Mazin Qumsiyeh's dog and pony show coming to town

Any of you have the misfortune to find yourself on Mazin Qumsiyeh's email list? It often has a surrealistic quality, alternating between wild conspiracy theories, blatant anti-semitism, and garden variety hate. This weeks offering didn't disappoint. Mazin begins by expressing sympathy with the suffering in Japan. To Mazin, the Japanese are "worthy" victims. After all, they "support" the Palestinians.

Dear friends:

Our thoughts are with our friends in Japan. The Japanese people have stood
with us in Palestine and continue to do so. Our hearts are broken over the
devastation and loss of life that is the worst disaster in Japanese history
since the nuclear and other bombings of Japanese cities in WWII. Our
thoughts are also with the people of the Arab world as they face desperate
ruthless dictators.

Then he quickly segued into a classic anti-Semitic dehumanization of the Fogel family. The family of 5 are "settlers", a term meant to strip any humanity from the devastated young family. The devastation and loss of life in Itamar is dismissed with a rhetorical wave of the hand. "Settlers". Hardly even human.

In Palestine, settlers were killed by unknown person/persons in the illegal
Jewish-only colony (Itamar, one of teh (sic) most extremist of settlements built
on Palestinian lands). In the usual Zionist colonial “response”, the apartheid state decided to build 500 more houses for more racist settlers on Palestinian lands. Israeli interior minister claims more will be done (at least 1000 colonial houses for every colonial settler killed).

To Mazim, the Fogels are NOT "worthy" victims. No Jew could ever be. The murder of a family, including a 3 month old baby, slaughtered while asleep in her crib, is dismissed without a second thought. He continues his rant:

In my talks around the US (see schedule at http: //www.qumsiyeh. org/upcomingevents/), a handful of brainwashed individuals came armed with the glossy brochures from “Stand with Us”, a racist Zionist group that claims Israel is a democracy while trying to deflect attention from war crimes and crimes against humanity. Their costly brochures have so many blatant mistakes and myths .

Mazin, your cheap little emails have so many blatant mistakes and myths. Here's a start: Spell Check is your friend. Learn to use it

They seem to assume people can’t check facts for themselves. In trying to deflect attention from Israel by citing dictatorial Arab regimes, they fail to discuss the democratic situation in some Arab countries and the spreading democracy movement (which we think will come to Apartheid Israel). How can we deal with the propaganda? We intyensify (sic) our efforts at truth telling and BDS (boycotts, divestments, and sanctions) especially on land day March 30th.

Mazin Qumsiyeh's California schedule is posted below. We should all plan on giving him the welcome he deserves.

Stockton, CA:
March 31, Thursday, 7pm, Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Ave, Stockton, CA 95204. Contact: Gloria, gwfearn@mac.com
April 1, Friday, 11:00am, Lecture at the University of the Pacific School of International Studies, George Wilson Hall, 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, 95211. Contact Michael, mpcapurso@gmail.com

Walnut Creek, CA:
April 1, Friday, 15:00-16:30, Creekside Club House, Rossmoor - Walnut Creek, CA (the Creekside Club House is located at the corner of Rossmoor Parkway and Stanley Dollar Rd.) Contact: Eve evesegal@mac.com

San Jose:
April 1, Friday, 19:00-21:00, Community Presentation, Arab American Culture Center of Silicon Valley, San Jose. Contact: emad.yahya@gmail.com

Santa Cruz:
April 2, Saturday, 12 noon, Book-reading, Resource Center for Nonviolence, 515 Broadway, Santa Cruz, 95060 Contact: kenncruz@pacbell.net
April 2, Saturday, 2:30pm, Presentation and discussion, SubRosa: a community space, 703 Pacific Ave. (at Spruce St.), Santa Cruz Contact: kenncruz@pacbell.net
April 2, Saturday, 7pm, The New United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz, 250 California St., Santa Cruz, 95060 Contact Scott: kenncruz@pacbell.net

Sacramento:
April 3, Sunday, 9:30am AND 11:15am. Unitarian Universalist Society Of Sacramento, 2425 Sierra Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95825. Contact: Patricia pdmc1234@gmail.com
April 3, Sunday, 2pm, Time Tested Books, 1114 21st St., Sacramento. Contact Patricia pdmc1234@gmail.com
April 4, Monday, 12:30pm Sierra College, Rocklin campus, Room D-12. Contact: Sandra smcdonald@sierracollege.edu
April 5, Tuesday, 12:00 Sacramento City College, Cultural Awareness Center, 3835 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento. Contact: Patricia pdmc1234@gmail.com

Oakland:
April 3, Sunday, 7pm, First Congregational Church of Oakland (Sponsored by Sabeel) 2501 Harrison Street at 27th (Near 580 across from Whole Foods) Suggested donation $10. Contact: Hassan hfouda@yahoo.com

Chico:
April 4, Monday, 4pm, Butte Community College, Chico campus. Contact: Jeffery CrawfordJe@butte.edu
April 4, Monday, 7pm, Chico Friends Meeting House, Chico. Contact: Cathy, cathweb1@yahoo.com