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Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 20:40:21 -0500
To: AERA who-is-at ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU
=46rom: Donaldo Macedo <macedo who-is-at umbsky.cc.umb.edu> (by way of srs14@psu.edu
(shirley
steinberg))
Subject: Open Letter-Please Post
In light of recent events surrounding the treatment of Paulo Freire's wife,
Ana Maria (Nita) Araujo Freire, by Paulo's daughters, many of Paulo's
colleagues in the United states are both saddened and distressed and feel
compelled to lodge a protest against such actions. We are particularly
concerned by the recent incident involving a search of Ana Maria Araujo's
apartment by government officials and Madalena Freire, allegedly to secure
items from the home Ana shared with Paulo for a number of years. While
such an action may have been conducted through legal procedures, we feel
this action constitutes a form of harassment and does not reflect either
what Paulo would have wanted nor does it reflect the principles he
struggled for throughout his life.
Paulo always reminded us of the unconditional love he had for Ana Maria and
that she was a source of unfailing emotional and intellectual support for
him during the last ten years of his life. On a number of occasions, he
made clear that if it had not been for Ana, he would not have survived the
tragedy of his first wife's death. Nor would he have experienced the will
to continue living with a sense of hope and joy.
We believe that the actions being taken against Ana Maria constitute a
violation of Paulo's legacy and memory. We want to register our
indignation against such actions, and call for such actions to come to an
end out of respect for both what Paulo represented and for the elemental
principles of compassion, justice, and generosity, principles that Paulo
represented throughout his life. To add to this list, send to
srs14 who-is-at psu.edu. Please feel free to distribute this letter.
- Dr. Donaldo Macedo, University of Massachusetts Boston
- Dr. Shirley Steinberg, Adelphi Univerisity
- Dr. Joe Kincheloe, Penn State University
- Dr. Henry Giroux, Penn State University
- Dr. Stanley Aronowitz, The City College of New York
- Dr. Lilia Bartolom=E9, San Diego State University
- Dr. Peter McLaren, University of California, Los Angeles
- Dr. Eileen de los Reyes, Harvard University
- Dr. Candace Mitchell, University of Massachusetts Boston
- Dr. Robert Bahruth, Boise State University