I am a Jewish writer heading to the Adelaide Writers’ Week. Several Palestinian authors, whom I’m looking forward to meeting, are also invited.
Two of them have uttered abusive sentiments about Israel on Twitter. They are accused of antisemitism, although their abuse seems to be directed at the Israeli government and military rather than at Jews.
Our meeting may be uncomfortable and even challenging, but surely that is a reason to embrace the opportunity, not to refuse it.
I enjoy breaking bread with people whose views differ from my own and don’t mind meeting and challenging people who wish me ill-will. Even getting the chance to question fascists and racists, and hopefully inspire them to examine their prejudices, can be interesting. If a neo-Nazi is unshakeable in their hate, then I seek to make them as uncomfortable as they make me.
Uninviting festival guests who advocate outright violence in any circumstances is proper and appropriate. Uninviting guests whose views are hostile and awkward is neither proportionate nor productive. The whole point of gathering writers and thinkers together is to challenge and provoke.
If I had restricted my circle to people whose world-view was in accord with my own, I would have deprived myself of some of the most important and stimulating experiences of my life. It would become a cloistered existence, leaving me narrow-minded and insular, ignorant of so much of the richness across our global community.
Read the article by Jon Faine in The Age.