|
Click
here for a video of the lecture. Real Player is needed
to view the webcast; click on the button to download. 
William Schulz is 2003-2004 Hillard Gold '39 Lecturer
Dr. William F. Schulz, Executive Director of Amnesty International
USA, delivered the 2003-2004 Hillard Gold '39 Lecture on Wednesday,
January 21st at 6:30pm on the campus of the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Hanes Art Center, Room 121.
Schulz's visit was sponsored by the James M. Johnston Center
for Undergraduate Excellence, the Robertson Scholars program's
collaboration fund, Carolina's student government, and both
the Carolina and Duke University chapters of Amnesty International.
Speaking on the subject of his new book, Tainted Legacy:
9-11 and the Ruin of Human Rights, Schulz 's talk questioned
the price of George W. Bush's "War on Terror," and
built a case for balancing security and human rights in an
age of terrorism. In Tainted Legacy, Dr. Schulz advocates
an end to absolutes as the key to making progress and explores
such nuanced topics as the relationship between human rights
violations and terrorism; how a disregard for human rights
harms the U.S., both home and abroad; and whether torture
or other human rights violations are ever justified. He argues
that respect for human rights will help win the war on terror.
The New York Review of Books described Schulz as the person
who "has done more than anyone else in the American human
rights movement to make human rights issues known to the United
States."
Dr. Schulz was appointed Executive Director of Amnesty International
USA in March 1994. An ordained Unitarian Universalist minister,
he came to Amnesty after serving for fifteen years with the
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, the last
eight (1985-1993) as President of the Association. As President
of the UUA, Dr. Schulz was involved in a wide variety of international
and social justice causes.
During his years with Amnesty International, Dr. Schulz has
traveled extensively, both in the U.S. and abroad. He has
been an outspoken opponent of the death penalty and a supporter
of rights for the disenfranchised and for racial justice.
Dr. Schulz is also the author of In Our Own Best Interest:
How Defending Human Rights Benefits Us All (2001).
"We're very excited about Dr. Schulz' visit and the chance
to interact with him to explore such an important and timely
topic," said Patrick Elliot, Group Coordinator of the
UNC Amnesty International group.
The January 21st lecture was followed by a question-and-answer
session, a book signing, and small reception in Hanes Art
Center.
"William Schulz is an ideal Hillard Gold lecturer,"
said Dr. Randi Davenport, Associate Director of the Johnston
Center. "He's demonstrated a strong commitment to working
with students and his talk focuses on matters of great concern
to undergraduates." The Hillard Gold '39 Lecture series
was established by Carolina alumni James and Jonathan Gold
as a memorial to their father and his commitment to liberal
arts education. Hillard Gold lecturers interact with students
both inside and outside the classroom. Schulz is the fourth
Hillard Gold lecturer. In 2002-2003, the Johnston Center hosted
award-winning science journalist Dava Sobel; prior to that,
noted sports economist Andrew Zimbalist visited as a Hillard
Gold lecturer, as did Annette Kolodny, Professor of Enlgish
at the University of Arizona, who spoke on "Teaching
for the Public good."
A complete listing of all events at the Johnston Center
for Undergraduate Excellence is available at our Event
Calendar.
|
