Books, freedom of expression and human rights are intertwined threads that Rushdie has long championed. The author deliberately highlighted a quote that centers these values. public feedback After surviving a brutal attack in August of last year, when a radicalized young man stabbed the writer of the novel Satanic Verses, a work that had drawn the ire of a high-ranking cleric in 1989.
A notable return occurred Thursday in New York, the city he adopted. PEN America, the literary organization he once led and which recognized him with its Courage Award, hosted the premiere. His appearance had not been publicized beforehand, and it sparked genuine joy among attendees. The venue, Natural History Museum, became a stage for Rushdie to rejoin a public conversation he had once seemed central to. Despite the attack, he remains a visible figure in literature and human rights advocacy. He proudly showed a black lens over his eye, a reminder of the injuries suffered, yet his wit and commitment to his core values endure.
Is it good to go back, he wondered aloud, or was it better to stay away? I’m glad the dice fell this way, he said with a smile, as he delivered a brief, well-received remarks. In roughly ten minutes, he expressed deep gratitude to those who intervened during the assault and helped save his life. “I was the target that day, but they were heroes. They showed extraordinary courage,” he said. He added that he did not know their names or faces, but he owed his life to that remarkable group of people.
Rushdie used the moment to convey a broader message: terrorism should not paralyze society. Violence cannot be allowed to deter progress. As some marxisms have noted in the past, the struggle continues. The final lines of his speech were delivered in French, Italian, and English.
Litigation Against Florida
Beyond the gala, Rushdie, mingling at the cocktail reception and posing on the red carpet, touched on other timely issues. He discussed threats to freedom of expression in the United States in recent years and specifically pointed to actions involving PEN America and Penguin Random House, along with parents and writers who oppose book restrictions in Florida. This moment sits within a broader national trend where conservatives challenge education and literary access over debates about race, gender, and sexual orientation.
“This moment matters, and it must be won,” Rushdie stated. “When books are attacked, teaching and libraries feel the impact. Never has the danger been so pronounced; the fight is more important than ever.”
Suzanne Nossel, chief executive of PEN America since 2013, has described the situation as a cross-partisan issue that touches both conscience and policy. In prior remarks to a major publication, she noted that people question Rushdie’s experiences and beliefs. Yet she underscored the significance of defending cultural and constitutional values at a moment when free expression faces heightened scrutiny.
The organization faced internal tensions as well. In the same week, a prominent New Yorker reporter resigned from a leadership post in protest after a panel was cancelled at a festival she was invited to attend. The global literary community has seen conflicts involving Russian writers and Ukrainian writers amid ongoing tensions. At the same time, a notable studio figure chose not to attend a premiere, reflecting broader labor and industry negotiations affecting writers and streaming platforms.
Ultimately, the night marked a celebration of resilience and a reaffirmation of principles. Ayad Akhtar, president of PEN America, introduced Rushdie and later addressed a question about the impact of offensive language on freedom of speech and the imagination. The answer was unequivocal: the harm from provocative expression does not equal the protection of free speech or the right to imagine. The crowd left with a renewed sense of purpose.