Salman Rushdie on His Friendship with Christopher Hitchens

University Distinguished Professor Salman Rushdie participated in a class discussion of "The Moor's Last Sigh" led by Associate Professor of English Deepika Bahri with undergraduate students at Emory University on March 7, 2012. Here he responds to a question about his relationship with the late Christopher Hitchens. "One of the things about being Christopher's friend is that you disagreed with him maybe 75 percent of the time. But he was very enjoyable to disagree with," Rushdie says. "You could actually have very savage disagreements with him and it didn't affect your friendship."
The interdisciplinary course, "India Today: Economics, Politics, Innovation, and Sustainability," is supported by The Halle Institute for Global Learning (www.halleinstitute.emory.edu).

[@erosmangr74]

Hitchens was the most masterful debater I ever saw and his command of the English language was superb. For those of us who miss him, let us be glad that he left us lots of written works to remember him by and his thoughts.

[@MeMe-gx5il]

Eloquently stated. Hitchens has left a mark on me in terms of his superb grasp of English lexicon.

[@olimauricestromberg93]

that's right he was a master debater !

[@jotac87278]

Hitchen will go down as one of the greatest orators of our time and be remembered for a long while.

[@arjunratnadev]

everybody goes down anyways, he will be desperately missed and his memories will be celebrated for ages to come, assuming humanity would have got rid of this religious and god nonsense garbage

[@tommylehomme8695]

4 years passed, and he doesn't matter almost at all. Vidal, Buckley, Chomsky will be remembered, Hitchens - no, not at all. Hitchens is a sort of missing link between Gore Vidal (a leftist intellectual and author) and Ben Shapiro (a right-wing hack riding on unpleasantness of his personality), and by himself is wholely irrelevant.

[@FreeBeDrug]

Yay Emory! That woman was actually my English teacher. I took a class with her in the fall 2011. I learned a lot. And... i also know Salman Rushdie. He goes to Emory pretty often. I remember it was very striking to see him in person.

[@TheAtheist22]

Thank you for uploading this, I love Rushdie. And we all miss Hitch.

[@jeffforsythe9514]

We, is there more than one of you?

[@TheAtheist22]

@@jeffforsythe9514 Yes. Several members of my family, my closest friends and many atheists I know of. Hope that answers your incredibly stupid question.

[@jeffforsythe9514]

@@TheAtheist22 Please give your kids, if you have any, a chance to decide for themselves. Thanks.

[@TheAtheist22]

I can smell the “religious” trait in you. @@jeffforsythe9514

[@TheAtheist22]

@@jeffforsythe9514 And it “smells”. It reeks Of all the filthy ideas that you have. But like Hitch, I’m here to take care of these. For the sake of my children and yours too.

[@ernestofurchtgott5421]

You learn most from debating people you disagree with, but not everyone has the temper or taste for it.

[@philiphema2678]

Absolutely right. True friendship transcends political views.

[@torino390]

Only when the last person has the last thought about Hitch, or mentions his name for the very last time, will he truly be dead, and that won't be for a long time yet. I for one will never forget him.

[@indurnuguri1]

Christopher Hitches will be missed. Outstanding orator with a commanding voice. Brave and intellectual.

[@nadinejoyce1203]

Still hitch. The big absence. Irreplaceable.💔

[@tw364]

I like on one of his appearances on Bill Maher, he flipped off the audience, and dressed down Bill Maher, who was stunned and silent. Bravo man.

[@MrCoolhandLucas]

Greatly missed, Christopher !

[@armlovesmetal1036]

Thinking that this great man with a wonderful sense of humor and a fantastic intellect is gone makes me cry. He was one of a kind - The Ultimate Destroyer of religious nonsense, an elegant orator, a no holes barred debater and he warned us about islam. Are people listening? No, they are not. We need to heed his warning an take it to heart and stop our destruction. We also need to hold our politicians and the media accountable for not doing anything to stop the infestation. As an Atheist, I have nothing but gratitude for his wisdom and being such a wise teacher. For that, he will be truly missed by me and others.

[@skuzaposkuzapo56]

he was a very good speaker of nonsense. You miss nothing

[@philiphema2678]

@@skuzaposkuzapo56 and how is your command of the English language, history and politics? We live in a free society where you can accuse someone of speaking nonsense (and Hitch would rise to the challenge magnigicently to defend your right to say so). He was one of the greatest debaters of our time providing us with facts, opinions and entertainment. And also challenged us to expand our understanding of the world we hv created and leaving behind.

[@terryallen9546]

@@skuzaposkuzapo56 You obviously understand nothing.

[@garypudup2109]

Hitchens, Harris, Dawkins, Rushdie...the last of the courageous critical thinkers.

[@paulotero5502]

Hardly the last. There will be more to come.

[@garypudup2109]

@@JoostJGJ Clearly you either haven't read them or understood them. None of them have any obligation as critical thinkers to respond to every delusional fallacy proposed by mystics, frauds, or charlatans, be they Popes, imams, or carnival barkers. A critical thinker is under no obligation to disprove splitting moons, winged beasts flying megalomaniacs about, Zombie messiahs or the Hammer of Thor.

[@garypudup2109]

@@JoostJGJ You clearly have not read Harris, Hitchens, or Dawkins. They all have a more thorough understanding of the precepts of the religions they criticize than you give them credit for. They all repeatedly have said he has never tried to disprove the existence of God, only that there is no evidence of a god. It seems you're the one who doesn't know of what he writes.

[@garypudup2109]

@@JoostJGJ Done that. Hitchens, Harris, Dawkins, and Rushdie are the last of the courageous critical thinkers. And you are proving the point.

[@garypudup2109]

@@JoostJGJ So? I can't believe you miss the point so easily

[@Who-qn5fl]

this is so wonderful! Rushdie & Hitchens my favourites.

[@bhriguaneja9453]

she's actually a professor at Emory

[@sourabhtiwri]

bhriguaneja wats her name?

[@timmarrier]

+Christopher Hitchens The beacon that makes light, the light that makes heat, the heat that impels fire, the fire that lights our way. You are indeed brave, good sir knight, and fight with the strengths of many men. May your words last forever, as they echo we grow stronger, and shatter our barriers. Rest, praeliator, your work here is finished. Thank you, amicus meus.

[@HamIsDie]

Thanks for the video, it made my afternoon.

[@bugder]

May the energy released and freed from you ride the light's path ... been and being a beacon for so so many .... Ad infinitum Christopher Hitchens

[@orunabho]

We miss him...

[@Netsmile]

Its especially sad watching this as on the eve when Salman Rushdie is fighting for his life in Hospital as he was stabbed multiple times at a public event in New York.

[@gobstoppa1633]

christopher took the argument to the source" clean an clinical, sadly missed, and always with fondness.

[@melese1988]

Can someone put or knows of the full(?) video? Thanx

[@AFMMarcelD]

I sorely miss Christopher Hitchens, seen all of his videos here in YT and in the Ágata Foundation channel, I proudly own all the books he wrote including the hard cover first edition of “god is Not Great” signed by the man himself, Science should have cloned this giant of reason, best speaker and thought provoking man I’ve ever seen or heard.

[@proudatheist2042]

I don't think science had the capability to clone a grown man before Christopher died. That's awesome that you have a copy of one of his books that he signed, though!

[@AFMMarcelD]

@@proudatheist2042 Indeed, the cloning part is wishful thinking on my part, god is Not Great goes to my son then to his after I croaked. Cheers!🍻 to Hitch’s legacy, and to our health.

[@billmago7991]

There's a certain Callistemon Tree in my home town in Australia that always reminds me of Salman Rushdie...his car had a magnetic attraction to it

[@prithvifox]

omg ... for the past few days ive been watching videos of christopher hitchens noted writer and atheist .. without realising he is dead the last video i watched had him arguing of gandhi's greatness i really dint like it ..but after finding out he is dead there are tears in my eyes ...i ve enjoyed this brilliant man destroying concepts of ignorance in politics and social behaviour i d like to say R I P but christopher wouldn't like that

[@jamesmusk508]

Been reading CH for years,if you have not done so do now and understand his arguments and witisism 👍🍻😂🍷

[@daantnikaal1350]

Hey may I know where to find the gandhi video?

[@RashidKhan-bk9hm]

Hitch was the best there was.

[@StinFriggins]

Currently taking a break while reading Midnight's Children. Rushdie is in my top three novelists, and Hitch -- Hitch is the voice I hear when I want to scout for holes in my arguments, and definitely in my interlocutor's. And to think that Fenton and Amis and McEwan were in this circle; I would've been intoxicated just being there.

[@jorgejohnson451]

0:51 “Enterprise”? From a wordsmith? Goodness. And goodbye.

[@wgscheve]

love rushdie, reading shame now. love hitchens

[@denisbyrnememphis]

Great command of English great fan

[@vergil4816]

The Booker of Bookers ❤️

[@Thecriticguy16]

Who is the lovely lady beside Salman? She seems to be everywhere with him.

[@nichoudha]

The professor of the class, I think she invites him as a guest speaker in discussion classes; probably once a year. I've had similar experiences with some college classes.

[@SS-mm5md]

Hitchens missed so much; as is Lennon. The world gives, and the world takes away.

[@Alan-71351]

Don't mention gum chewing Lennon in the same breath as Hitchens!.) 😂 We are talking about it ne of the smartest dudes ever, no t an opiniated writer of songs.

[@haribharadwaj1]

Ha ha.. I think she was feeling a little too conscious and uncomfortable with the camera on her.. But she sure looks hilariously awkward and funny..

[@wendellfugate4088]

G.K. Chesterton, I think he meant to say.

[@darrylschultz9395]

Rushdie says that Hitchens loved debating, and the thought occurred to me that if there was someone who loved debating with many people simultaneously, they could fairly be described as being a "mass debater". My question is, was Hitchens wit as outstanding and polished(and yes, more than a little mortifying)as THIS??!! In the profound and immortal words of President Potatohead Sleepy Joe Biden, "Aww, c'mon maaan!??".

[@venenareligioest410]

“We have come to think of taking offence as a fundamental right. We value very little more highly than our rage, which gives us, in our opinion, the moral high ground.” Sir Salman Rushdie Forensically examining Islam might ‘offend’ Muslims (everything does) get used to it! I am offended on a daily basis, by income tax, the price of petrol, the war in Ukraine, families being bombed in Syria by the Russians! I am particularly offended by narrow minded bigots who think the world revolves around them and their primitive superstitions from the dark ages! Islam is being critiqued and forensically examined, textually, archaeologically and historically and like the Bible and New Testament, it WILL be exposed!

[@Kkevra]

The woman to Salman's right needs to take it easy on the coffee--at least while in camera!

[@parramattaeels7928]

Karen k lol can't agree more

[@rahulkemp8347]

shes excited!!

[@Thecriticguy16]

You can say R.IP. Rest in peace is a secular statement. May god be with you is not, however. It's things like R.I.P that should stand firm to those that think God warrants for and is in charge of the dead.

[@bugder]

May the energy released and freed from you ride the light's path ... been and being a beacon for so so many .... Ad infinitum Christopher Hitchens

[@65ADORNO]

I didn't have any professors that looked like her. I wish I had. I would of been more 'engaged'..

[@amritt1989]

better a gold digger than a murderer.

[@nasreennasreen4741]

He is just playing for food he is not faithful Christianity

[@gogodaal7273]

Da fuk you talking about

[@WISDOMBITES1]

People often misjudge great oratory skills with great intelligence.Whilst Hitchens had a good command of the English in a posh accent (which is often a catalyst to fool the philistines) his arguments were masked in ridicule, demeaning and dehumanising his adversaries.When you check the facts he was often found wanting.His view on religion and especially Islam was based on the biased media version and if he had cared to read from a position of neutrality, rather then to confirm his bias and prejudices against Islam, he may well have become a Muslim, however slim the probability of that considering his diatribes against that religion.All these so-called Intelligentsia, including Rushdie, Dawkins and their ilk, seem to suffer the same myopic view when it comes to religion in general.The comments section here tells you all there is to know about independent thought and freedom to make up your own mind.

[@sourabhtiwri]

Miss his opinion about everything... Such a vast knowledge he had...I think he might have liked Trump.. Hopefully he is in peace ✌

[@bellevueace6]

Here's your answer (you might not like it...) kzbin.info/www/bejne/fauYip5rgt50bJI

[@JeffWells-cw2sw]

You actually think Hitchens of the towering intellect would have anything to do with that sleazeball Trump?????

[@justicepartyuk]

Rushdie was gold digger

[@Based_Druid]

justicepartyuk Mohamed was a pedophile.

[@johnwe9991]

Actually the gold went to him while people who were jealous of him looked on in despair.

[@hasanhyder3915]

The woman greedily gulping down the free drink cut a sorry figure

[@sparephone8228]

I never disliked Hitchens for being an atheist, that was his business. But I intensely disliked him for the false characature he painted of religions and religious people. I never once saw him debate a Muslim scholar, though I have seen his debates with Dines DeSouza and I actually think Dinesh got the better of him.