We are pleased to name John Spritzler as Featured Activist on Axis of Logic this month.  He exemplifies the qualities of courage, persistence and hard work that is essential for activism that confronts the empire and advances the cause of true democracy. John is a Research Scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health and Human Rights (HSPH). He is Co-Editor with David Stratman and Doug Fuda of Boston-based New Democracy World, a long time activist, author and friend.  The following odyssey is an account of John's courage, persistence and hard work in making people aware of the injustice perpetuated by the State of Israel in the halls of America's oldest university. 

During the past year, John Spritzler has taken his own employer to task - Harvard University - on it�s stand on Human Rights for the Palestinian People. In November, 2004, Dr. Spritzler gained the support of two colleagues, B. Richard Levins and David Christiani to formally present a proposal to the Director of the the Harvard Center for Health and Human Rights (HCHHR). They proposed that HCHHR sponsor a symposium on The Ethnic State and Human Rights in Israel/Palestine.

The Center�s Director, Stephen Marks denied the request. But John is a tenacious man. He replied to the director with this:

Dear Dean Ware,

Attached is the text of a leaflet I would like to pass out at the school. Please note that in this latest version I have deleted the paragraph near the end mentioning Professor Stephen Marks, which paragraph was included in the hard copy I believe you received this morning from security.

I look forward to hearing from you about this and thank you for your consideration of this matter.

 John Spritzler

Dean Ware replied:

"We do not allow distribution of materials not directly related to school business within the School property. The public spaces are so small, and the traffic so high in them, that we simply don't have the room to accommodate this sort of activity. If we approve one such activity, we would set a precedent for allowing other such activities. There are a few places where material of general interest can be posted, but the main bulletin boards are also restricted to postings related to academic activities at the School."

Again, John persisted by making this request:

"If the smallness of public spaces is the problem, then I would like permission to place the leaflet in people's mailboxes at the school."

He presented a powerful argument, challenging the Dean to follow the stated mission of Harvard�s Center for Health and Human Rights and to allow him to distribute the leaflet.

"Clearly a discussion of what "domestic and international policy" should be in regards to the health of four million Palestinians and its relationship to their deprivation of human rights and their being victims of ethnic cleansing and a major crime against humanity is, or certainly should be, an academic activity of a Center with the stated "global perspective" mission of Harvard's Center for Health and Human Rights. If such a discussion is not related to the Center's mission, then could you please tell me why not?"

John concluded this letter with the following strategic challenge to his boss:

"Please explain how the principle of academic freedom does or does not apply to my request to distribute this leaflet on school property? Many of my colleagues have asked me about this question, and I would like to give them the official answer ... I assume you have no objection to the leaflet being distributed on public property, with a note explaining that you would not let it be distributed on school property, right?"

Dean Ware replied:

John,

You may not distribute this material in school mailboxes. The purpose of the mailboxes is to conduct university business and this, though a legitimate expression of a political viewpoint, does not fall into the realm of university business. This is the same distinction I made when we met last year.

James H. Ware
Dean for Academic Affairs
Frederick Mosteller, Professor of Biostatistics
Harvard School of Public Health

It was at this time when it became known that a number of people were planning soon to stand on public property and distribute the leaflet (with the note at the bottom saying that the Dean had denied permission to the author to distribute it on Harvard University property) to people on their way into the Harvard School of Public Health.

The Dean responded to the news with this email to John and copies to related colleagues and authorities:

Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004
From: James H. Ware (address omitted)
To: spritz@sdac.harvard.edu
Subject: Human Rights

John,

I agree that the School should provide opportunities for discussion of important public health and human rights issues. We have been thinking about how you can air the issues you have raised without disrupting the other business of the School. To that end, we would like to offer you the opportunity to "table" on the first floor of the Kresge Building, distribute your leaflets, and talk with other members of the community about these issues. Following the approach we take with other groups seeking to raise issues in the HSPH community, you can set up a table on the first floor, distribute materials, and talk with those who express interest in the issue.

Contact Paul Riccardi tomorrow to discuss the arrangements.

All best,

Jim Ware

Talk About Hutzpah!

John replied to the Dean with the following letter - and added a request that the Harvard Center pay for a reprint of the article to avoid disclosure that the Dean had initially denied his request:

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004
To: James H. Ware
From: John Spritzler

Dear Dean Ware,

Thank you for offering a table on the first floor of the Kresge Building to distribute my leaflets. I gladly accept this offer, and I will be contacting Paul Riccardi today to discuss the details.

The leaflets are dated November 11, 2004 and at the bottom there is a statement that I was denied permission to distribute them on Harvard University property. I will be happy to post your message below conspicuously at the table to explain that permission was subsequently given. The leaflets (3,000 of them) have already been printed at a cost of $262.50. If you wish, and are willing to pay for re-printing, I will be happy to destroy the current version and distribute a version without the note at the bottom about not having permission to distribute them on University property. Please let me know your pleasure regarding this question.

Thank you very much for allowing this important discussion to take place at the School.

Sincerely,

John Spritzler

And the reply ...

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004
From: James H. Ware
To: John Spritzler <spritz@sdac.harvard.edu
Cc: related colleagues
Subject: Re: Human Rights

John,

It is a problem that your leaflet says that you were not allowed to distribute these materials on Harvard property. I talked with Robin Herman in an effort to find a solution. Our thought is that you block out the two lines with a magic marker.

Jim