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Volume 13, Number 2, February 2007 ARI Distributes Initiative Update

700,000 Books mpact is pleased to announce that ARI has highly successful and Fountainhead Free Ialready received more than $100,000 in donor Books to Teachers program, we will expand the to Teachers contributions toward the Atlas Shrugged Initiative. program to include more free copies of Atlas We estimate it will take $515,000 to fund all parts Shrugged to high school teachers who agree to or the 2006–07 school year ARI has provided of the initiative for this year. teach the novel to twelfth grade students. F227,369 copies of ’s novels to high “We are off to a great school teachers to date. That brings the total start,” said Dr. Yaron Brook, • Atlas Shrugged Programs number of books distributed since the beginning of executive director of the Ayn in Colleges and Universi- the Institute’s Free Books to Teachers program in Rand Institute, “but we still ties: We will create an array 2002 to more than 700,000. have a long way to go. This of new programs to bring “This is a phenomenal achievement,” said funding will help us launch a Atlas Shrugged to a wider Anu Seppala, vice president of Cultural Programs number of long-term programs ANNIVERSARY audience of students and for ARI. “Thanks to the Free Books program, that will ensure the influence professors. Among other hundreds of thousands of high school students of Atlas Shrugged for the next thngs, this will include who might not otherwise have heard of Ayn Rand fifty years—and beyond.” distributing free copies of are studying her books in a classroom setting. Our The Atlas Shrugged Initia- the novel, and holding an aim next year is to bring the total number of books tive is a series of programs annual scholarly conference distributed to one million.” and events commemorating to discuss the novel’s ideas Through the Free Books to Teachers program, the fiftieth anniversary of the (the first of which took place educators receive, upon request, free classroom publication of Ayn Rand’s last year). sets of Anthem or —along with masterpiece. Our goal is to • Public Outreach to Com- teachers guides and lesson plans. (We hope to bring wider public attention to memorate and Promote make Atlas Shrugged available starting next year.) the novel and its ideas, as well Atlas Shrugged: We plan to The response from teachers has been overwhelm- as to further stimulate inter- aggressively promote Atlas ing and enthusiastic. Here are a few of the recent est in Atlas Shrugged among Shrugged to the media and comments from teachers who benefited from the intellectuals, students and the general public through a Free Books project: educators. variety of outreach efforts, Thanks to the generous The Atlas Shrugged 50th anniversary artistic branding. including a public event in “Students enjoyed this book more than any I support of our donors, two proj- New York City to celebrate have taught for many years. One student in ects are already underway. the fiftieth anniversary of particular had been very quiet all year and The initiative funding has so far enabled ARI Atlas Shrugged. came to life with our study of Anthem. He to buy 30,000 copies of Atlas Shrugged. Many of In the first year of the Atlas Shrugged Initiative, we had great ideas and contributed more than these copies will be distributed to students who anticipate the following outcomes: he ever had before. I could not have taught entered The Fountainhead essay contest and select • Placement of 24,000 copies of Atlas Shrugged— this fine piece of literature without your high school teachers eager to use the novels in the free of charge—in high school classrooms. donation of books. I really appreciate it.” classroom. • Expansion of the Atlas Shrugged essay contest to Coconut Creek, FL Initiative funding has also permitted ARI to attract at least 2,000 student essays. increase the prizes and promotional budget for • A scholarly conference on a university campus to “They absolutely LOVED The Fountain- the Alas Shrugged essay contest, which includes discuss the ideas, impact and enduring relevance head. Over half of the students who read the doubling the top prize from $5,000 to $10,000. Last of Atlas Shrugged. novel cite major changes in the way they year we received 1,318 entries—this year we aim to • Completion of all of our public outreach activities perceive their roles in their own lives. Many receive 2,000. planned in conjunction with the golden anniver- students feel that the novel has a life-chang- If fully funded the Atlas Shrugged Initiative sary of Atlas Shrugged. ing impact on them, and several students will enable ARI to launch the following programs convinced friends in other classes to read as well: To learn more about the Atlas Shrugged Initia- the novel, as well. As a side note, I had mul- • Free Copies of Atlas Shrugged for High tive, or to donate, please visit us on the Web at tiple students who graduated this past June School Teachers: As a logical extension of our www.aynrand.org/initiative. call me over the summer to tell me they were reading Atlas Shrugged.” Carlsbad, CA New British Editions of

“Fantastic response from students at all lev- Atlas Shrugged and The els of ability! They talked about it so much that more teachers want to teach Anthem Fountainhead Available next year.” his month Penguin Press released British Ukiah, CA editions of Ayn Rand’s novels The Foun- T tainhead and Atlas Shrugged as part of Pen- “My students, regardless of level, responded guin’s prestigious Modern Classics series. The positively to these novels. Rand’s philosophy cover art features paintings by famed art deco is one that speaks to every young adult. They painter Tamara de Lempicka. continued on page 5 Ayn Rand Film Series Wraps Up Spotlight on Bookstore:

n Saturday, January 13, the Los Angeles Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life was the first of Jihad Conference OCounty Museum of Art (LACMA) hosted a four movies screened as part of the Ayn Rand showing of the documentary Ayn Rand: A Sense Film Series, which was held in conjunction with he Jihad Against the West: The Real Threat of Life. When ARI archivist Jeff Britting consulted a display of Ayn Rand’s images and documents “Tand the Right Response”—a three-day Ian Bernie, director of LACMA’s film department, at the nearby Frances Howard Goldwyn Hol- conference event—featuring a Ford Hall Forum about what kind of turnout lywood Regional Library. lecture by Dr. Yaron Brook. to expect, Mr. Bernie told The other movies were You Featured speakers: Daniel Pipes, director of him, “If we get ten or twenty Came Along, Love Letters the Middle East Forum; Yaron Brook, executive people, we’ll be lucky. If we and The Fountainhead, for director of the ; Flemming got one hundred, we’ll be which Ayn Rand wrote the Rose, culture editor of Jyllands-Posten; doing great.” By the time the screenplays. Robert Spencer, director of Jihad Watch; Peter lights dimmed and the movie All of the showings were Schwartz, author of The Foreign Policy of Self- began, more than three hun- successful. Particularly nota- Interest: A Moral for America; John Lewis, dred people filled the seats of ble was the screening of You assistant professor of history, Ashland University. the Bing Theater. Came Along, which is not “We received a spectacu- publicly available. You Came lar response,” said Mr. Brit- Along was co-written by ting. “This was thanks in large Ayn Rand and Robert Smith, measure to the promotional from Smith’s original story. efforts of LACMA, which Produced by Hal Wallis and sent an e-mail blast to seven starring thousand patrons announc- and , the film Featured speakers left to right: Peter Schwartz, Robert Spencer, Flemming Rose, Daniel Pipes, John Lewis and Yaron Brook ing the screening, and also is the story of war heroes on featured information about the a war-bond selling tour. The movie on its general museum 1945 film was a financial A distinguished panel of Middle East experts The cast of You Came Along, left to right: Don DeFore, was assembled to answer the most important ques- brochure, which went out to Charles Drake, Lizabeth Scott and Robert Cummings and critical success, and nearly sixty thousand patrons.” Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures Ayn Rand’s script was tions of our time, including: Who are the terrorists The screening featured opening remarks by praised for its effective writing. The screening and what do they actually want? What can and Mr. Britting, and a Q-&-A session with Michael attracted more than fifty people. must the West do to ensure victory? While the Paxton, director of this Academy Award-nomi- Events like the Ayn Rand Film Series help experts answered these complex questions from nated documentary, following the film. Several to raise awareness of Ayn Rand, and promote different points of view, they all agreed on one of the audience members who participated in the ARI’s activities. To learn about these kinds of thing: the real threat is Islamic Totalitarianism and Q-&-A had met Ayn Rand and related some of events before they occur, please visit our regularly the right response necessitates engaging in a prin- their memories. updated Web site: www.aynrand.org/events. cipled, ideological battle to defend the West from the jihad declared against it. This series, recorded in October 2006, included seven events, concluding with Yaron Media Update Letters to the Editor Brook’s lecture at Boston’s Ford Hall Forum.

In recent months ARI’s op-eds and letters to the • Financial Times (1/13/07)—“The Value of editor have been published in many top print pub- Reading Atlas Shrugged,” by Yaron Brook lications. Here are a few highlights: • New York Times (1/8/07)—David Holcberg— “‘Net Neutrality’ Has No Place in a Free Market” Op-Eds • New York Post (11/6/06)—“New York Has No Right to Force Restaurants to Cut Trans Fats,” by • USA Today (1/8/07)—“CEO Pay Is Compa- David Holcberg ny’s Prerogative,” by Yaron Brook • USA Today (11/1/06)—“Allow Organ Sales,” • Chicago Sun-Times (12/30/06)—“The Mean- by David Holcberg ing of New Year’s Resolutions,” by Alex Epstein • Houston Chronicle (10/27/06)—“Skilling’s • Human Events magazine (12/29/06)—“Diplo- Unjust Sentence,” by Alex Epstein macy Only Encourages North Korea’s Belliger- • Newsweek (10/16/06)—“Lebanon’s Govern- ence,” by Elan Journo ment Has No Legitimacy,” by David Holcberg.

Defending the Morality of Profit Contents:

merica is the land in which every indi- appeared on TV and radio five times to defend • “‘No Substitute for Victory’: Military Offense “Avidual, including a CEO, can pursue CEO pay, including four nationally televised and the Defeat of Islamic Totalitarianism” happiness through productive work,” wrote appearances on CNBC and an interview on Thom Opening remarks by Yaron Brook ARI’s executive director, Dr. Yaron Brook (with Hartmann’s nationally syndicated radio show. Lecture and Q & A by John Lewis valuable editorial assistance from Dr. Onkar In January Dr. Brook was a keynote speaker • “Muhammad and His Relevance Today” Ghate and Mr. Alex Epstein), in a recent column at the prestigious Young Presidents’ Organiza- Lecture and Q & A by Robert Spencer for USA Today defending the high salaries paid tion conference in Las Vegas, where he joined • “Radical Islam and the War on Terror” to some CEOs. “Morally, CEOs should focus political pundit and game-show host Ben Stein, Lecture and Q & A by Daniel Pipes on creating wealth and making profits for their on stage, to take audience questions. Dr. Brook • “Jihad Against the West: The Real Threat and shareholders, and they should be regarded as also delivered two talks, one on foreign policy the Right Response” heroes, not villains, for doing so. Theirs is an and a keynote talk on the morality of capital- A panel discussion featuring Yaron Brook, enormously demanding job, with billions of ism, where he received an enthusiastic response Daniel Pipes and Flemming Rose dollars riding on their judgment. They should be from the crowd of CEOs. Following the YPO • “Islam and Europe after the Cartoon- paid handsomely for their services.” conference, Dr. Brook appeared at the Corporate Crisis—Clash of Cultures or Coexistence of Besides enabling the Institute to reach millions Directors Forum 2007 in San Diego and joined Civilizations?” of USA Today readers, this column highlighted three corporate leaders on a panel to debate Lecture and Q & A by Flemming Rose the growing awareness of ARI’s efforts to defend corporate social responsibility. • “Defending Freedom: The Principled vs. the businessmen: it was USA Today which approached “Defending businessmen is an important Pragmatic Approach” ARI and asked us to write the column. part of the Institute’s mission,” said Dr. Brook. Lecture and Q & A by Peter Schwartz “When the media wants someone who will “Not only do America’s productive and suc- • “Democracy vs. Victory: Why the ‘Forward defend CEO pay, or businessmen generally, they cessful businessmen deserve a defense, but Strategy of Freedom’ Had to Fail” come to us,” said Dr. Brook. “Only ARI offers doing so distinguishes us from the countless Lecture and Q & A by Yaron Brook an alternative to the anti-business, anti-profit, pseudo-defenders of the free market who anti-wealth viewpoint that is ubiquitous in refuse to defend the morality of capitalism. (9 hrs., 18 min., with Q & A) today’s culture.” When people see us on television and hear us Audio CD; 9-CD set: $120 The USA Today editorial was just one in a on the radio saying CEO pay should be deter- Audiocassette; 8-tape set: $99.95 series of writings, media appearances and live mined by the market and by investors rather talks that ARI has given in defense of businessmen than the government or pressure groups, that is To order, please visit our Web site: in recent months. Since November Dr. Brook has something they won’t forget.” www.aynrandbookstore.com 2 The New Intellectuals: A Q & A with John Lewis

Dr. John Lewis is assistant Impact: You’ve had some involvement with the For example, in my course on the Greco- professor of history at Ash- Anthem Foundation for Objectivist Scholarship. Can Persian Wars, at Objectivist Summer Conference land University. His PhD is you talk about that? And have you had any experi- 2006, what I focused on was not military strategy in classics from the Univer- ences with John Allison and the BB&T programs? or tactics but rather on the question: why did the sity of Cambridge. He is an JL: The Anthem Foundation, through John two peoples fight? When one asks that question Anthem Fellow, consulting McCaskey, came to Ashland University in with a serious respect for ideas, and studies their editor for The Objective 2001–02. It provided a grant to the university for actions in the light of that question, one realizes Standard and has published C. Bradley Thompson, who was chairman of the that the Persians engaged in generations of aggres- in scholarly journals and Department of History and Political Science at the sive expansion built on a set of deeply held, funda- Capitalism Magazine. His time, and for me. We used it primarily for course mental ideas, including a demand for submission Dr. John Lewis is the author of Solon the relief time, to increase our time available to write. to a great king, who saw it as his destiny to expand Thinker, and his second The grant allowed me to spend a semester at the his kingdom, and did so with claims to divine book, Early Greek Lawgivers, will be published Rice University Department of Classics. support. One sees that this motivation to expand this summer. His book “Nothing Less than Victory: Thanks to such support, I have three books tyranny came head to head with the Greeks, who Military Offense and the Lessons of History” is in either finished or under development. I could not were motivated by a very different set of ideas, progress. Next year he will be a Visiting Scholar at have gotten as far along as I have with these proj- such as personal autonomy, political indepen- the Social Philosophy and Policy Center, Bowling ects—or with my career—without Anthem Founda- dence and freedom. When one studies human Green State University. tion support. Thank you, to all Anthem donors! events—what people have actually done—from * * * I also appreciate the support of the Ayn Rand this perspective, one has a much better foundation Impact: I understand you are working as a con- Institute. The summer conferences are a high point for understanding why they acted as they did. sulting editor for The Objective Standard. for me. I’ve lectured at them for several years now, This has relevance for the present day. The JL: Yes. The Objective Standard is a quarterly and have been able to present the kinds of topics Persians are today’s Iranians, and there is a strong journal published by Craig Biddle that addresses I expound upon in university classrooms, in an basis for comparison between the two cultures. cultural and political issues from an Objectivist Objectivist context. That’s enjoyable, and allows The basic ideas motivating the Persians—a sense perspective. While its articles will be of interest to me to make deeper identifications than I can to a of magnificence and awe in the minds of their Objectivists, the primary purpose of the journal is to general audience. subjects towards their king, their desire that other bring these ideas to people who are not Objectivists. I will spend next year as a Visiting Fellow people submit to the greater power given him by My job is to review potential articles in addi- at the Social Philosophy and Policy Center, of their deity, and the ideology of violent expan- tion to contributing my own. So far I have pub- Bowling Green State University, in Ohio. The sion—are very similar to the ideas that are moti- lished two articles in the journal, “William Tecum- position is funded by a multi-year grant from vating the Islamic Totalitarians today. For instance, seh Sherman and the Moral Impetus for Victory” BB&T Charitable Foundation. I appreciate their Islam means “submission,” to the ever-expanding and “‘No Substitute for Victory’: The Defeat of support, as well as the recognition of my efforts rule of Allah. Despite millennia of intellectual Islamic Totalitarianism.” The first grew out of by the Center’s executive director, Professor Fred transmission—and many differences—there is a my 2004 OCON lectures “Defensor Patriae, The Miller. I will use the time to start a new project, of fundamental connection between the ancient past Homeland Defense in History,” and the second which it is too early to speak, except to say that it and the modern day. The Greeks won when they was based on a talk I gave at ARI’s “Jihad Against will involve the philosophic interpretation of his- confronted the Persians—which is what we need the West” conference in Boston. tory. Until next year, I will be clearing my already to do with the Iranians today. The Objective Standard is a vitally important overloaded plate of writing projects. Impact: What is your opinion of the training venture. As the journal progresses, I think it can Impact: You’ve also taken classes through in history that students are getting by the time they make a real impact on the culture. My second arti- ARI’s Objectivist Academic Center (OAC), correct? get to your classroom? cle, and Brad Thompson’s article on conservatism, JL: That’s right. I took Dr. Onkar Ghate’s JL: Most of my students have just graduated have been cited repeatedly by web commentators, “Seminar ’s Philosophy,” which OAC from public high schools. Although some have and I will be citing the article on Just War Theory students take in their second year of the program. had good exposure to history, the education they by Yaron Brook and Alex Epstein at a conference The importance of the OAC really can’t be over- received is, by and large, terrible. Many of the best in the spring. stated. When I was doing my graduate degree in students have been home schooled. Impact: Duckworth Press recently published Cambridge, I was in the field of classical studies, Every year I give a fifteen-question entrance your book, Solon the Thinker: Political Thought in and while there is irrationality in this field, it’s not exam to the freshman in my Western civilization Archaic Athens. Can you tell us about that? as bad as modern philosophy or contemporary liter- class. Every year, between thirty-five and forty JL: Solon was a lawgiver from ancient Greece. ary studies. Even so, to be able to get on the phone percent of the general education students cannot He is the first man whose words we have from Ath- once or twice a week and hear the professors at the place France on an unmarked map of Europe. ens, so he’s of first-rank importance in the history OAC focus in on Objectivist ideas was tremen- Nearly a third cannot name the century the Ameri- of ideas. He was a contemporary of Thales, the first dously important. It must be even more important can Civil War took place. Yet they have heard that philosopher in Western history. (The two of them to those pursuing philosophy degrees, where they’re Americans imprisoned Japanese unjustly during probably had lunch together. I’ve often said I would surrounded by irrational ideas expressed in irra- World War II, and dropped atomic bombs. Given have liked to have been a waiter at that lunch!) tional ways. I look forward to watching the OAC such abysmal training, students cannot recognize This book, which is designed for serious grow, and hope to be a part of it in the future. that the things that are happening to us today are students of Greek thought, addresses the ques- Impact: Many of the talks that you’ve given, not unique but have occurred throughout history— tion: what makes Solon important? I don’t think and your book on Solon, focus on the historical they don’t have the broad context of knowledge he should be looked at primarily as a poet, as development of ideas that in a certain sense came history provides—and they have no basis for many other scholars have done, but rather as a to fruition with . What do you think the understanding the world around them. true thinker—or even a proto-philosopher—who value is of looking at the historical development? Most of these students have been trained under is participating in an unprecedented intellectual JL: It is useful to take philosophical ideas—for a liberal curriculum, so that those who have some revolution. instance, the concepts in Homer, Hesiod and knowledge of history often interpret it in terms of Solon sees the political community, the polis, Solon—and follow them through the pre-Socratic class struggle and other leftist ideas that they don’t as something which is self-governing rather under philosophers into Plato and Aristotle, and beyond. really understand. Certainly environmentalism is all the control of the gods. It is understandable in And it is important to do this with a regard for his- over the place, just to cite one example. Egalitarian- its own terms—which he relates to man’s mind tory, especially political history. Man has progressed ism and the unquestioned value of democracy (i.e., (understood in archaic terms) and his ethics. These over centuries—and too often regressed—accord- unlimited majority rule) are ideas that they take as major innovations are connected to his views of ing to the logic of the fundamental ideas that have a given—they are part of the fabric of the students’ justice, law and fate. This leads Solon to a prin- dominated his culture. This perspective on history intellectual lives—and to challenge those ideas can cipled condemnation of slavery and tyranny, and allows us to see what happens as the context of be the best thing I do for them. the first statement in Western history of freedom as these ideas expands, and they are conditioned by Despite the greater respect for history held by protection from slavery, based on justice and law. other ideas. This arms us to grasp our own world, many conservatives, they have no better answer. Impact: In addition to your writing you are and to better understand how we should act today. Their attempt to connect the modern world to the also a teacher. Do you prefer writing or teaching? Impact: How does Objectivism help you past is often in terms of certain virtues, which JL: I intend to do both, and need to do when you approach history? they think should be inculcated in the young. To both. I’m not a person who can sit for years in JL: The idea, which sounds so simple but preserve those virtues becomes the primary pur- the library researching. I need to get up and do really isn’t, is that philosophy is the motor of his- pose of education. So when they look back to the something, to explain these ideas to people and tory. If we take seriously the role of fundamental American Founders, or even to Plato and Aristo- to face questions from students. I genuinely like ideas on a cultural level, and look for examples tle, they may be doing so in order to inculcate an teaching and look forward to it. I don’t ever want of how ideas have directed human action across approach to the world that is as deeply anti-reason not to be a teacher; nor do I ever want not to be time, we can get to the fundamental causes of as that of the liberals. This only gets worse for a writer. There is no dichotomy between writing conflicts, the deepest reasons why dictatorships those students who are deeply religious. and teaching; each is a way to integrate one’s ideas have enslaved so many, and what it has taken to I know that Objectivism poses the only alter- rationally, for understanding by others. discover, establish and defend freedom. continued on page 5 3

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: Dr. Yaron Brook, Mark Yaron Chapman, : Dr. 2121 Alton Parkway, Suite Alton 250 2121 Parkway, : Antonacci David , the Institute’s planned giving program, and related indicia ® is published monthly by Ayn Rand the : Don Watkins or those who are not, and are not planning to to planning not are and not, are who those or way great a is auditing intellectuals, become, complimentary bookmarks featuring the the featuring bookmarks complimentary nside this issue of of issue this nside c Impact complimentary to current donors who contribute $35 or more per year. For information on how you can ARI support and to learn about our projects, please visit Atlantis our Web site: www.aynrand.org. Legacy are Archives registered Ayn Rand is trademarks. The a special collection of Ayn Rand the Institute. Objectivist Conferences (OCON) and Ayn Rand the Bookstore are owned by Second Renaissance, Inc., which is operated by Ayn Rand the Institute. Second Renaissance, Inc., and Ayn Rand the Institute do not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and All courses photos offered. Ayn Rand of are used by permission of the Estate Ayn Rand. of Purchases from Ayn Rand the Bookstore do not qualify as tax-deductible contributions to Ayn Rand the Institute. Editor Advisers Editorial Debi Anu Ghate, Seppala Printing Headquarters: Irvine, 92606-4926 CA Ayn Rand © The Institute All 2007. rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission. on assignments. Auditing is open to anyone not not anyone to open is Auditing assignments. on those and limited is Space OAC. the in enrolled Classes early. register to encouraged are interested please information, more For September. in begin www.aynrand.org/audit. site: Web our visit A Thank You to Our Thank You A Donors I 50th the celebrate to used be to branding artistic of publication the of anniversary mak donors—for our thank to like would ARI the possible ing programs. important other many Audit the OAC F educa one-of-a-kind our of advantage take to OAC select in enroll can Auditors program. tional not may but lectures, class to listen and classes feedback receive or discussions class in participate - - -

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One of the aims of the program is to encour to is program the of aims the of One If you would like additional information According to Jason, a former intern, “An “An intern, former a Jason, to According [email protected] Location: Kimmel Center, Shorin Room 802 Room Shorin Center, Kimmel Location: to Introduction An Selfishness: of Morality Rand’s “Ayn Biddle Craig by Ethics,” Objectivist PM 7 Time: • 4/10/2007 Date: 914 Room Center, Kimmel Location: 10012 NY NY, South, Square Washington 60 questions. It?” Does Matters—or U.N. the “Why Gilligan Michael Brook, Yaron Dr. Discussion: Panel PM 7 Time: • 1/29/2007 Date: 802 Room Shorin Center, Kimmel Location: 10012 NY NY, South, Square Washington 60 by Independence,” of Virtue The Vision: “Unborrowed Smith Tara Dr. PM 7 Time: • 2/6/2007 Date: 400 Room Center, Kimmel Location: 10012 NY NY, South, Square Washington 60 Warming: Global and “Environmentalism Schwartz, Peter Pseudo-Science?” or Science Milloy Steven PM 7 Time: • 3/6/2007 Date: floor 4th Auditorium, E&L Center, Kimmel Location: 10012 NY NY, South, Square Washington 60 Shrugged Atlas Knapp Shoshana Dr. Bernstein, Andrew Dr. Speakers: TBA Time: • 4/7/2007 Saturday, Date: Michigan State University University State Michigan and Left Political the to Alternative Individualist “The Lewis John Dr. by Right,” TBA Time: • 2/21/2007 Date: TBA Location: Steele: Kyle Contact: Club University Harvard Smith Tara Dr. by Egoist,” Virtuous “The TBA Time: • 3/21/2007 Date: TBA Location: Cadenas: Kelly Contact: Club Series Speaker NYU e-mail an sending by register must guests non-NYU All to at Zavarella Kara internship at ARI is a truly unique experience. experience. unique truly a is ARI at internship oppor educational remarkable a there is only Not knowledge philosophic of terms in both tunity, chance the also is there but skills, business and of proliferation the support to actively work to to ARI at internship my found I ideas. rational personal of terms in both valuable extremely be knowledge.” philosophical and development next the take to program the in participants age Center, Academic Objectivist the join and step Objec in education their continue can they where OAC. the entered have interns previous All tivism. applicants internship unsuccessful the of Many received ARI year Last OAC. the enter also but internships, for applications eighty than more expected is program The spots. two only awarded year. this competitive more even be to Internship Program, ARI’s please about write to [email protected], or site: visit our Web www.aynrand.org/internships. students to gain some general office experience. experience. office general some gain to students by Division Academic ARI’s assist interns The various its for support administrative providing writing include can assistance Such programs. spreadsheets creating correspondence, business answering and entry data filing, inventories, and telephones.

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Campus Club Speaking Events

Location: TBA Location: Sardone: Andrew Contact: Club “Why We Are Losing the War: Five Years After 9/11,” by by 9/11,” After Years Five War: the Losing Are We “Why Lewis John Dr. TBA Time: • 2/20/2007 Date: Club Contact: Maria McRaven: McRaven: Maria Contact: Club Michigan of University Location: Social Sciences, 122 Sciences, Social Location: Street 59th East 1126 60637 IL Chicago, University of Chicago of University Brook Yaron Dr. by War,” of Morality “The PM 7 Time: • 2/12/2007 Date: Location: TBA Location: Hoskin: Jason Contact: Club “Islam’s Role in the Terror War on America,” by by America,” on War Terror the in Role “Islam’s Journo Elan TBA Time: • 2/12/2007 Date: Club Contact: Arthur Lechtohlz-Zey: Lechtohlz-Zey: Arthur Contact: Club California Southern of University Panel: Dr. Yaron Brook, Carl Braun Carl Brook, Yaron Dr. Panel: PM 7 Time: • 2/6/2007 Date: 100 Moore Campus: UCLA Location: Angeles Los California, of University Out?” Them Keep or In Them Let “Immigration: Date: 1/25/2007 • Time: 7 PM 7 Time: • 1/25/2007 Date: 207) (WLFL Building Law Wolf Location: Manley: Jim Contact: Club University of Colorado, Boulder Boulder Right,” Colorado, of and Left University Political the to Alternative Individualist “The Lewis John Dr. by Spring ’07 C ’07 Spring our Web site: www.aynrand.org/events. Please note that that note Please www.aynrand.org/events. site: Web our campus school’s each by organized are events these ARI. from organizations separate are which club, scores of talks around the country, reaching thousands thousands reaching country, the around talks of scores the For public. general the of members and students of visit please events, speaking of listing up-to-date most H 4 to understand and apply Objectivist ideas generally generally ideas Objectivist apply and understand to interest. of area particular own their in as well as goals, personal interests and existing knowledge of of knowledge existing and interests personal goals, receive interns tenure, their During Objectivism. ability their improve them help to feedback regular catered to each individual, so no two experiences experiences two no so individual, each to catered programs individualized designs ARI same. the are career particular student’s each with accordance in in Objectivism and related topics, write papers and and papers write topics, related and Objectivism in is program The skills. presentation oral develop was highly satisfying. Working with the intellec the with Working satisfying. highly was could I than more learned I and thrill a was tuals hoped.” have about both philosophy and myself for the better,” better,” the for myself and philosophy both about was work academic “The Sam. intern, former said work office the while engaging and challenging ism, to gain “real-world” office experience and to to and experience office “real-world” gain to ism, ideas. Rand’s Ayn of understanding their develop program. This unique work-study program pro program work-study unique This program. work to chance a with intellectuals aspiring vides Objectiv in specializing scholars with one-on-one M Summer Summer Internship Deadline Nears The New Intellectuals: Q & A with “No Substitute for Victory”: The Defeat of Islamic Totalitarianism John Lewis, continued from page 3 By John Lewis native to these ideas, so I try to present a rational alternative to my students. This does not mean The following is an excerpt from an article in To set course for one possible response, the teaching Objectivism as a philosophy in my his- The Objective Standard, a journal of culture and President addresses the American people, and tory classes—but rather demonstrating a rational politics written from an Objectivist perspective. The identifies the enemy nations involved. He asks alternative in whatever subject we study, and article was adapted from a lecture Dr. John Lewis for, and receives, a formal declaration of war from stressing the importance of the mind in history. presented at ARI’s OCON conference, “The Jihad Congress. He pledges to achieve victory as quickly Impact: Can you tell us about your future Against the West,” in Boston on October 21, 2006. as possible, a goal which he defines as the uncon- projects? You can purchase recordings of the conference from ditional surrender of the enemy regimes, and a JL: My book in progress, “Nothing Less the Ayn Rand Bookstore (see “Spotlight on the Ayn fundamental repudiation of war by those involved. Than Victory: Military Offense and the Lessons Rand Bookstore” on page 2). Subscriptions to The Americans mount a vigorous offense against of History,” considers the role of military offense Objective Standard are also available through the the center of the enemy’s power. Waves of bomb- and defense in eight examples from the past. In Bookstore. (The Objective Standard is not affiliated ers obliterate dozens of enemy cities. His food is each case, a nation under attack has failed to win with ARI.) choked off, his military is decimated, his industry a war as long as it adopted a primarily defensive is bombarded, his ships are sunk, his harbors are attitude towards its enemies. My article “William * * * mined—his people are psychologically shattered. Tecumseh Sherman and the Moral Impetus for In a single night, a hundred thousand civilians die Victory” in the summer 2006 issue of The Objec- The Greek historian Thucydides, writing about the in a firestorm in his capital. Americans drop leaflets tive Standard, gives a flavor of what this book will calamitous war that had destroyed his own world, telling the enemy population which cities could be be about. I have gotten more deeply involved in made an important observation about the causes next. Civilians are immersed in propaganda from military studies, presenting papers at conferences, of historical events: Even though circumstances their government, telling them that they are win- and learning what it takes for a country to develop may change, human nature remains the same; and ning the war—yet they cower defenselessly while the proper means—a strategy—to attain proper certain human elements—especially moral and American bombers level their homes. ends. I have gotten great response from my most psychological factors—are at the root of all wars. One of our generals announces his personal recent Objective Standard article “Nothing Less We can disagree with Thucydides about the identity goal: to “kill the bastards.” We name our final than Victory,” and am now exploring ways to turn of those factors, and reject his pessimistic view of drive against the enemy, “Operation Downfall.” this into a short book. human nature, but we will benefit from accepting A force of overpowering magnitude amasses on My course for this year’s Objectivist Summer his challenge to rise above particular circumstances the enemy’s borders, as thousands of American Conference 2007 in Telluride is “The Meaning of and focus on the principles of human action that bombers pulverize his cities. The President and Victory: Japan, 1945.” Although people today may are common to all time. Differences in technology, two foreign allies issue an ultimatum that includes still speak of victory, many are mouthing a word politics, or economics will always remain second- these words: they do not understand. The best remedy for this ary to the ideas that motivate aggressors to launch is to study an example of real victory—America’s bloody attacks and that empower—or restrain— The full application of our military power, defeat of Japan in 1945—and then to analyze its defenders opposing those attacks. backed by our resolve, will mean the inevitable meaning. This course will consider the events of In that spirit, let us begin by considering an and complete destruction of the enemy armed forces and just as inevitably the utter devastation 1945, the effect of the overwhelming defeat on the event of cataclysmic proportions, a deadly attack against Americans, and then examine two possible of the enemy homeland. . . . Japanese, and how our former enemies created the The time has come for the enemy nation to responses to it. This approach will show us that the greatest cultural turnaround in history, to return decide whether she will continue to be controlled almost immediately as productive allies. Philosophi- crisis we face today—a series of highly motivated by those self-willed militaristic advisers whose cally, we will consider the levels of meaning in attacks against the heart of civilization—is not unintelligent calculations have brought them to this victory, from its military and political aspects, unique, can be understood, and can be ended—if the threshold of annihilation, or whether she will into its deeper philosophical roots. To entice you we choose to understand and end it. follow the path of reason. . . . with one point here, the victory over Japan had the The attack under consideration kills thousands Following are our terms. We will not devi- effect of philosophical reduction: it reduced the of Americans. Foreign governments, well known ate from them. There are no alternatives. We shall Japanese warrior code—honor through veneration to us, have sponsored such attacks for years in brook no delay. . . . of one’s ancestors, and sacrifice to the Emperor, for their pursuit of a continental-scale totalitarian There must be eliminated for all time the instance—to its meaning in reality: smoke, slaugh- empire. The fire motivating the slaughter is a mili- authority and influence of those who have deceived and misled the people into embarking ter, death and starvation. The reality of what they taristic, religious-political ideology that values war as a demonstration of loyalty to a deity, demands on world conquest, for we insist that a new order had done became inescapable to the Japanese—the of peace, security and justice will be impossible obedience to its spokesmen, and imposes its edicts concept of their code now had its proper mean- until irresponsible militarism is driven from the ing—which destroyed their false integrations, and over millions of people. Thousands of individu- world. . . . allowed them to reject it thoroughly. als, indoctrinated as youths, are eager to engage Freedom of speech, of religion, and of thought, in suicide attacks, and many more are willing to as well as respect for the fundamental human rights ARI Distributes 700,000 Books to die through acquiescence and submission, should shall be established. . . . the state so demand. The enemy soldier is highly We call upon the enemy to proclaim now the Teachers, continued from page 1 motivated, thoroughly brainwashed, and willing unconditional surrender of all armed forces, and to die for his god and his cause. The enemy’s chil- to provide proper and adequate assurances of their are amazed that a world such as hers could dren and soldiers memorize words such as these: good faith in such action. The alternative is prompt exist. We value the resources provided to us. and utter destruction.3 If we hadn’t been given these books, the stu- The battlefield is where our army dis- dents might not have experienced Anthem. plays its true character, conquering whenever it When the enemy balks at the ultimatum, Because of the donation, we were easily able attacks, winning whenever it engages in combat, atomic bombs are dropped on his cities. He sur- to add this to our curriculum.” in order to spread our deity’s reign far and wide, renders, thus acknowledging the reality of his Evans, GA so that the enemy may look up in awe to his defeat and making a political decision to cease august virtues.1 fighting. He orders his reluctant soldiers to lay “I am grateful to ARI for being so generous They accept, as moral imperatives, ideas down their arms. The American military occupies about providing novels and materials to class- such as these: the defeated nation. We censor the media, impose room teachers. It is refreshing and encourag- reforms on schools, dismantle economic cartels, ing to see that, while funds are being cut in [F]ight and slay the unbelievers wherever efface militaristic language from discourse at all public schools across the country, ARI is still you find them, seize them, beleaguer them, and levels, and write a political constitution which they committed to education. Ayn Rand’s books lie in wait for them in every stratagem of war; but are forced to accept. We tell them, pointedly and are incredible, and I fear that many students if they repent, and practice our way, then accept publicly, that they are defeated, and that we have would not have the opportunity to read them them. . . . You shall fight back against those who no obligations to them. When they face starvation, without the generosity of the donors and ARI. do not believe in God, nor in the Last Day, nor we remind them that their miseries are their own On behalf of high school teachers across the do they prohibit what God and His messenger fault. We charge them for many of the costs of the country, let me say THANK YOU for help- have prohibited, nor do they abide by the religion occupation. Not one dime of aid arrives until they of truth.2 ing us educate our students!” demonstrate their complete surrender, in word and Rocky Point, NC in action, including their repudiation of the milita- Millions of people embrace such injunctions ristic ideology that motivated their attacks. “As an educator during a period of great as unquestioned commandments. Their suicidal This principled, all-out merciless offense is economic distress, the free novels have been attacks continue for years. one possible response to the sneak attack. Now let the only way to obtain a philosophical novel. How should Americans respond to this attack? us consider a second, very different, response. Our major trouble is that the students do not Under the pressures of a deadly emergency, Ameri- The President addresses the nation, identifies always want to give the books up. Many stu- can leaders must make important decisions, and the the enemy as the particular people involved in the dents say that their parents are reading it and American people must decide whether they will attacks, and defines them by the tactics they used. will give it back when they are done.” support those decisions. Let us consider and evalu- He makes no declaration of war, but pledges to New Carlisle, IN ate two options, and ask which we should use. lead us to victory in the war he intends to wage, 5 which, he says, will be long. He defines victory moment) and the morality of altruism (i.e., the deal with a reality that is constantly shifting, we as democracy for the nations behind the attacks. A morality of “otherism”). We will use these two need flexibility, not firm principles. To be prin- week later, he reminds us that those who practice widely accepted philosophical positions to direct cipled is to be an inflexible “ideologue.” To be the religion of the attackers “must feel comfort- our response to those attacking us. practical is to shift with the “flux” that surrounds able” in America.4 Two months later, he invites Following these principles, we will have to us, reacting on the range-of-the-moment, negotiat- leaders of the religion to the White House, for a determine our policies and strategies on a case- ing at every turn, compromising with anyone and prayer meeting.5 by-case basis. Our actions must be pragmatic everyone. We need to respond to each situation Our leaders realize that the particular attack- and adaptable, contingent on local circumstances as a unique, particular event, without connection ers have bases in a poor, isolated country, so we and the consensus of others. The right amount of to other events. There are no lessons to be drawn invade that country, and drive its government into force is that which does not upset the enemy too from history; even the world of five years ago dif- the surrounding mountains. We name our campaign much; if we use too much of our power, we will fers fundamentally from the world we face now. “Operation Infinite Justice,” but when adherents cause hard feelings and a desire for vengeance in Politics is all trial and error. of the attackers’ religion complain, we change it to the enemy, which will breed a new generation of Perhaps we should try “shuttle diplomacy”: “Operation Enduring Freedom.” We drop bombs, enemy soldiers. We should, in this view, respond appeasing one dictator here, buying off one over but they are precision-guided to avoid hitting civil- with compassion and understanding, engaging there, making deals with others, calling on allies to ians and religious buildings. Many of our bombers in “dialogue” with him, building power plants “put pressure on” another. The only absolute is that drop food. The enemy flees to a neighboring coun- and digging toilets in his land rather than attack- we must not engage in focused, principled military try, ruled by a nuclear-armed dictator whom we ing him. This, we are told, will “win hearts and action toward a firm, self-interested, pro-American call an “ally” and whose borders we do not cross. minds.” Based on these practical and moral con- victory. The second, flexible, response is, again, the Within this “ally’s” borders, schools train more siderations, the first option, the all-out offense, right choice—according to pragmatism. attackers, who flood across the borders, cause more must be rejected; the restrained response is best. Altruism leads to the same conclusion. To carnage, and kill more Americans. Second, we are told that we must not declare fight for our own benefit—to elevate our lives In search of democracy, and following our war against a nation, only against its leadership or over those of our enemies—is almost universally desire to free foreign peoples from oppression, particular miscreants. Most people, we hear, do not condemned today as selfish and thus “immoral.” A we attack and depose another dictator in the area. want war; there is a “universal hunger for liberty,” moral war, according to altruism, is a war fought This secular thug, whom we had once armed, had and people will regale us with flowers if we “liber- self-sacrificially, for the good of others, especially fought a long war against a neighboring country ate” them from oppression. We are told that “free- for the weak. It is only by a continuous policy of founded upon the same hostile ideology as those dom” is “God’s gift to all people,” and that our aiding others that we can rise to moral goodness. who attacked us. The people we liberate from “calling” is to create the conditions by which oth- Even restrained, limited military action is wrong, him establish a government based on that same ers can embrace this gift. Their freedom—mean- if taken for our own benefit. In this view, a strong hostile ideology—which we allow, since our goal ing, we are told, democracy—is the root of our power is good only when it recognizes the moral was to enable them to vote—and they strengthen security; and protecting their “right” to vote—not claims of those in need—even enemies and their ties with other nations founded on this ideology. defeating them—must be our goal. We must grant supporters. The route to peace is not through vic- One of our generals states his own view of our them the freedom to establish any government tory, since altruism (“otherism”) cannot abide goal: to foster the enemy’s “ability to compro- they wish—even one akin to the regimes of our the defeat of others. The “path to tomorrow” is mise on their political goals, accommodate their attackers—if it expresses their democratic desires. through the sacrifice of our own wealth, values, sectarian differences and demonstrate to ordinary Again, the offensive response must be shunned; and lives to the needs of others—even those who people that a democratic central government the restrained approach is our only choice. threaten us. Again, their freedom must be our can serve their needs.”6 We name our campaign Third, we are told that an overwhelming goal—their prosperity must be our mission—if we “Operation Freedom for Them.” offense fails to respect the culture of a foreign wish to be “good.” We act with great restraint, establishing rules nation. All cultures are equal, multiculturalism Pragmatism and altruism dictate American of engagement that limit the use of force by our teaches us, and each must be equally respected. foreign policy today—as they have done for over military. We apologize when we hurt civilians, For us to claim a sense of superiority over other fifty years. To be practical is to be pragmatic, prosecute our soldiers if they humiliate prisoners, cultures would reveal a “Eurocentric bias” that and to be moral is to be altruistic—these are the assign correspondents to military units to monitor fails to acknowledge “multi-variant” forms of accepted axioms of the modern day. An all-out their actions, and send lawyers with our troops to logic, and the relativism of all values. According offensive response, in this view, would be an utter ensure that they “follow the rules.” When captured to altruism, this means that other cultures are due disaster—pragmatically because it holds to prin- Americans are beheaded on television, we do not more respect than our own, since we must sub- ciples in defiance of constantly shifting reality, close down the broadcasts or attack the govern- ordinate our own people and resources to their and morally because it seeks the enemy’s defeat ments financing them—we search for the par- needs, even if those cultures actively oppose our rather than his benefit. On the premises of prag- ticular killers. When the enemy acquires nuclear own selfish interests. According to pragmatism, matism and altruism, the measured, proportional, power plants, we refer to the country providing respecting their “right” to “self-determination” restrained approach is our only option. him with those plants as a “friend” and an “ally.” rather than defeating them will make them feel Students of history, of course, will recognize When the enemy uses banks to finance his war better and thus momentarily quell the violence. that the attack I posed—and the two responses— against us, we call on our lawyers to “freeze his Our soldiers must be trained to respect the cul- were not hypothetical. Such an attack has been assets,” but never call on our generals to destroy tural differences between themselves and the launched against America twice in the past two his capital. We remind the people in his nation enemy. When enemy soldiers are captured, for generations, and both options have been tried. On incessantly that our war is not with them, but instance, they must be given books sympathetic the premises of pragmatism and altruism, the first rather with “extremists” who have “hijacked a to their own positions, and be allowed to practice response should have led to escalating hostilities great religion.” their cultural-religious rituals. and a new generation of war against America, and Now, which of these two responses—the all- (The same strategy, we hear, must be used the second should have ended the attacks. The out, merciless, military offense, or the restrained, inside America, against people of the same ideol- results, however, have been precisely the opposite. diplomatic, semi-military approach, should we ogy as the enemy. An American police officer Let us proceed to see why. choose? Let us evaluate them, according to several recently told me that he undergoes “sensitiv- * * * ideas widely accepted today. ity training” to “understand” and “respect” the First, we are told today that only so-called cultural basis of rampant domestic violence in a Endnotes “proportional” force is morally proper. We need to neighborhood he patrols. He is cautioned to avoid 1. Senjinkun, or the Japanese Field Service Code, wage a “just war,” one founded on altruistic moral “cultural imperialism” and “racism,” the sin of substituting “our deity” for “the Emperor.” In John principles, using strictly limited force, for strictly thinking that American culture is superior because Dower, Embracing Defeat (New York: Norton, 1999), limited ends, aimed at the good of others. The well- it forbids the beating of wives. A man in Colo- p. 277. being of others—including the enemy’s people— rado, sentenced to jail for enslaving an Indonesian 2. Koran 9.5, 29. must be our concern, and this requires severe self- woman, said: “Your Honor, I am not here to apolo- 3. The Potsdam Declaration, July 26, 1945, adapted to restraint on our part. That the enemy does not act gize, for I cannot apologize for things I did not do remove references to Japan, http://www.isop.ucla this way when he kills our people is of no concern. and crimes I did not commit. The state has crimi- .edu/eas/documents/potsdam.htm. According to these moral views, we must hold the nalized these basic [religious] behaviors.” The man 4. Remarks at the Islamic Center, Washington, September well-being of others as an absolute, regardless of said he treated the woman the way any family of 17, 2001, http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/ the consequences; we must be willing to place our his cultural convictions would treat a daughter: by releases/2001/09/20010917-11.html. soldiers in mortal danger in order to protect enemy locking her in the basement.7) 5. November 19, 2001, http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ US/11/19/rec.bush.ramadan/index.html. civilians—even though they often aid and abet According to multiculturalism, a serious mili- 6. Associated Press, “Zilmer: U.S. ‘Stifling’ Iraq enemy fighters. A military offense for our own self- tary offense would be anathema. We must allow Insurgency,” New York Times, September 12, 2006, protection would transgress the bounds of a “just peoples of other cultures to express their “cultural http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Iraq- war,” says the accepted wisdom. identities”—whether that involves eating falafels, Anbar.html?_r=1&oref=slogin. This moral obligation to use our force only chanting “Death to America,” or detonating their 7. Associated Press, August 31, 2006, http://www. in limited degrees and always for the good of children in Israeli restaurants. nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Slavery-Charges.html?_ others raises two questions: What, in this view, If one observes that all of this makes it impos- r=1&oref=slogin. is the right amount of limited force? And what sible to develop a principled approach to an ever- constitutes the good of others? These two ques- deepening crisis, the philosophy of pragmatism tions are answered by means of the methodology has an explanation. The pragmatic world-view of pragmatism (i.e., doing what “works” for the tells us that reality is messy and contradictory; to 6