Jewish voice for Peace Hypocrisy Shines through at Northeastern

VP's strategy, as stated by executive director Rebecca Vilkomerson, is to create “a wedge” within the Jewish community to generate the impression of polarization over Israel.

From Jewish Voice for Peace, highlighting their hypocrisy, their tenuous grasps of facts, and their inability to predict the future.   This week's theme: the suspension of Northeastern University's SJP for repeatedly violating university guidelines.

Over 200 activists from a broad coalition of human rights and social justice organizations will rally in solidarity with the Northeastern chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) on Tuesday as two students face disciplinary hearings.

The protest is a response to the administration's suspension of the SJP-Northeastern chapter after months of discriminatory restrictions. Earlier this month, some SJP members distributed a mock eviction notice (clearly marked as not real) similar to those routinely posted on the homes of Palestinians before their homes are demolished. The students' intention was to raise awareness and promote dialogue about human rights violations. The two SJP members facing sanctions are women of color, while none of the white students who distributed the leaflets have been targeted.

 "We condemn the university's strong-arm tactics as blatant violations of free speech and dangerous attempts to suppress academic debate on campus," said Lisa Stampnitzky, a member of Jewish Voice for Peace-Boston, one of the co-sponsoring organizations.

Over 200 "will rally"?
Maybe 50 showed up

To JVP: Take a dose of inconvenient reality from Michael Armini, Senior Vice president for External Affairs at Northeastern University

 Separately, two students have been called to a disciplinary hearing for violating university rules related to allowing unauthorized guests in a residence hall. While these students are affiliated with the undergraduate SJP organization, the hearing concerns only the violations of these residence hall rules. It does not concern the speech or expression of these students. Contrary to some statements that have been circulated publicly, these students are not facing suspension or expulsion, for any reason.

This isn't about "free speech". Its about repeated refusal to abide by university guidelines.

Lisa Stampnitzky, a member Jewish Voice for Peace-Boston provided a classic moment of JVP hypocrisy, complaining of "outside pressure" while JVP marshaled  all the outside pressure they could manage.   After all, JVP was one of the outside organizations exerting pressure on the school-coordinating phone calls, providing sample scripts, and sponsoring demonstrations.

 "Northeastern caved to behind-the-scenes pressure," said Stampnitzky. "The administration has shown that it cares more about potential donors and powerful outside organizations that have put pressure on it than it does about its students' rights to free speech." 

No, Lisa, you're just upset that your organization's outside pressure was ineffective.

The JVP email urging its follows to inundate the office of the President of Northeastern University follows, complete with sample script.

24 Hours to Stand Up to Bullying at Northeastern University

Banning SJP at Northeastern is the latest assault in an ongoing pattern of silencing student activists nationwide. Across the country, campus activists face repression, from legislation targeting the American Studies Association’s academic boycott vote to spurious discrimination complaints at the University of California.

Call or email President Aoun today to ask him not to suspend Northeastern SJP: His email is presidentaoun@neu.edu and his phone number is (617) 373-2101. Please call before 5 PM E.T. on Friday.

 Phone calls send a stronger message than emails. If you're willing to make one, please do the following:
Call President Aoun using the below sample script.  Complete the form at the bottom of this page to confirm that you've made the call,  and let us know how it went.

  Sample Script

 Hello, this is [your name] from Jewish Voice for Peace. I am calling to express my concern that the Center for Student Involvement has issued a suspension of Northeastern University Students for Justice in Palestine.
    * This measure constitutes a violation of SJP’s freedom of speech rights, and is intended to silence their message on campus.
    * The suspension of SJP is politically motivated because the University administration disapproves of SJP’s message and believes it is potentially divisive.
    * Northeastern University is bowing to the pressures of outside interest groups and large donors, rather than protecting its own student’s fundamental rights. I urge you to reinstate SJP as an organization and take measures to ensure that this type of repression does not occur again.

Classic JVP- short on fact, high on victimhood.  After all, in the JVP playbook, neither the Palestinians nor the Palestinians supporters need ever play by the rules.