From: mongiovg (mongiovg@STJOHNS.EDU)
Date: Tue Apr 29 2003 - 16:35:19 EDT
One can never be sure of the authenticity of this sort of thing. But assuming it's legit, I don't see how Dr Amit's position is any less adolescent than that of pro-war American yahoos who advocate the boycotting of French & German products. Gary >===== Original Message From Howard Engelskirchen <hengels@ZOOM-DSL.COM> ===== >> >> >> http://www.onlinejournal.com/Commentary/042503Amit/042503amit.html >> The building world boycott of the US >> Eminent physicist refuses to review American colleagues' papers >> >> Reprinted April 25, 2003 >> >> Dr. Daniel Amit: "What we are watching today, I believe, is a >> culmination of 10-15 years of mounting barbarism of the American culture >> the world over, crowned by the achievements of science and technology as >> a major weapon of mass destruction." >> >> Sent: Friday, March 21, 2003 6:11 AM >> Subject: Review_request AMIT EA8932 >> >> Dr. Daniel Amit >> Univ. di Roma >> La Sapienza >> Ple Aldo Moro 2 >> 00185 Roma, ITALY >> Electronic URL-Download Referral from Physical Review E >> Code: EA8932 >> >> Title: Transitions in oscillatory dynamics of two connected neurons with >> excitatory synapses >> Received 08 January 2003 >> >> Dear Dr. Amit: >> >> We would appreciate your review of this manuscript, which has been >> Submitted to Physical Review E. This message is the COMPLETE REFERRAL. >> No hardcopy will be sent unless requested. >> ------------------------------ >> From: "Daniel Amit" <daniel.amit@roma1.infn.it> >> To: "Physical Review E" <pre@ridge.aps.org> >> Sent: Friday, March 21, 2003 6:11 PM >> Subject: Re: Review_request AMIT EA8932 Roudi >> >> I will not at this point correspond with any american institution. >> >> Some of us have lived through 1939. >> ------------------------------ >> From: "martin blume" <blume@aps.org> >> To: <daniel.amit@roma1.infn.it>; >> <damita@green.fiz.huji.ac.il> >> Subject: your email to the American Physical Society >> Date: Tuesday, April 08, 2003 10:31 PM >> >> Dear Dr. Amit, >> We have received your email with your decision not to review a paper >> for us in light of American actions in the middle east. We recognize >> that >> reviewing manuscripts is a voluntary activity, one that you perform as a >> service to the physics community, and we thank you for your efforts. >> >> Given the voluntary nature of your participation we of course respect >> your decision to cease, and have made an indication in our database so >> that >> no further papers will be sent to you for review until you inform us >> otherwise. >> >> We ask, however, that you consider the following in hopes that in the >> not too distant future you will decide to review for us again. We regard >> >> science as an international enterprise and we do our best to put aside >> political disagreements in the interest of furthering the pursuit of >> scientific matters. >> >> We have never used other than scientific criteria in judging the >> acceptability of a paper for publication, without regard to the country >> of origin of the author. We have done this even in cases where some of >> us >> have disagreed strongly with the policies of that country, and we will >> continue this practice. We believe it is essential that all parties >> involved make every effort to separate social and political differences >> from their >> participation in scientific research and publication. The pursuit of >> scientific knowledge needs to transcend such issues. >> >> Sincerely, >> Martin Blume >> Editor-in-Chief >> ------------------------------ >> Dear Dr Blume, Editor in Chief >> American Physical Society >> 09.04.2003 >> >> Thank you for you letter of April 8. I would have liked to be able to >> Share the honorable sentiments you express in your letter as well as >> your >> Optimism in the future role of science and the scientific community. To >> be >> frank, and with much sadness and pain, after 40 years of activity and >> collaboration, I find very little reason for such optimism. What we are >> watching today, I believe, is a culmination of 10-15 years of mounting >> barbarism of the American culture the world over, crowned by the >> achievements of science and technology as a major weapon of mass >> destruction. >> >> We are witnessing man hunt and wanton killing of the type and scale not >> seen since the raids on American Indian populations, by a superior >> technological power of inferior culture and values. We see no corrective >> force to restore the insanity, the self-righteousness and the lack of >> respect for human life (civilian and military) of another race. >> >> Science cannot stay neutral, especially after it has been so cynically >> used in the hands of the inspectors to disarm a country and prepare it >> for >> decimation by laser guided cluster bombs. No, science of the American >> variety has no recourse. I, personally, cannot see myself anymore >> sharing a common human community with American science. Unfortunately, I >> also belong to a culture of a similar spiritual deviation (Israel), and >> which seems to be equally incorrigible. >> >> In desperation I cannot but turn my attention to other tragic periods in >> which major societies, some with claims to fundamental contributions to >> culture and science, have deviated so far as to be relegated to >> ostracism and quarantine. At this point I think American society should >> be >> considered in this category. I have no illusions of power, as to the >> scope and prospect of my attitude. But, the minor role of my act and >> statement is a simple way of affirming that in the face of a growing >> enormity which I consider intolerable, I will exercise my own tiny act >> of disobedience to be able to look straight into the eyes of my >> grandchildren and my students and say that I did know. >> >> With regard >> Daniel Amit >> >> PS I intend to distribute our exchange as much as possible. I authorize >> And pray that you do the same. >> >> ************************************************** >> forwarded by: >> The Edmonds Institute >> 20319-92nd Avenue West >> Edmonds, Washington 98020 USA >> telephone: 1-425-775-5383 >> email: beb@igc.org >> website: <http://www.edmonds-institute.org> >> >> ************************************************** >> >> >>
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