The recent resignation of PEN America's president, Dinaw Mengestu, has sparked a heated debate within the literary community, shedding light on the complex and often contentious relationship between writers, free speech, and political issues. This event comes on the heels of PEN America's controversial report, which highlights the challenges faced by Jewish and Israeli writers in the aftermath of the 2023 October 7 attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza. The report, titled 'A Silent Moratorium', has divided opinions, with some praising its call for free expression and others criticizing its perceived bias.
A Call for Free Expression
The report, authored by PEN America's editorial director Lisa Tobin and chief communications officer Geraldine Baum, along with another unnamed author, is a powerful testament to the struggles faced by Jewish and Israeli writers. Through interviews with over 30 writers and literary professionals, it reveals a chilling environment where writers are self-censoring and facing exclusion due to their identity, nationality, or political views. The authors emphasize that this silencing and exclusion is a direct threat to PEN America's core mission of defending free expression for all.
This is not the first time PEN America has taken a stand on free speech. In 2020, they criticized Hollywood for normalizing censorship in China, highlighting a broader commitment to civil liberties advocacy. However, the current crisis has brought to light the challenges of navigating political tensions in the literary world.
A Complex Political Landscape
The resignation of Suzanne Nossel, a Jewish long-tenured president, in 2024, further underscores the internal divisions within PEN America. Nossel's departure was amid criticism over the organization's perceived failure to address threats against Palestinian writers during Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. This has led to accusations of anti-Zionism and even calls for genocide, which defenders of Israel deem fallacious and dangerous.
The literary world's tensions over Israel and Palestine echo those in the entertainment industry. The boycott of Israeli film workers by thousands of film professionals, including renowned actors and directors, has had significant repercussions. Director Nadav Lapid's departure from the Marseilles International Film Festival is a notable example, as he is a vocal critic of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A Polarizing Decision
Dinaw Mengestu's resignation from PEN America has been a polarizing move. While some writers, like those in the group 'Writers Against the War on Gaza', praised his decision as principled, others, such as author David Zweig, criticized his stand. Zweig's argument that Mengestu's resignation is absurd, given the organization's refusal to blacklist authors based on nationality, highlights the complexity of the issue. The question of whether to engage with or boycott writers from certain countries is a delicate matter, especially when it comes to human rights records.
In conclusion, the PEN America crisis serves as a microcosm of the broader debate on free speech, political neutrality, and the impact of personal views on professional organizations. As the literary world grapples with these issues, it is essential to foster open dialogue and critical thinking, ensuring that the principles of free expression and cultural exchange remain at the forefront of literary discourse.
