UC Davis: the dirty dark core where BDS and anti-Semitism intersect

Grumble.

That didn't last long. There must be a 12 step program for Bloggers, somewhere.

But this is local and involves the dirty dark core where the BDS movement and anti-Semitism intersect, so it needs to be documented.

Earlier this week, the Student Council at UC Davis voted for divestment, passing a resolution  of alarming extremism.  It was a foregone conclusion that they would- the student anti-Israel groups had managed to elect their BDS slate . Senators Nicholas Sanchez, Anabiah Syed, Casey Nguyen, Reem Fatayerji, Azka Fayyaz, Roman Rivilis, Robyn Huey and Andrea Velazquez voted in favor of the resolution. Senators Artem Senchev and Eugenia Chung voted against it, Senator Alex Lee abstained. Senator Amelia Helland was not present.

A day after the resolution passed, 2 swastikas were sprayed onto the walls of Alpha Epsilon Pi, the Jewish fraternity at UC Davis. 

From the Sacramento Bee:

Nathaniel Bernhard, vice president of the AEPi fraternity, said the vandalism took place between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. Saturday. He condemned the action, saying the hate crime threatened to rekindle race tensions on the UC Davis campus. The fraternity building is located off of the campus.
“Jewish people still can’t feel safe on their own campuses and in their own houses,” Bernhard said. “Anti-setimism still exists today. It’s not a fairy tale.”


A member of the UC Davis student Senate Azka Fayyaz, celebrating the passage of an anti-Israel Divestment resolution  wrote on her facebook page "Hamas & Sharia law have taken over UC Davis. Brb crying over the resilience." And, "If a Movement is Not Controversial, if no one is mad enough, its not strong enough &;its not worth the fight. Israel will fall. insha'Allah."

The UC Davis Aggies are asking for help.

Please sign their petition at Aggies Demand Action:
http://aggiesdemandaction.nationbuilder.com/demad_action_against_hate

UPDATE via the Davis Vanguard

Yesterday morning Chancellor Linda Katehi issued a statement. She wrote, “Last evening the ASUCD Senate passed a resolution urging the UC Board of Regents to divest from four corporations that, according to the resolution, ‘aid in the Israeli occupation of Palestine.’”

She stressed, “This, however, does not reflect the position of UC Davis or the University of California system. The investment policy for the University of California system, including UC Davis, is set by the UC Board of Regents. The Board and Office of the President issued a statement regarding student resolutions that urge the Board to divest from companies doing business with Israel. The statement reiterates the Board’s position that this type of call to action will not be entertained.”

Chancellor Katehi continues, “We recognize that this is a sensitive topic for many on our campus, one that is very personal and emotional. It is for this reason that we must exercise sensitivity, restraint and respect in relation to the issue. Prior to the debate last night, those in attendance were reminded of our Principles of Community. We affirmed the right to freedom of expression, but also affirmed our commitment to the highest standards of civility and decency toward all.”

She writes, “A renowned international university, UC Davis manages academic and research programs across the globe and is home to a community of faculty, researchers and students from everywhere in the world. We believe that our shared goals of teaching, learning and serving the needs of society, in a climate of justice marked by respect for each other, will help us build a strong community of learning and fulfill our mission of educating the leaders of tomorrow and producing and disseminating knowledge.”

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article8865731.html#storylink=cpy