By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – Internationally-acclaimed novelist Salman Rushdie appeared at the University at Buffalo Thursday night as part of UB's Distinguished Speakers Series. Before his address, he met with reporters on a variety of issues, from the influence of religion to the political views of today's writers.
Salman Rushdie describes himself, first and foremost, as a novelist. But he does acknowledge his interest in political issues. And during Thursday night's news conference, Rushdie said writers around the world have a long tradition of expressing political views.
"Writers are still, in many parts of the world, what Shelley called tthe 'unacknowledged legislators of mankind,'" Rushdie said. "The more the repressive the country, the more important is the voice of the writer. If you look at Sri Lanka, Nigeria or China, you'll find writers who feel obliged to be a part of the public conversation about their societies."
Rushdie was thrown into a spotlight he wasn't seeking in 1989 when Iran's Ayatollah Khomeni issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie's execution. The Iranian religious leader deemed Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses" sacrilegious. While he was in seclusion for several years, Rushdie says these days he no longer feels threatened.
"It's been six years since there was any degree of security," Rushdie said. "That was when the deal was done with the Iranians which called the dogs off. Really, I take the subway."
Rushdie says he dismayed by the influence that religion is having on the political discourse. He said you can't run a modern state by using rigid ideas from two thousand years ago, as Iranian mullahs have.