Unveiling the Danish Cartoons: A Discussion of Free Speech and World Response

Friday, March 10, 2006 at 7:00pm
UCLA Campus: Dodd 147

The Danish cartoons depicting Mohammed have sparked a worldwide controversy. Death threats and violent protests have sent the cartoonists into hiding and have had the intended effect of stifling freedom of expression. The reaction to these cartoons raises urgent questions whose significance goes far beyond a set of drawings.

  • What is freedom of speech? Does it include the right to offend?
  • What is the significance of the worldwide Islamic reaction to the cartoons?
  • How should Western governments have responded to this incident?
  • How should the Western media have responded?

These and related issues will be discussed by panelists from different backgrounds and perspectives. A questions-and-answers period with the audience will be included.

Please note that the cartoons in question will be displayed at the event. Respect for the discussion forum will be strictly enforced.

UPDATED!
The panelists are Dr. Yaron Brook (Executive Director of the Ayn Rand Institute), Kevin James (KABC radio talk-show host, former federal prosecutor and entertainment lawyer), Avi Davis (journalist on Middle Eastern affairs), and Khaleel Mohammed (Professor of Religion at the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies at San Diego State University). The moderator for the evening is Dr. Edwin Locke, a professor at the University of Maryland.

UPDATED!
Seating begins at 6:15pm. Free tickets can be obtained in person only from the UCLA Central Ticket Office. You must bring your ticket and a photo ID to attend.
Seating is extremely limited and tickets may become sold out. Even if you cannot get into the event, please do come and show your support outside. Please be courteous and supportive of free speech--we don't want a riot on our hands--and we don't want to stoop down to the level of the violent outbursts instigated by the opponents of free speech. This is an important issue that requires the support of freedom-loving individuals.
For more information, contact Events@ClubLogic.org.

Members of the media--please email Arthur Lechtholz-Zey at Arthur@ClubLogic.org to make arrangements.

Dr. Yaron Brook is the president and executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute. As a recognized expert on Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand, he is interviewed extensively by the print, radio and television media for the Objectivist position on current events and issues, such as the war in Iraq, Internet control and censorship, and threats to freedom of speech rights. His recent media appearances include TV interviews on Closing Bell (CNBC) and The O'Reilly Factor (Fox News Channel).

Dr. Brook holds a B.Sc. in civil engineering from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and an MBA and Ph.D. in finance from the University of Texas at Austin. He was an assistant professor for seven years at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California, where he received numerous teaching awards and developed an award winning class on finance and ethics.

His previous service in the Israeli Army Intelligence and years of extensive research have given him an expertise on the Middle Eastern conflict and American foreign policy in that region. Universities and community groups around the country have hosted his most recent speeches on the situation in the Middle East, which include talks on "The Moral Case for Supporting Israel" and "Why America is Losing the War on Terror".

Kevin James began his professional career as a lawyer, spending three years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and another ten years as a litigator in high-profile entertainment matters. His experience with entertainment law is what initially brought him to talk radio when he was sought out for his expert legal opinion on another KABC program. His depth of knowledge and on-air appeal landed him a regular role on KABC as a legal commentator.

In 2004, Kevin decided to leave the legal profession to pursue a full time career in radio as host of the morning show at KTOK Radio in Oklahoma City.

Kevin's background as an attorney and his interest in news and topics of the day translated to tremendous success at KTOK, with his show moving from eighth to third in the ratings during his tenure.

Kevin returned to KABC in 2005 to host Red Eye Radio, the highest-rated overnight radio show in Los Angeles. In addition to his duties at KABC, Kevin is a regular panelist for Court TV's "Catherine Crier Live" and also appears on CNN as a commentator and legal analyst.

Kevin received his undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma and attended Law School at the University of Houston.

Avi Davis is a journalist, documentarian, and commentator on Israel, the Middle East, and the Arab world. His extensive writings have been featured in prominent publications around the world, including The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Jerusalem Post, and the Daily Telegraph.

Khaleel Mohammed is an Assistant Professor of Religion and a Core Faculty Member of the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies at San Diego State University. He holds a Ph.D. from McGill University in Islamic Law, and his specialties include Islam, Islamic Law, and Comparative religion. In addition to teaching and writing numerous journal articles, Professor Mohammad has also served as a legal consultant for the departments of justice in Montreal and in California.

Dr. Edwin Locke, Dean's Professor Emeritus of Leadership and Motivation at the University of Maryland, has published more than 230 articles, chapters, and books on subjects such as leadership, work motivation, goal setting, job satisfaction, incentives, and the philosophy of science. He is internationally known for his work on human motivation. He is the author of such books as The Prime Movers: Traits of the Great Wealth Creators (AMACOM Books, 2000), Goal Setting: A Motivational Technique That Works (with G. Latham) and Post Modernism and Management: Pros, Cons and the Alterantive (JAI: Elsevier, 2003). He is also the editor of Principles of Organizational Behavior (Blackwell Publishers, 2000). Dr. Locke is a consulting editor for professional journals, and his commentaries on such topics as animal "rights", environmentalism, American values, and education have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Houston Chronicle, the Dallas Morning News, and the Cincinnati Enquirer.