No speech evolves into a free speech

In comparing her situation to filmmaker Michael Moore, who is scheduled to speak Oct. 20 at Utah Valley State College, Williams said she fears for democracy in this country. When it was announced last month that Moore would speak at UVSC at a cost of $40,000, which will be covered by student fees, an effort was led by conservative students to see that Moore would not come to the campus.

"What saddens me is that the climate of fear creates these kinds of craven acts, that our universities and institutions of higher education, on whom we have always counted to be champions and protectors of freedom of speech, begin to crumble," Williams said.

FGCU associate English professor Jim Wohlpart was part of a committee that secured Williams last May as the convocation speaker, a decision that Merwin supported at the time.

"It's not a partisan, Bush-bashing election speech," Wohlpart told the Deseret Morning News. "It's learning to heal the divide that exists in this nation."

Williams said that two of the three essays in her new book had already made it into print last May and that Merwin should have known the nature of her work. The actual book came out last month.

Merwin and Williams discussed, by phone, a line from her book that described how the author is "sick at heart" because President Bush is in office. She also gave reasons why she felt that way. Williams said she also pointed Merwin to additional text that explains the need for a "calm" heart and to find "compassionate" ways to meet each other's opposing views with mutual respect.

"She critiques herself in her own book," Wohlpart added.

Williams said Merwin took her comment out of context when he said that those words were "offensive" and that her speech at FGCU could put the state-funded school in jeopardy.

Merwin was unavailable for comment.

Williams also said Merwin told her that the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees public higher education, and the school's board of trustees are made up of members who are appointed by Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's brother.

In a letter to Merwin, Williams wrote, "Censorship betrays the students' intelligence, individual power of discernment and their own passionate exploration of ideas as they prepare to vote."

In letters representing Orion Society, part of Orion Books, which published Williams' new book, Merwin was referred to as having a "lack of vision and intellectual courage."

---

E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com