By Kirby Reed

KRAMER: No. Huh? You know who I saw at the health club? Salman Rushdie.

ELAINE (laughing): Yeah right, Salman Rushdie. Yeah well, I can see that – you got five million Muslims after you, you wanna stay in pretty good shape.

I’m sure you remember this episode of “Seinfeld.” It was also the one guest starring Teri Hatcher and her…possible enhancements. Or maybe you better recall Mr. Rushdie from his cameo in “Bridget Jones’ Diary,” where he was twice asked for directions to the “toilets.” But if the name Salman Rushdie doesn’t sound familiar to you, it should.

The acclaimed novelist of “Midnight’s Children” and “The Satanic Verses,” became a household name when the latter sparked a rage in Ayatollah Khomeini, the former spiritual leader of Iran. Mr. Rushdie was then forced into hiding for a number of years when a bounty was publicly put on his head. To this day, it’s reported that some airlines refuse to carry Mr. Rushdie on their commercial flights, sighting the bounty on his life as a security risk.

Mr. Rushdie visited the campus on Wednesday as part of Hofstra’s annual “Day of Dialogue” series. The significance of his visit may have gone unnoticed by some. The same might also be said for the lecture given by former Attorney General John Ashcroft not even 24 hours prior to Mr. Rushdie’s.

Mr. Ashcroft, as you know, served under the Bush administration during September 11, 2001, and according to one impassioned attendee, acted as the “architect” in designing the U.S. Patriot Act and the ongoing War in Iraq. While inaccurate, this comment opened the gates for further discussion and clarification.

Almost every question or comment thrust upon Mr. Ashcroft dealt with the complexity and possible unconstitutionality of the U.S. Patriot Act. It was empowering to see young people stand up for their beliefs – on both sides of the debate.

But why are such high-profile events ignored? Surely this is what college is about – participating in scholarly discussions about politics, literature and the like. So why was it that only a fraction of the student body bothered to attend either event?

We can’t really blame it on lack of advertising. It seemed everywhere you went on campus you saw posters featuring both speakers. And I’m sure a professor or two announced the lectures in some of your classes. Hmmm….what could be keeping so many impressionable students away?

They certainly came out in droves to hear former President Bill Clinton speak during the Presidential Conference. Then again, the guest of honor was a former United States president.

So what about the various panels and discussions that encompassed that three-day event? Virtually empty, even though a number of high profile former cabinet members attended, including former chief of staff, John Podesta and former secretary of state Madeleine Albright.

For Mr. Ashcroft, it wasn’t lack of detractors. The protestors showed up, many of them even came inside and listened. Maybe it was the day of the week that kept people at home – “American Idol” was on after all. Whatever the reason, these two historic events seemed to go virtually unnoticed to the University community.

Perhaps Mr. Rushdie’s lecture could have been held in a larger venue, like the John Cranford Adams Playhouse. That way, students who wished to attend could have seen Mr. Rushdie in person instead of by simulcast in the Business Development Center. And isn’t that who these events are primarily for, the students. We should reap the benefits of the time and money we invest in Hofstra and attend these rare and insightful lectures.

And who knows, if anything else, you may have missed your only chance to ask Mr. Rushdie where the bathroom is.

Kirby Reed is a senior print journalism student. You can e-mail her at [email protected]