Emotional first public appearance for Satanic Verses writer Salman Rushdie last August after he was repeatedly stabbed on stage at a Chautauqua literature festival in upstate New York.
"The attacks on books, the attacks on teaching, the attacks on libraries in Florida have never been more dangerous, and never is it more important that we commit ourselves to fight them," said the 75-year-old Anglo-Indian author, who appeared unexpectedly at the gala of Pen America, the writers' organization that fights for freedom of expression and authors' rights all over the world.
An attack on campaigns to ban books from schools, after the candidacy of Florida governor Ron De Santis looming over the race for the White House and the culture wars over banned books.
In 1989 Rushdie was sentenced to death by the regime of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. In August, he was stabbed 18 times in the neck and torso during a conference. Seriously injured, he lost an eye.
Three days ago he spoke on video at the British Book Awards, but the appearance at the Pen surprised the gala audience under the giant stuffed whale at the American Museum of Natural History: the author of Midnight Sons was not expected to speak from podium.
«I told myself - he later explained to the New York Times - that, if there was a right way to get back, it was here. Be part of the world of books, of the fight against censorship and for human rights".
Rushdie, longtime PEN president, dedicated the award to those who rescued him nine months ago : «I was the target that day, but they are the heroes. Courage was theirs that day and I thank them for saving my life. Terror need not terrify us. Violence shouldn't stop us."
(Unioneonline/D)
