The unprecedented letter, signed by Frank Press and James B. Wyngaarden, NAS president and foreign secretary, respectively, cited "anti-Semitic writings" in Russo-phobia, a text written by Shafarevich. It also said, ". . . we are informed that there are few, if any, Jewish members of the Steklov Institute in Moscow. . is appropriate for you to maintain your membership in the National Academy of Sciences."
In the following essay, Shafarevich responds to the article in the September 28 issue of The Scientist and criticizes the academy's letter. He notes that although the letter implied that he is responsible for hiring decisions at the Steklov, in the past he was excluded from the Steklov's power structure. In retaliation for his dissident activities in the 1970s, he says, he was ousted from the Steklov's Scientific Council. He denies that he has prevented Jews from publishing, as a quote from Wyngaarden in The ...