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Ford Hall Forum

The Ford Hall Forum is the nation's oldest continuously operating free public lecture series. Its mission is to foster an informed and effective citizenry and to promote freedom of speech through the public presentation of lectures, debates, and discussions. Forum events illuminate the key issues facing our society by bringing to its podium knowledgeable and thought-provoking speakers. These speakers are presented in person, for free, and in settings, which facilitate frank and open debate.

http://www.fordhallforum.org/

Breaking Ranks

Mon, Apr 4, 2005

Two Iraq war veterans, Mike Hoffman and Paul Rieckhoff, discuss rising dissent to the war in Iraq within the American military, the backdoor draft, and what it really means to "support our troops." *Mother Jones* reported in a recent cover story that more and more US soldiers are speaking out on the war in Iraq, and some are refusing to fight. Presented in collaboration with the WAND Education Fund, *Mother Jones* Magazine, and Boston's Talk Station, AM 680 WRKO.

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Harvard Rules: Behind the Ivy Tower

Wed, Mar 9, 2005

Richard Bradley discusses *Harvard Rules: The Struggle for the Soul of the World's Most Powerful University*, in which he climbs high into the ivory tower and goes behind the revered walls, offering the first unauthorized look at the world's most powerful university and its controversial president. Harvard University is synonymous with power, wealth, influence, and excellence. The second wealthiest non-profit in the world, Harvard has long and fiercely maintained a wall of secrecy around its inner workings. Until now. Presented in collaboration with the Old South Meeting House as part of the Partners in Public Dialogue Series.

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Cult of Power: Sex Discrimination in America

Tue, Apr 12, 2005

Martha Burk talks about the international firestorm of debate she sparked by suggesting that the nation's premier golf club open its doors to women. The Augusta National Golf Club's membership roster reads like the New York Stock Exchange. It includes top executives, CEOs and board members from American Express, AT&T, Bank of America, Bechtel, CBS/Viacom, Citigroup, Coca-Cola, Coors, ExxonMobil, Ford, GE, Harvard University, Hormel, IBM, Morgan Stanley, Motorola, United Technologies, and US Steel, among others. What Augusta National's membership roster emphatically does not include is women. Presented in collaboration with the Old South Meeting House as part of the Partners in Public Dialogue Series

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Daddy & Papa: Gay Couples Raising Children

Tue, May 13, 2003

Johnny Symons discusses his film Daddy & Papa, a one-hour documentary that takes us inside the lives of four families led by gay men. America is in the midst of a "gayby boom," with thousands of gay men across the country making the decision to raise children. An exploration of the personal, cultural, and political impact of gay fatherhood, this new film traces day-to-day challenges as it examines the value of alternative households, the effects of gender and sexual orientation on children, and the changing face of the American family.

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Embedded in Iraq: The Objectivity Question

Thu, Oct 9, 2003

Brian MacQuarrie of *The Boston Globe* takes a look back at his time in Iraq, and forward to the future of war journalism. MacQuarrie traveled to Iraq in March of 2003 to cover the war as an embedded reporter with the Army's 3rd Infantry Field Artillery Battalion. Part of a Pentagon experiment to give journalists greater access to soldiers and commanders in the heat of battle, embedments like this one provided unparalleled inside views of combat that generated fascinating news stories here at home. Even so, questions linger about the success of this new-styled journalism and how it will affect the coverage of future conflicts. Is it possible for reporters to so literally enter a story and still maintain their objectivity?

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Is There an Elephant in the State House?

Wed, Dec 3, 2003

Join this discussion with Republican leaders to find out why they believe the citizens of Massachusetts share their party's values. Is our Commonwealth's reputation as a bastion for liberalism undeserved? Republicans have had a stronghold on the governor's office in Massachusetts for 13 consecutive years. As a result, it is hard to deny the wide appeal of "common-sense republican priorities" that include lower taxes, economic growth, individual liberty, and improved standards of education. In a state where more than half the voters are unenrolled or independents (and not Democrats), the Republican Party is confident about its potential for growth.

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Los Trabajadores: The Workers

Tue, Mar 11, 2003

This public discussion, moderated by Joseph Tovares, of WGBH's La Plaza and Giovanna Negretti, of Oste?, Massachusetts' primary Latino political organization, wrestles with questions about immigrant workers in the US, after the screening of *Los Trabajadores/The Workers*. The new documentary film examines the misperceptions and contradictions inherent in America's paradoxical history of both dependence upon, and abuse of, immigrant labor. According to a recent report from Northeastern University's Center for Labor Market Studies, immigrant participation in the labor force was critical to our nation's growth during the '90's boom. And while some maintain that the American economy needs immigrants and is more dependent on their labor than ever before, skeptics continue to ask, "Do immigrants rob American workers of jobs?"

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Medical Malpractice in Massachusetts

Wed, Jun 4, 2003

Madge Kaplan, senior editor of American Public Media's Marketplace Health Desk moderates a discussion about malpractice law reform with several Massachusetts physicians. Threats of malpractice lawsuits hang over doctor's heads from the day they earn their degrees. Some higher risk specialists, like OB-GYNs, can expect to be sued nearly three times over their careers. Jury awards in all cases have soared, averaging nearly $3.5 million in 1999. In turn, professional liability insurance for physicians is astronomical. As a result, physicians curtail or stop services, move out of state, or retire early. Access is restricted, longer waits occur, and doctors practice costly 'defensive medicine'.

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First Amendment Award: Foundation for Individual Rights in Education

Thu, Mar 18, 2010

The Ford Hall Forum presents the 2010 Louis P. and Evelyn Smith First Amendment Award to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), which is dedicated to defending and sustaining individual rights at America's colleges and universities. Greg Lukianoff, President of FIRE; Steven Pinker, bestselling author and FIRE Advisory Board member; and Harvey Silverglate, Civil liberties lawyer and FIRE Co-Founder, join moderator Judge Nancy Gertner of the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts to discuss their organization's work and what freedom of speech means today.

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Reforming Boston Schools: Race, History, and the Future

Thu, Apr 15, 2010

Joseph Cronin, former Massachusetts Secretary of Education; George Greenidge, Executive Director of National Black College Alliance; Claudio Martinez, Executive Director of Hyde Square Task Force; and Jean McGuire, Executive Director of METCO, join moderator Tessil Collins, senior coordinator of the Boston Public Schools, to reflect on Boston Public Schools' challenges of previous decades, as well as the hurdles ahead in developing a stronger education system for our city.

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