Dear friends:
It is with great sadness that I mourn the death of the eminent scholar
Professor Edward Said (see Associated Press story below). Edward's
work includes the seminal work on Orientalism which remains a classic
text of comparative study of the Western works on the East. Similarly
his works exposing the mythologies of the Zionist enterprise have been
nothing short of monumental. He was truly a cultured man of many
talents and expert knowledge in areas ranging from history, to culture,
to music, to literature. His quest for truth and his published work
have had significant impact on the minds and hearts of millions of
people. Their impact will only increase over time as all of us, his
students, colleagues and friends honor him by redoubling our efforts.
The last time I sat down with Edward for dinner was after his brilliant
talk at Wesleyan University on 2/19/02 (many were turned back as the
hall filled beyond capacity). While he appeared frail then, I was
inspired by his firm belief in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit
over oppression and war. I was even more inspired by his humility. He
was interested to know about the work of each of us sitting on the
table rather than telling us about himself. And he patiently answered
every question. He provided us all a role model for selfless work for
justice, peace, and humanity. He will be dearly missed and we must
carry on the struggle.
Here you can hear Edward Said:
1) At April 7 2001 Al-Awda Rally in New York City
www.al-awda.org/old/rally/video/edward1.rm
www.al-awda.org/old/rally/video/edward2.rm
www.al-awda.org/old/rally/video/edward3.rm
2) At Rice University
realaudio.rice.edu/preslect/edwardsaid/edwardsaidvid.ram
www.rice.edu/webcast/speeches/19980326said.html
A Luta Continua (the struggle continues)
Mazin Qumsiyeh, Ph.D.
