海角大神

Salman Rushdie鈥檚 surprise appearance at last night鈥檚 PEN America Literary Gala 鈥� a celebration of free expression 鈥� ended a week of controversy on a high note.

It was the author鈥檚 first public appearance since he was attacked and gravely wounded last August at a literary festival in western New York.

鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to be back,鈥澛�, who has faced death threats since the 1988 publication of his novel 鈥淭he Satanic Verses,鈥� deemed by Iran鈥檚 ayatollahs to be blasphemous toward Islam.

A clash over free speech had earlier marred PEN America鈥檚 World Voices Festival, when two Ukrainian authors threatened not to appear after learning that two Russian writers were participating in a different panel. The Russians oppose President Vladimir Putin鈥檚 war on Ukraine and had left their country shortly after last year鈥檚 invasion, but the Ukrainians 鈥� both active-duty soldiers 鈥� stood firm. PEN canceled the panel that included Russians.

Acclaimed Russian 茅migr茅 journalist Masha Gessen聽 of the PEN America board聽over the episode. Suzanne Nossel, the organization鈥檚 CEO, called it聽

To Americans who care deeply about Ukraine while also seeking to defend Russians who have nothing to do with the war or outright oppose it, the PEN America situation is exasperating.

鈥淭he relentless zero-sum approach is just awful,鈥� says an analyst with long experience in the post-Soviet world, speaking not for attribution. 鈥淒on鈥檛 these folks realize they are on the same side? Literally no one involved in this whole dispute supports Putin or his war, so what are they fighting about?鈥�

The sensitivities are understandable. Russia鈥檚 invasion isn鈥檛 just territorial; it鈥檚 also cultural. Many Ukrainians now have a deep aversion to all things Russian 鈥� language, literature, performing arts. Anti-Russian sentiment has also gripped the West, leading to the cancellation of performances by Russian artists.

The Ukrainian writer-soldiers聽聽that they faced legal and ethical restrictions that prevented their participation, and that they weren鈥檛 鈥渂oycotting.鈥� But the end result was the same: a curtailing of speech by PEN America, ironic for an organization founded to defend free expression.

For Mr. Rushdie, recipient of an award for courage, the gala was an opportunity to stand up to the tyranny of his foes. 鈥淭error must not terrorize us. Violence must not deter us,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he struggle goes on.鈥�

Ukrainians and anti-war Russians can also take heart in his message.