October 21, 2004
Mr. Roger F. Noriega
Assistant Secretary of State
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
WHA/CCA Room3234 HST
Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520-6258
Dear Mr. Noriega:
Thank you for your letter of October 14 in reply to ours of October 1 addressed to Secretary Powell. You state that "[o]ur policy is not intended to restrict freedom of expression," that "we support it throughout the world and have repeatedly called on countries that do not, such as Cuba, to do so," and that the "reality is that the repressive regime in general only permits 'trusted' academics to travel."
The AAUP has long encouraged the visits of foreign scholars to this country to participate in and attend academic conferences, including scholars affiliated with institutions which, as you remark of Cuban academic institutions, are (or were) "tightly controlled" by their governments. We have taken this position not because of solicitude for foreign academics or even for scholars in this country, but out of the conviction that society benefits from what scholars may succeed in finding out through the give-and-take of face-to-face discussion and dispute. We certainly take a dim view of governments that allow only loyal academics to visit other countries, but we believe that the policies of a government, however repellant, should not weigh in the decision to allow scholars to enter this country for an academic purpose. Moreover we believe that our government should not bar entry into this country of a foreign academic even if it knows with certainty that the individual has surrendered independence of thought to an outside authority. Through the visa system, the government should facilitate, not inhibit, the vigorous intellectual exchange which is the hallmark of free academic inquiry. It is vital that the government not exercise its authority to keep hostile views from being heard and debated.
We welcome the administration's commitment to freedom of expression, but find it sadly ironic that in condemning the Cuban government for repressing freedom our government prohibits Cuban academics from participating in an academic conference here. We ask that the administration defend this precious freedom in this country as resolutely as it proclaims its intention to defend it abroad.
Sincerely,
Roger W. Bowen
General Secretary