Marlene van Niekerk - is a speaker at an event earlier the same morning on our premises. And maybe it is a good idea to invite Ms Yvonne Malan to express her views on our premises.
I think I understand the difference between hate speech and freedom of speech: I am convinced that if Dr Roodt's views (which are well-known and reported in the press) were against the constitution, he should be brought to court and I would be one of the first people to applaud this step (were this the case). Until he is brought to justice and convicted (for hate speech), he should be allowed to express his views (freedom of speech).
Yours
Nicol Stassen
-----Original Message-----
From: Gagiano AH
Sent: 16 Februarie 2005 06:01
To: Protea Boekhuis
Cc:
Subject: RE: Dringend vir Nicol Stassen asseblief::: FW: Dan Roodt
To Mr Stassen of Protea Books -
I was astonished at the intemperate, unpleasant and hostile tone and tenor of your reply to my request, which was forwarded to yourself by Louis and Marlise of the local branch. It does not seem as though you comprehend the difference between allowing a 'free' airing of views and ideas by individuals and groups (on the one hand) and the need to discourage or disallow hate speech - a distinction that is recognized in our constitution. I take umbrage at your temerity in applying the offensive label of "fascist" to my rationally validated request that you reconsider the use of your business by someone whose ideas are not merely 'interesting' but dangerously divisive. I expect you to apologise for your unwarranted attack on my academic integrity, which is by no means 'balanced' by your statement that I would be "welcome" at the Roodt event.
Annie Gagiano.
-----Original Message-----
From: Protea Boekhuis
Sent: 16 February 2005 13:40
To: Gagiano AH
Cc: Protea Stellenbosch; WOORDFEES AFRIKAANS NEDL
Subject: FW: Dringend vir Nicol Stassen asseblief::: FW: Dan Roodt
Importance: High
Dear Prof. A.H. Gagiano
Your request has been forwarded to me.
I am not prepared to take part in any kind of fascist-type censorship in allowing only speakers with certain views and convictions on our premises. I also find it shocking that somebody at an institution which stands for free speech should engage in this kind of censorship which is totally against the spirit of a university.
Protea Book House is not publishing books only of people who share the same views as us. We also don't invite only people who share the same views that we do to events at our premises. We are in favour of free speech and will always invite people of different views to our premises.
If you really feel that that you cannot agree with Dr Roodt, you are welcome to expose him at this interview session for what you feel he is and represents. If you feel that his views are not worthy of respectable consideration, you are welcome not to attend this event. I find it strange that you say that his views are not worthy of respectable consideration but still took the time and trouble to write this letter to me.
I would like to invite you personally to this event. You will be very welcome and it shall be an honour to receive you there.
Yours
Nicol Stassen
-----Original Message-----
From: Gagiano AH
Sent: Wednesday, 16 February, 2005 9:14 AM
To:
Subject: Dan Roodt
Dear Louis/ Protea management -
I am writing to you this morning because I have learnt that Dr Roodt is to be featured as the main speaker and guest in an interview session that is advertised as part of the forthcoming Woordfees, and also that this event is to be hosted by yourselves on your premises. Since the advertisement promises a focus, not only on Roodt's literary writings, but on his role as a so-called "taalaktivis" and on his "lewensfilosofie", I want to ask you seriously to reconsider your own role in this.
My reasons are the following:
a) Roodt is made to sound like a merely 'interesting' but very significant cultural figure/ opinion leader in the blurb for the event when in fact he is a notorious purveyor of racist contempt and of a type of Afrikaner fascism (see my other, forwarded email containing one of his most recent outpourings) and will without a doubt use the occasion to proclaim some of his offensive notions;
b) Roodt has recently placed two prominent local members of the local university community, Prof. Marlene van Niekerk and Ms Yvonne Malan; on his PRAAG website's hate list (called the "skandpaal"), labelling them both "anti-white racists". In the context of the recent Fischer debacle, which resulted in weeks of persecution of Yvonne Malan by rightwing Afrikaner vigilantes, this is dangerously provocative writing which should in my view at the very least be rebuked by a withdrawal of the invitation to Roodt;
c) Not allowing Roodt an opportunity to proclaim his views at an established and prestigious cultural event and dissociating the Protea bookshop from someone who abuses the Afrikaans language, you will be indicating your rejection of his positions; Roodt needs no further opportunity to disseminate his repulsive ideas than his copious letters to the public media and the reams of ranting he publishes and maintains on his PRAAG website; what he should not be granted, in my view, is an opportunity to imply, by the nature of this sponsored event, that his views are worthy of respectable consideration.
I have also written in this regard to Dr Dorothea van Zyl and to Prof. Chris Brink.
Sincerely yours,
Annie Gagiano.
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