The White House recently indefinitely postponed a literary event planned for Feb. 12 due to a potential conflict of interest concerning the impending war with Iraq.
Sam Hamill, poet and former organizer of the event, called for protest against the cancellation. In response to the cancellation, Hamill initiated a nationwide program entitled "Poets Against the War," replacing the former event, "Poetry and the American Voice."
The nationwide program will serve as a symbolic protest against the postponement of the original poetry reading.
In response to his appeal to the nation, the University will host its own poetry reading.
The University's program is titled "Poetry Forum: American Voices or The War" because it encourages concurring and opposing views of the war.
The program will take place Feb. 12 from 8 to 10 p.m. in Minor Hall.
"Poetry and the American Voice" was postponed indefinitely because it was said to transform a literary program into a political program, said Bryan Maxwell, English graduate student and organizer of the poetry forum at the University.
Poetry by Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes and Emily Dickinson initially was presented to Laura Bush to be read at the White House event. She decided that the event needed to be postponed because it was turning political, her spokeswoman said in a New York Times interview.
"Poets have always been politically active," Maxwell said. "Canceling the forum based on what [Bush] thinks they are going to say is a form of mild censorship."
Maxwell and other graduate students started the program at the University following the White House cancellation. They, along with several faculty members, will be reading, but no faculty are officially sponsoring the event.
University Democrats President Ian Amelkin said he supports the poetry event as a method of fighting against a censorship.
"I am all for the event. The White House will go to any lengths to censor anti-war sentiments," Amelkin said. "The University Democrats have taken no official stance on the war, but we are reconsidering our position."
Politics Prof. James Ceaser said he does not believe postponing the event compromised free speech.
"I don't see it as censorship," Ceaser said. "It is not unpatriotic to speak out against the war. The White House, however, is not obliged to hold such an event."
Maxwell concurred with this sentiment.
"They were not trying to quiet anyone, so it was not a violation of the First Amendment," he said. "It is not a right to speak at the White House."
The University's poetry forum is not only for those speaking out against the war. Anyone who has thoughts on the war, whether positive of negative, is invited to attend.
"Poetry has the unique ability to express things normal words can't," Amelkin said.
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