UC Davis has the ignoble distinction of being on the top ten list of antisemitic universities in America. Over the years, events put on by Jewish organizations have been disrupted There has been anti-Semitic graffiti and vandalism on campus. Anti-Semitic flyers have been distributed on campus. Swastikas were painted on a Jewish fraternity house.
Last year, Jewish student leaders and UC Davis officials met with the intention of improving campus climate for Jewish students and combating antisemitism. The administration agreed to host a town hall and a series of workshops with the ADL.
Following outcry from Students for Justice in Palestine, the workshops were never held. An SJP petition , with 149 signatures was presented , with the demand that Jewish Voice for Peace instead conduct the workshops.
From the Daily Aggie
Following the submission of a petition from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) against the ADL workshops, however, none of the planned ADL-hosted workshops have presently been scheduled, according to Associate Vice Chancellor Sheri Atkinson.
In early December, Chancellor May mentioned in an interview with The California Aggie the mutually-agreed upon commitments made with Jewish students and administrators.
“We came up with a series of things we were going to do, including a town hall and some training from the ADL to improve the campus climate,” he said at the time. “I think after that meeting, everyone came away feeling like we were in a partnership mode rather than an adversarial mode.”
It is now unclear whether the university plans to follow through on this commitment in the near future.
A recent editorial in the UC Davis student run paper, the Daily Aggie called the University officials out on their failure to satisfactorily address the issue of antisemitism, writing
Well-intentioned groups must also understand that anti-Semitism exists on both the right and the left — in both explicit and implicit forms. Certain leftist groups have historically excluded Jews from liberal spaces because of actual or assumed Zionist ideologies. Anti-Semitism is often wrongly delegitimized. Like any other reprehensible form of discrimination, this form of hatred must be unequivocally and unilaterally condemned and denounced by university and student leaders.
It is undeniable that anti-Semitism is present on campus and in the Davis community. This is not a solitary incident and should not be treated as such. Discrimination in this form requires and deserves both short-term and long-term action. The campus community must know that anti-Semitism of any kind will not be tolerated.
Showing posts with label UC Davis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UC Davis. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Thursday, February 19, 2015
UC Davis Divestment overturned
Aw. Azka Fayyaz will be so disappointed. Looks like Hamas and Sharia will not be coming to UC Davis any time soon.
Today, the six-member Court of Associated Students at U.C. Davis overturned a divestment resolution passed at U.C. Davis last month by the Student senate.
Via the J Weekly
According to a spokesperson for the pro-Israel organization StandWithUs, "the resolution was overruled because it was found not to be sufficiently enough about student welfare."
The court ruled 5-0 with one abstention in favor of Jonathan Mitchell, who had filed a case with the court contending that the Associated Students U.C. Davis had failed to adhere to its own constitution in passing the Israel divestment resolution 8-2 with two abstentions on Jan. 29.
A court statement dated Feb. 19 found the ASUCD "guilty of Article IV Subsection 5 of the ASUCD Constitution, regarding [the Jan. 29 divestment resolution], which states: ‘The senate shall, by a majority vote of the entire senate, pass legislation to (1) adopt or revise policies and regulations for the smooth and efficient operation of the ASUCD, (2) express the opinions of the ASUCD on matters concerning student welfare, and (3) take other actions necessary to promote the welfare and interests of the ASUCD membership, subject to the limitations enumerated in this constitution.'"
The court's statement added: "After much deliberation, this bench concluded that politicalized resolutions passed through senate can and must be primarily concerning student welfare."
The statement continued: "We have found [the Jan. 29 divestment resolution] to be PRIMARILY a political document and did not deal with student welfare to the extent that allowed the ASUCD Senate jurisdiction to pass. We also conclude however that senate is free to pass resolutions concerning ‘divestment' and topics related to [the Jan. 29 resolution] so long as the focus and primary purpose is with student welfare and not a political one."
For more information on the BDS reversal at UC Davis, see:
Cal-Davis student court strikes down anti-Israel resolution
UC Davis student court says campus senators overreached on Israel divestment vote
Israel Divestment Resolution Overturned at UC Davis
Today, the six-member Court of Associated Students at U.C. Davis overturned a divestment resolution passed at U.C. Davis last month by the Student senate.
Via the J Weekly
According to a spokesperson for the pro-Israel organization StandWithUs, "the resolution was overruled because it was found not to be sufficiently enough about student welfare."
The court ruled 5-0 with one abstention in favor of Jonathan Mitchell, who had filed a case with the court contending that the Associated Students U.C. Davis had failed to adhere to its own constitution in passing the Israel divestment resolution 8-2 with two abstentions on Jan. 29.
A court statement dated Feb. 19 found the ASUCD "guilty of Article IV Subsection 5 of the ASUCD Constitution, regarding [the Jan. 29 divestment resolution], which states: ‘The senate shall, by a majority vote of the entire senate, pass legislation to (1) adopt or revise policies and regulations for the smooth and efficient operation of the ASUCD, (2) express the opinions of the ASUCD on matters concerning student welfare, and (3) take other actions necessary to promote the welfare and interests of the ASUCD membership, subject to the limitations enumerated in this constitution.'"
The court's statement added: "After much deliberation, this bench concluded that politicalized resolutions passed through senate can and must be primarily concerning student welfare."
The statement continued: "We have found [the Jan. 29 divestment resolution] to be PRIMARILY a political document and did not deal with student welfare to the extent that allowed the ASUCD Senate jurisdiction to pass. We also conclude however that senate is free to pass resolutions concerning ‘divestment' and topics related to [the Jan. 29 resolution] so long as the focus and primary purpose is with student welfare and not a political one."
For more information on the BDS reversal at UC Davis, see:
Cal-Davis student court strikes down anti-Israel resolution
UC Davis student court says campus senators overreached on Israel divestment vote
Israel Divestment Resolution Overturned at UC Davis
Thursday, February 5, 2015
JVP tries to change the conversation at Davis
Jewish voice for Peace picks up its marketing strategy from Don Draper and Mad Men:
"If you don't like what is being said, then change the conversation."
Via Gabi Kirk, the paid JVP shill who is a regular at California Campus divestment proceedings.
"If you don't like what is being said, then change the conversation."
Via Gabi Kirk, the paid JVP shill who is a regular at California Campus divestment proceedings.
Gabi Kirk doesn't seem genuinely concerned with the feelings of the Jewish students targeted in their homes- she cares only about the media, and how to spin the news.
She writes:
She writes:
As
you already know UC Davis passed a divestment resolution this week.
Earlier today, it was discovered that the Jewish fraternity house AEPi
was spray painted with two swastikas.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article8865731.html
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article8865731.html
Almost
all media coverage has tied together this hate crime with divestment
and quoted AEPi students claiming it was because of divestment that this
happened. We are hoping to lift up the statement below from SJP and
their allies, saying how we are proud to work in a coalition with SJP
and all the others signed on, in support of human rights, and how we
also condemn both hate crimes and efforts to group non-violent efforts
like divestment in with these hate crimes.
Sac Bee could use some letters to the editor and please feel free to share other media coverage that warrants a response.
Gabi Kirk often comes across as bitter and jealous.
Gabi Kirk often comes across as bitter and jealous.
"As a Jew", Gabi, don't you want Jewish students to have a safe place on campus?
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
International Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi stands with its brothers at UC Davis
Andrew Borans of the International Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi issued a strong statement of solidarity with our brothers at UC Davis.
Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the anti-Semitic hate crime that occurred this past Saturday morning at the University of California, Davis. (UC-Davis)
AEPi’s 9,000 undergraduate and 85,000 alumni brothers stand strongly in solidarity and support with our brothers at UC-Davis.
On campuses throughout North America and Europe, AEPi brothers have been leading the Jewish community and leading the student movement to defend Israel. Because of that leadership, in the last few months alone, our brothers have been the targets of anti-Semitic attacks at a dozen universities including Oregon, the Claremont Colleges, Arizona, Calgary, Loyola, Ohio, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, Temple, Emory, SUNY-Oneonta, Tufts and, now, in Davis.
Last week, our UC-Davis brothers proudly defended Israel while the student government voted to adopt a hostile anti-Israel resolution. Within hours of that vote, during the Sabbath night, our fraternity house was vandalized with swastikas. Anti-Semitism is on the rise on college campuses across the world, and the “BDS movement” — the effort to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel — is the chief face of campus anti-Semitism.
Alpha Epsilon Pi International has dispatched staff and security experts to Davis to assure that our brothers are safe in their university and safe when expressing their Judaism and support for Israel. We are cooperating with university and law enforcement authorities in the ongoing criminal investigation. Additionally, we are working in coordination with the Secure Community Network — the national homeland security initiative of the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations — to assure the safety of our Brothers across the world and to educate students, college administrators, and local communities about the rising tide of anti-Semitism.
AEPi will not allow any brother — or any Jew — on any campus to be intimidated or threatened because of their ethnicity or their support for Israel.
He followed up with a statement reassuring the parents of students in the fraternity.
Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the anti-Semitic hate crime that occurred this past Saturday morning at the University of California, Davis. (UC-Davis)
AEPi’s 9,000 undergraduate and 85,000 alumni brothers stand strongly in solidarity and support with our brothers at UC-Davis.
On campuses throughout North America and Europe, AEPi brothers have been leading the Jewish community and leading the student movement to defend Israel. Because of that leadership, in the last few months alone, our brothers have been the targets of anti-Semitic attacks at a dozen universities including Oregon, the Claremont Colleges, Arizona, Calgary, Loyola, Ohio, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, Temple, Emory, SUNY-Oneonta, Tufts and, now, in Davis.
Last week, our UC-Davis brothers proudly defended Israel while the student government voted to adopt a hostile anti-Israel resolution. Within hours of that vote, during the Sabbath night, our fraternity house was vandalized with swastikas. Anti-Semitism is on the rise on college campuses across the world, and the “BDS movement” — the effort to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel — is the chief face of campus anti-Semitism.
Alpha Epsilon Pi International has dispatched staff and security experts to Davis to assure that our brothers are safe in their university and safe when expressing their Judaism and support for Israel. We are cooperating with university and law enforcement authorities in the ongoing criminal investigation. Additionally, we are working in coordination with the Secure Community Network — the national homeland security initiative of the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations — to assure the safety of our Brothers across the world and to educate students, college administrators, and local communities about the rising tide of anti-Semitism.
AEPi will not allow any brother — or any Jew — on any campus to be intimidated or threatened because of their ethnicity or their support for Israel.
He followed up with a statement reassuring the parents of students in the fraternity.
In which UC Davis Senator Azka Fayyaz attempts to play victim
Today the Daily Aggie, the school paper of UC Davis contained an op-ed by Azka Fayyaz, entitled "Letter to the community from ASUCD senator Azka Fayyaz". Its not an apology. Azka's a bit upset about her recent notoriety, and wants everyone to know for a certainty, that she is the victim. Really she is.
She writes:
On Thursday, January 29, 2015, after the ASUCD Senate voted “Yes” by a supermajority to pass the Divestment Resolution, I posted a picture with the Pro-Divestment community on my personal Facebook with a satirical caption. Although I made a comment on the picture stating that the caption was satirical, the anti-divestment community conveniently left out the comment from the rest of the picture and took the caption out of context.
Her claim isn’t valid- the comments are posted in context, and there is nothing that indicates that her deeply offensive statements were anything other than her sincere feelings.
It was a screen shot, Azka. If it were edited or altered you'd be able to prove it. Its your Facebook account.
Instead, Azka, you took it down.
Do you really expect us to believe this is satire ?
If you were convinced that the context of your statement would exonerate you, why did you immediately close down your Facebook page?
The depth of her animosity towards those who disagree with her extremist views is made crystal clear with her statement, published in the Aggie. To this Muslim Student Association activist, her students peers are part of the "Zionist lobby', and their only motivation could possibly be money.
As a veiled, Muslim senator, I have been attacked many times during my term by the anti-divestment community on campus, specifically the leadership of both AEPi, the Jewish fraternity at UC Davis, and Aggies for Israel, who have made it their mission to harass me over social media and actively censor my online presence during this summer’s atrocious Operation Protective Edge, which resulted in the death of over 2,000 Gazans. More specifically, these communities have violently stalked me on Facebook and reported the contents of my profile to the Zionist lobby groups which they have been paid to represent.
A simple adjustment of your Facebook privacy setting would have taken care of that, Azka. And if you hadn't conveniently hidden your account your claims of being “violently stalked” and “harassed” on Facebook could be easily substantiated.
Azka Fayyaz concludes "My hope is that any intelligent person is able to discern between satire and fact."
We can, Azka. Yes we can. And that why we fear for the future of UC Davis.
She writes:
On Thursday, January 29, 2015, after the ASUCD Senate voted “Yes” by a supermajority to pass the Divestment Resolution, I posted a picture with the Pro-Divestment community on my personal Facebook with a satirical caption. Although I made a comment on the picture stating that the caption was satirical, the anti-divestment community conveniently left out the comment from the rest of the picture and took the caption out of context.
Her claim isn’t valid- the comments are posted in context, and there is nothing that indicates that her deeply offensive statements were anything other than her sincere feelings.
It was a screen shot, Azka. If it were edited or altered you'd be able to prove it. Its your Facebook account.
Instead, Azka, you took it down.
Do you really expect us to believe this is satire ?
If you were convinced that the context of your statement would exonerate you, why did you immediately close down your Facebook page?
The depth of her animosity towards those who disagree with her extremist views is made crystal clear with her statement, published in the Aggie. To this Muslim Student Association activist, her students peers are part of the "Zionist lobby', and their only motivation could possibly be money.
As a veiled, Muslim senator, I have been attacked many times during my term by the anti-divestment community on campus, specifically the leadership of both AEPi, the Jewish fraternity at UC Davis, and Aggies for Israel, who have made it their mission to harass me over social media and actively censor my online presence during this summer’s atrocious Operation Protective Edge, which resulted in the death of over 2,000 Gazans. More specifically, these communities have violently stalked me on Facebook and reported the contents of my profile to the Zionist lobby groups which they have been paid to represent.
A simple adjustment of your Facebook privacy setting would have taken care of that, Azka. And if you hadn't conveniently hidden your account your claims of being “violently stalked” and “harassed” on Facebook could be easily substantiated.
Azka Fayyaz concludes "My hope is that any intelligent person is able to discern between satire and fact."
We can, Azka. Yes we can. And that why we fear for the future of UC Davis.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Meet the UC Davis student who celebrates Hamas and Sharia: Azka Fayyaz.
Who is Azka Fayyaz, the Student Senator at UC Davis who celebrated BDS as a victory for "Hamas and Sharia " on her campus?
Platforms:
1. CREATE A CAMPUS-WIDE CALENDAR
Currently, students are largely unaware of the incredible events that can be found on our campus every day. These missed opportunities are both tragic and easy to address: create a centralized calendar for all students to read and contribute to, compiling information from dozens of currently disjointed systems. If elected, I will ensure that the UC Davis population is able to find out about these great opportunities with the creation of a new ASUCD unit.
2. INCREASE CLUB FINANCE COUNCIL FUNDING
According to student leaders and the staff director of the Club Finance Council, the organization’s budget does not meet the needs of the more than 600 clubs who can apply for funding. This funding goes towards creating collaborative and exciting events, but for the last few years, no organization has received the full amount that CFC has determined they should get for the event. I want to reinvest in ASUCD’s most profitable ventures so that we can, in turn, reinvest in one of our Association's greatest resources and meet the needs of CFC.
3. ADVOCATE FOR MORE QUIET SPACES FOR STUDY, REFLECTION, AND PRAYER
With our growing student population, spaces that provide sanctuary for prayer, reflection, and study have become increasingly limited and overcrowded. Fortunately, this increase comes alongside our Association's growing involvement in campus renovations. If elected, I will be the strongest advocate imaginable for quiet spaces, so that students may find respite in prayer, reflection, and study during our long days on campus.
Azka Fayyaz clearly believes in meaningful discourse, as she holds a poster labeling Netanyahu as "Hitler's illegitimate child". Note the horns.
Via Scott Dresser on Twitter:
There is nothing in
her campaign statement that indicates she will use her position to
advocate for divestment There is nothing in her campaign platform to
indicate her support for avowed terror groups.
Azka wrote:
Hello Aggies, My name is Azka. Azka Fayyaz. I am a
second-year political science major from the beautiful central valley
town of Madera, CA. Currently, I am an active member of organizations
for students of color including various Middle Eastern and South Asian
communities such as the Muslim and Pakistani Student Associations.
Additionally, I have taken dynamic roles within ASUCD by serving on the
External Affairs Commission and by working with Senator Miles Thomas as a
member of his senior staff. Last quarter, I consummated my duties as
the head of logistics for the the Muslim Student Association’s West
conference, which welcomed over 1,000 attendees to our beautiful campus.
In this role, I worked closely with high level UC Davis administration,
as well as faculty and students from a host of communities. This
opportunity gave me both critical insight into how the school is run
from behind the scenes and the places where student concerns were not
being met. To address these issues and many more, I ask for your support
in my bid to become your ASUCD Senator. My initiatives range from
implementing a holistic campus calendar to creating a more robust Club
Finance Council, and actively working with administration for an
expansion of quiet spaces for study, reflection and prayer.
If divestment wasn't part of the platform that led to the election of Azka
Fayyaz, why does anyone think she has a mandate from the student body
to proceed in that direction? There is nothing in her platform to
indicate her extremist politics.
Platforms:
1. CREATE A CAMPUS-WIDE CALENDAR
Currently, students are largely unaware of the incredible events that can be found on our campus every day. These missed opportunities are both tragic and easy to address: create a centralized calendar for all students to read and contribute to, compiling information from dozens of currently disjointed systems. If elected, I will ensure that the UC Davis population is able to find out about these great opportunities with the creation of a new ASUCD unit.
2. INCREASE CLUB FINANCE COUNCIL FUNDING
According to student leaders and the staff director of the Club Finance Council, the organization’s budget does not meet the needs of the more than 600 clubs who can apply for funding. This funding goes towards creating collaborative and exciting events, but for the last few years, no organization has received the full amount that CFC has determined they should get for the event. I want to reinvest in ASUCD’s most profitable ventures so that we can, in turn, reinvest in one of our Association's greatest resources and meet the needs of CFC.
3. ADVOCATE FOR MORE QUIET SPACES FOR STUDY, REFLECTION, AND PRAYER
With our growing student population, spaces that provide sanctuary for prayer, reflection, and study have become increasingly limited and overcrowded. Fortunately, this increase comes alongside our Association's growing involvement in campus renovations. If elected, I will be the strongest advocate imaginable for quiet spaces, so that students may find respite in prayer, reflection, and study during our long days on campus.
Azka Fayyaz clearly believes in meaningful discourse, as she holds a poster labeling Netanyahu as "Hitler's illegitimate child". Note the horns.
Via Scott Dresser on Twitter:
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
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.
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.”
Friday, May 9, 2014
BDS fails of the Week: the local edition.
Whole lot of Bay Area BDS fails this week.
First, courtesy of Rebecca Armstrong Pierce, a local anti-Israel activist and occasional Mondoweiss writer, via Twitter
Apparently BDS attempts to intimidate a local store-manager into de-shelving Israeli products failed miserably. Aldea is at 20th and Mission, folks. A buycott and a round of thanks are in order.
Thanks for sharing, Rebecca.
The campus divestment movement suffered yet another setback at UC Davis as the Aggies for Israel fought back against the BDS bullies, and prevailed. The vote was 5-5, with 3 abstentions. The resolution ultimately failed when the Senate Vice President declined to break the tie.
And finally, Sonoma county has renewed its contract with transportation giant Veolia, in spite of a massive pressure campaign led by the North Coast Coalition for Palestine. Interestingly enough, the coalition declared "victory' in their campaign last November. They even had a party. Oops.
.
Guess they're right. Denial isn't just a river in Egypt. For the BDS cru, its a life-style choice.
First, courtesy of Rebecca Armstrong Pierce, a local anti-Israel activist and occasional Mondoweiss writer, via Twitter
Thanks for sharing, Rebecca.
The campus divestment movement suffered yet another setback at UC Davis as the Aggies for Israel fought back against the BDS bullies, and prevailed. The vote was 5-5, with 3 abstentions. The resolution ultimately failed when the Senate Vice President declined to break the tie.
And finally, Sonoma county has renewed its contract with transportation giant Veolia, in spite of a massive pressure campaign led by the North Coast Coalition for Palestine. Interestingly enough, the coalition declared "victory' in their campaign last November. They even had a party. Oops.
Guess they're right. Denial isn't just a river in Egypt. For the BDS cru, its a life-style choice.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Dutton Hall at UC Davis Occupied by Anti-Israel activists
Today, Dutton hall at U.C. Davis was "occupied" by anti-Israel activists, using banners and tactics recycled from earlier protests. Yawn. Its just a very public tantrum following the defeat of an Israel divestment initiative at Davis.
The photos are just charming.
Via the Davis Vanguard
This posting from the comments section is particularly interesting
From J.R., posted 05/16/13 - 06:04 PM
The photos are just charming.
Via the Davis Vanguard
This posting from the comments section is particularly interesting
From J.R., posted 05/16/13 - 06:04 PM
More details as they become available....
Monday, January 28, 2013
Jewish students threatened at UC Davis event
From an open letter by Tammi Benjamin, of the AMCHA Initiative sent to UC President Mark Yudof, the UC Regents , the UC Chancellors,UC General Counsel Charles Robinson ,UC Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture, and Inclusion (c/o Jesse Bernal) ,UC Davis Counsel Steven Drown,California Speaker of the Assembly John A. Perez ,California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson ,California State Senator Lois Wolk (Davis) ,California State Assembly Member Mariko Yamada (Davis) ,Congressman John Garamendi (3rd District) and members and supporters of the Jewish community
From: Tammi Benjamin
Subject: Jewish students threatened at UC Davis event
Dear Chancellor Katehi,
As you know, we are faculty members at the University of California, who have been investigating and documenting anti-Jewish bigotry on California public university campuses for the last several years.
We are writing to you now to express our serious concern regarding an incident that occurred during a student protest on November 19, 2012, during which UCD students “occupied” an administration building on campus. We believe that numerous violations of state and federal law and university policy may have occurred at the event. To our knowledge, your administration has neither acknowledged nor addressed these violations.
In addition, it appears that at least 5 university administrators, including the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, were present and witnessed much of this behavior, yet they did not take action to ensure the safety of the students who were targets of possible assault and hate crimes. Please see below for an account of the events as well as the federal and state laws and university policies which were potentially violated as a result of them.
Detailed Account of Events
Takeover of Dutton Hall
We have learned the following from newspaper articles, on-line videos, and conversations with Jewish students who attended the rally on the East Quad and the subsequent "occupation" of Dutton Hall.
At 12:30pm on November 19, a rally entitled "March in Solidarity with Gaza," sponsored by the Graduate Student Association, began on the East Quad. (See HERE for an announcement of the rally).
At approximately 2pm, about 40 of the protesters marched from the East Quad to Dutton Hall, where they hung a larger banner that read "DAVIS+GAZA ARE ONE FIST" from the building's entryway and "occupied" the building's entrance hall. Several protesters held anti-Israel and anti-Zionist signs and large banners, two of which read "DEATH TO ZIONISM" and "LONG LIVE THE INTIFADA!"
The occupation leaders refused entry to Jewish students who were known to identify with the Jewish state, and at least one Jewish student associated with a pro-Israel group on campus reported that when he tried to enter Dutton Hall at the beginning of the "occupation," a rally organizer physically blocked his entry through the front doors and refused to let him pass, because he was a "Zionist."
At about 2:15pm, three Jewish students managed to slip into Dutton Hall, and one of them proceeded to film the discussion taking place inside the "occupied" entrance hall. Although a chief complaint of the "occupiers" was that pro-Palestinian students were being stifled on campus and not afforded their constitutionally-guaranteed right to freedom of speech, nevertheless, several times in the 20 minutes of the rally captured on video, the "occupiers" themselves expressed the sentiment that "Zionists," including pro-Israel students at UCD, should not be given freedom of speech. For example, when a Jewish student wanted to know whether free speech could involve a civil discussion between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian perspectives, the leader answered, "I would say absolutely not. I would never discuss anything with Hitler. He is our enemy...there's no question of free speech when it comes to the Nazis. And the KKK, when they march in Sacramento and the cops defend them...you should not talk to these white supremacist, racist, mother-fuckers."
Escalation of the Protest
At about 2:30pm the rally leader said, "I just want everyone to know that there are Zionists filming everything we’re saying, and I think we should ask them to leave." Several protesters demanded that the Jewish students leave the public building, loudly chanting “Leave our space” and “Shame on you” repeatedly, and accusing the Jewish students of “hate speech” because of their support for Israel
After the Jewish student stopped filming, most of the 40 protesters surrounded the Jewish students, who were standing up against a wall of windows, and screamed "Death to Israel," "Fuck Israel," and other curses. For about 10 minutes the protesters, many of whom stood 1 to 2 feet away from the Jewish students, continued to scream at the Jewish students to leave Dutton Hall and pounded their fists into their hands in a threatening way. Although the Jewish students were not physically harmed, they reported feeling physically and emotionally harassed and threatened until they finally managed to leave the building.
When an Aggie photographer who had photographed the confrontation inside the hall followed the Jewish students outside for comments and contact information, protesters at the rally turned on him and demanded to see his photos of the physical confrontation and that he delete them. Aggie staff members were also told by protesters that unless they were on the side of the "occupiers," they would also have to leave the administration building.
See article written by an Aggie staff member HERE. In the article, the staff member asserts, “We witnessed many students…[end] up leaving, disgusted, as soon as the bullying began. Free speech is crucial. Ideally, our campus would be rife with protests, counter-protests and open dialogue regularly. But if students are scared to speak — scared of other students who resort to intimidation tactics — we have a serious problem.”
At approximately 2:45pm, after a student in Dutton Hall expressed disagreement with one of the protest signs, a protester grabbed his collar, raised his fist and forced the student to leave the building.
UCD and Staff Member Witnesses of Event
According to a student outside of Dutton Hall at the time of the "occupation," 3 UCD administrators (the Vice Chancellor and 2 Associate Vice Chancellors of Student Affairs) and 2 staff members associated with the Center for Student Involvement were right outside the building during the "occupation." According to one of the 3 Jewish students surrounded by protesters inside Dutton Hall, since she and her friends were standing against a bank of windows which were in full view of those standing outside, she believed the 5 administrators and staff members could see them being harassed and intimidated by the mob of protesters.
The administrators and staff standing outside did nothing to help the 3 Jewish students, but when they exited the building, one of the administrators asked one of the students if she was OK, which suggests that the administrator had witnessed the violent behavior of the protestors but did not take action. The Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, who it appears also witnessed the protestors’ behavior toward the Jewish students, spoke earlier that afternoon at the rally on the East Quad, where she was quoted as saying: “I will not permit violence to occur in the context of free speech.” There were no other administrators, staff or faculty present at the rally inside Dutton Hall, and at no time did any campus police appear in or near the hall.
Violations of Federal, State, and University Policy
We would like to bring to your attention the following aspects of this deeply troubling series of events:
1) We believe that incidents of this sort have the potential to create liability under the following legal authority:
Civil assault (Restatement 2d, Torts §21) - "An actor is subject to liability to another for assault if (a) he acts intending to cause a harmful or offensive contact with a person, or an imminent apprehension of such a contact, and (b) the other is thereby put in such imminent apprehension."
Civil battery (Restatement 2d, Torts §13,18) - "An actor is subject to liability to another for battery if (a) he acts intending to cause a harmful or offensive contact with a person, and (b) harmful or offensive contact with the person directly results."
Criminal assault (CA Penal Code 240) - Assault is "an unlawful attempt, coupled with a present ability, to commit a violent injury on the person of another." To be charged with criminal assault, physical contact is not required. A person must simply place another in reasonable fear of immediate bodily harm.
Criminal battery (CA Penal Code 242) - Battery is "any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon the person of another."
Disturbing the peace (CA Penal Code 415(3) - It is illegal to “…maliciously and willfully disturb another person by loud and unreasonable noise…[and to] use offensive words in a public place which are inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction.” In other words, it is illegal to use “offensive words” that “necessarily invite a breach of the peace.”
CA Civil Code 51.7 “The Ralph Civil Rights Act” - "All persons within the jurisdiction of this state have the right to be free from any violence, or intimidation by threat of violence, committed against their persons or property because of their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or position in a labor dispute, or because another person perceives them to have one or more of those characteristics."
CA Civil Code 52.1 “The Bane Civil Rights Act” - "If a person or persons, whether or not acting under color of law, interferes by threats, intimidation, or coercion, or attempts to interfere by threats, intimidation, or coercion, with the exercise or enjoyment by any individual or individuals of rights secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or of the rights secured by the Constitution or laws of this state, the Attorney General, or any district attorney or city attorney may bring a civil action for injunctive and other appropriate equitable relief in the name of the people of the State of California, in order to protect the peaceable exercise or enjoyment of the right or rights secured."
CA Penal Code 422.6 - "No person, whether or not acting under color of law, shall by force or threat of force, willfully injure, intimidate, interfere with, oppress, or threaten any other person in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him or her by the Constitution or laws of this state or by the Constitution or laws of the United States in whole or in part because of one or more of the actual or perceived characteristics of the victim."
Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act – Prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance.
2) We believe the protesters' behavior may have violated the following UC Davis policies and principles:
UC Standards of Conduct for Students 102.06 - prohibiting the “unauthorized possession…of any University properties.”
UC Standards of Conduct for Students 102.08 - prohibiting “physical assault, including threats of violence, or other conduct that threatens the health or safety of a person.”
UC Standards of Conduct for Students 102.09 - prohibiting racial and other forms of harassment, defined as “conduct that is so severe…objectively offensive, and so substantially impairs a person’s access to University programs or activities, that the person is effectively denied equal access to the University’s resources and opportunities on the basis of his or her race…national or ethnic origin, alienage, religion…or perceived membership in any of these classifications.”
UC Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations and Students (PACAOS) Section 30 - “The University is committed to assuring that all persons may exercise the constitutionally protected rights of free expression, speech, assembly, and worship…It is the responsibility of the Chancellor to assure an ongoing opportunity for the expression of a variety of viewpoints.”
UC Davis Policies and Procedures Manual Ch. 270 Section 05(C) - “The University prohibits illegal, arbitrary, or unreasonable discriminatory practices. Campus organizations receiving University privileges, assistance, or supervision must abide by the University’s policy on nondiscrimination to qualify for any University privileges or assistance.”
UC Davis Policies and Procedures Manual Ch. 270 Section 20 - Public expression in the form of freedom of speech and advocacy may be exercised on University properties at such times and places and in such a manner as is compatible with the use of the property and as follows: 1) Assures orderly conduct; 2) Avoids disruption or interference with University operations; 3) Allows for the free flow of persons and traffic; 4) Avoids disruption or interference with the ability of the University to carry out its responsibilities as an educational institution; 5) Protects the rights of all individuals who use University properties; 6) Protects persons against practices that would make them involuntary audiences; 7) Assures the safety of all members of the University community; 8) Does not interfere with property entrances or exits.
UC Davis Student Judicial Affairs Statement on Free Expression - “Efforts to quell unpopular opinions (e.g., by shouting down a speaker) stifle discourse and cut off dialogue…Even legal acts of intolerance and incivility erode our capacity to trust, and to work, live, and learn together...We can uphold both the need for respect and understanding and the right of free speech by responding appropriately to each incident. Crimes must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent, and infringement of civil rights must be addressed by campus administrative processes and/or state or federal agencies. Discriminatory acts or violations of campus conduct standards, including disruption, are subject to disciplinary sanctions or grievances.”
UC Davis Principles of Community - “strives to maintain a climate of justice marked by respect for each other….affirms the right of freedom of expression…and commitment to the highest standards of civility and decency towards all…recognizing the right of every individual to think and speak as dictated by personal belief, to express any idea, and to disagree with or counter another's point of view… promoting open expression of our individuality and our diversity within the bounds of courtesy, sensitivity and respect.” In addition UC Davis vows to “confront and reject all manifestations of discrimination, including those based on race, ethnicity…religious or political beliefs, status…or any of the other differences among people which have been excuses for misunderstanding, dissension or hatred…striving to build a true community based on mutual respect and caring."
3) We believe the UCD administrators and staff members who witnessed the illegal and unethical behavior of the protestors but did not take action may have been negligent in carrying out their administrative responsibilities:
The Vice Chancellor and 2 Associate Vice Chancellors of Student Affairs who witnessed the "occupation" are responsible for Student Judicial Affairs, whose role is to enforce community standards and campus codes of conduct. As noted above, the protestors were in blatant violation of several UC policies which have the primary goal of ensuring student safety. Evidence points to the fact that the administrators were aware of most, if not all, of these violations, and that student safety was being threatened as a result of their inaction.
Two staff members from the UCD Center for Student Involvement witnessed the "occupation." CSI avows that it promotes the UC Davis Principles of Community, which affirm the right of freedom of expression within the Davis community and its commitment to the highest standards of civility and respect, by helping students learn from each other in a safe and constructive environment. However, during the solidarity rally, the protestors were in blatant violation of the Principles of Community in addition to violating 7 UCD students’ rights of free expression. Protestors also failed to treat these students with civility and respect. The staff members from this department did not ensure a safe and constructive environment for students when they failed to intervene during a student group’s assault, harassment and violation of fellow students’ rights.
Outcome of the Events
Jewish UCD students, within sight of UCD administrators and on public university property, were harassed, intimidated, and physically threatened. This is an abrogation of university policy and unlawful.
We are deeply concerned about the virulent and hate-filled actions taking place on the UCD campus as a result of students’ religion and beliefs. And we are also concerned for the safety and well-being of Jewish students who want to feel free to express their beliefs and attend public university events without fear of harm or intimidation.
As the Chancellor of UC Davis, we know that you too have these same concerns.
As a result, the following are important actions that we urge you to take now in order to protect the physical and emotional safety and civil rights of Jewish (and all) students on your campus:
University policy must spell out actions that campus police, administrators, and staff are responsible for taking to ensure the safety and civil rights of all students, and we urge that this policy be published widely to the campus community.
Police, administrators, and staff must be immediately informed about actions they should take and protocols they can access to afford all members of the campus community — including Jewish students — the protections that are afforded to them under University policy and state and federal law.
Perpetrators of disruptive and threatening behavior must be identified and appropriately disciplined.
The University Chancellor should use her First Amendment rights to consistently and publicly condemn behavior which targets other students for harassment and intimidation.
The official status and funding of student groups that engage in behavior which targets other students for harassment and intimidation should be subject to suspension and revocation.
We look forward to hearing from you whether these steps can be taken to ensure that Jewish UCD students – and all UCD students – can enjoy a campus where they feel safe, protected, and able to enjoy their civil rights no matter their identity or beliefs.
You will be receiving a copy of this letter by U.S. mail.
Sincerely,
Leila Beckwith
Professor Emeritus, University of California at Los Angeles
Co-founder the AMCHA Initiative
Tammi Rossman-Benjamin
Lecturer, University of California at Santa Cruz
Co-founder the AMCHA Initiative
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
UC Davis Unbecoming. The story continues
On Monday, February 27 "Soldiers's stories" was scheduled at UC Davis. Sponsored by Campus Chabad and Standwithus, Ran, a Israeli attorney and reservist, and Ranya, a Druze hi-tech worker had been telling their compelling stories to university audiences throughout the country.
What happened at UC Davis however dismayed and disturbed the entire country.
A planned walk out and disruption by university students was pre-empted by the event organizers, who had the talk relocated to a larger room. The students from SJP, MSA and MECHA intent on disrupting relocated as soon as they became aware of the new room. A student, later identified as Medieval Studies major Tirumular (Drew) Narayanan and a chorus of others jeered, mocked and repeatedly interrupted the presentation.
The young Israelis and the organizers of the event never once lost their composure or dignity in the face of the unrelenting hate. The audience repeatedly ignored pleas for respectful dialog. Even the presence of Aggie hosts and University police did nothing to ensure civility.
After the event was shut down, multiple witnesses reported that Tirumular Narayanan apologized for his behavior, and confessed that he was paid to disrupt the talk, and in fact was given a script to read.
In spite of glaring audio and visual evidence to the contrary, a consortium of UC Davis faculty, the vast majority whom did not attend this event, sent an open letter to Provost Hexter and Vice Chancellor Meyer, claiming:
"...the protest that was organized at the SWU event by the Students for Justice in Palestine, with the support of members of Jewish Voices for Peace and MECHA, was
in the form a silent walkout. There was NO planned disruption of the event, nor did
any members of this diverse coalition interrupt the speakers. Following the silent
walkout, the protesters held a small, peaceful discussion outside the building where
they discussed the realities of life under occupation. The students who opposed the
IDF soldiers’ justification for the occupation were careful to remain silent..."
To the faculty that signed this letter:
Miroslava Chavez‐Garcia, Chicano(a) Studies
Marisol de la Cadena, Anthropology
Omnia El Shakry, History
Jaimey Fisher, German
Kathleen Frederickson, English
Elizabeth Freeman, English
Isao Fujimoto (emeritus), Human and Community Development/Asian American
Studies
Wendy Ho, Asian American Studies
Robert Irwin, Graduate Group in Cultural Studies
Mark Jerng, English
Suad Joseph, Anthropology
Caren Kaplan, American Studies
Richard Kim, Asian American Studies
Peter Lichtenfels, Department of Theatre and Dance
Sunaina Maira, Asian American Studies
Susette Min, Asian American Studies
Ana Peluffo, Spanish and Portuguese
Noha Radwan, Comparative Literature
Kriss Ravetto, Technocultural Studies
Robyn Rodriguez, Asian American Studies
Parama Roy, English
Sarita See, Asian American Studies
David Simpson, English
Eric Smoodin, American Studies
Kieu‐Linh Valverde, Asian American Studies
Karen Ann Watson‐Gegeo, School of Education
Nolan Zane, Asian American Studies
Would you perhaps care to remove your signature from this letter, having watched this video? Why did you sign a statement implying knowledge of facts you were clearly unaware of?
We have been re-assured that this situation is still under investigation. And we'll keep you informed of any new information we learn.
What happened at UC Davis however dismayed and disturbed the entire country.
A planned walk out and disruption by university students was pre-empted by the event organizers, who had the talk relocated to a larger room. The students from SJP, MSA and MECHA intent on disrupting relocated as soon as they became aware of the new room. A student, later identified as Medieval Studies major Tirumular (Drew) Narayanan and a chorus of others jeered, mocked and repeatedly interrupted the presentation.
The young Israelis and the organizers of the event never once lost their composure or dignity in the face of the unrelenting hate. The audience repeatedly ignored pleas for respectful dialog. Even the presence of Aggie hosts and University police did nothing to ensure civility.
After the event was shut down, multiple witnesses reported that Tirumular Narayanan apologized for his behavior, and confessed that he was paid to disrupt the talk, and in fact was given a script to read.
In spite of glaring audio and visual evidence to the contrary, a consortium of UC Davis faculty, the vast majority whom did not attend this event, sent an open letter to Provost Hexter and Vice Chancellor Meyer, claiming:
"...the protest that was organized at the SWU event by the Students for Justice in Palestine, with the support of members of Jewish Voices for Peace and MECHA, was
in the form a silent walkout. There was NO planned disruption of the event, nor did
any members of this diverse coalition interrupt the speakers. Following the silent
walkout, the protesters held a small, peaceful discussion outside the building where
they discussed the realities of life under occupation. The students who opposed the
IDF soldiers’ justification for the occupation were careful to remain silent..."
To the faculty that signed this letter:
Miroslava Chavez‐Garcia, Chicano(a) Studies
Marisol de la Cadena, Anthropology
Omnia El Shakry, History
Jaimey Fisher, German
Kathleen Frederickson, English
Elizabeth Freeman, English
Isao Fujimoto (emeritus), Human and Community Development/Asian American
Studies
Wendy Ho, Asian American Studies
Robert Irwin, Graduate Group in Cultural Studies
Mark Jerng, English
Suad Joseph, Anthropology
Caren Kaplan, American Studies
Richard Kim, Asian American Studies
Peter Lichtenfels, Department of Theatre and Dance
Sunaina Maira, Asian American Studies
Susette Min, Asian American Studies
Ana Peluffo, Spanish and Portuguese
Noha Radwan, Comparative Literature
Kriss Ravetto, Technocultural Studies
Robyn Rodriguez, Asian American Studies
Parama Roy, English
Sarita See, Asian American Studies
David Simpson, English
Eric Smoodin, American Studies
Kieu‐Linh Valverde, Asian American Studies
Karen Ann Watson‐Gegeo, School of Education
Nolan Zane, Asian American Studies
Would you perhaps care to remove your signature from this letter, having watched this video? Why did you sign a statement implying knowledge of facts you were clearly unaware of?
We have been re-assured that this situation is still under investigation. And we'll keep you informed of any new information we learn.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Its not over yet. The UC Davis Heckler: From CAMERA.
From a March 8, 2012 article written by Samantha Rose Mandeles
On Monday, February 27th , two Israeli soldiers gave a presentation (or at least, attempted to) at the University of California, Davis, meant to correct misconceptions about the moral standards of the IDF.
“Many IDF soldiers feel a deep sense of injustice at how some are misrepresenting them and the IDF. We want to tell you, the public, about our personal experiences,” explains the Israeli Soldiers Stories (ISS) website, an effort of StandWithUs.
Several UC Davis students associated with Students for Justice in Palestine, Muslim Student Association, and Jewish Voice for Peace attended the lectures (one by a Jewish Israeli and the other by a Druze Israeli) and heckled the presenters. Particularly notable was the self-identified Indian UCD student (“I'm not from Palestine, I'm Indian!”), who accused the ISS guests of turning “Palestine into a land of prostitutes, rapists and child molesters.” The student even asked the presenters “How many women have you raped? How many children have you raped? You are a child molester!” And he admitted freely: “I can embarrass myself all I want. I will stand here and I will heckle! My only purpose today is that this event is shut down!”
A Jweekly.com article further describing the heckling and apparent non-action of campus police can be found here.
Yesterday, Professor Tammi Rossman-Benjamin of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and co-founder of the Amcha Initiative, published a letter to UC president Mark Yudof and the rest of the UC administration decrying the behavior of the hecklers. In the letter, Professor Rossman-Benjamin cites claims by audience members that the Indian student was paid $50 to shout such accusations at the presenters.
A member of the CCAP funded UC Davis pro-Israel organization, Aggies for Israel, corroborates this claim, reporting that he himself witnessed the Indian student in question (identified as Tiru Narayanan) approach another member of the pro-Israel student group and the Provost/ Executive Vice-Chancellor, Ralph Hexter, following the event. According to the student, Narayanan “apologized profusely” for his interruptions, claiming that he had been paid for his behavior and that he “needed the money.” Narayanan apparently also claimed that the students who paid him had given him a script, and that he was asked to review, memorize and deliver parts of the script as his interruption.
CAMERA's students at UC Davis have asked Provost Hexter to document Narayanan's verbal apology in writing, and are awaiting a response.
CAMERA's student Liaison also noted that Tiru Narayanan published a written apology in the March 6th print version of The Aggie, UC Davis' student newspaper. A search revealed that the apology could not be found in the online edition of the paper (though, there is a PDF of the print version available on The Aggie website). In addition, Aggies for Israel posted a photo of the piece on their Facebook group. The piece reads,
“I am writing to apologize for my behavior on Feb. 27, 2012 at the Israeli Soldier event at Wellman 106. While I was one of a group of hecklers, I became the face of the protest. Though I am still upset about the Israeli-Palestinian political situation, the manner in which I expressed my frustration was extremely inappropriate. I apologize for my behavior and my disrespect to the speakers and the university. In the current climate on campus with the spirit of Occupy, my ego and my mouth got out of hand. I know this is no excuse for my actions. I behaved in a way that is unbecoming of a student of the university and a member of my community. -Tirumular (Drew) Narayanan, second-year Medieval Studies major."
UC Davis CCAP students have scheduled a meeting with UC Davis interim police chief to discuss the incident, but report that, to the best of their knowledge, the UC administration is not taking any disciplinary action against the protestors.
The Amcha Initiative has also not yet published a response to its letter to the UC administration, though the UC Davis Dateline published a March 7th letter from Associate Vice Chancellor Griselda Castro, which stated,
“This incident is currently under review to determine what appropriate follow up action(s) should apply. The pursuit of knowledge demands the free exchange of ideas and open expression of opinions and findings, including those that some may find disturbing or offensive in content, tone or timing. We recognize that all parties share the right to free expression…Serious exchange of ideas and debate is prevented when individuals shout down a speaker and dialogue cannot take place. The university finds such behavior deeply disturbing and inconsistent with the aspirations of our Principles of Community.”
In further news:
UC President Condemns Anti-Israel Acts on Campus
The head of the University of California is condemning recent anti-Israel incidents on UC campuses.
In an open letter Thursday, UC President Mark Yudof called on students, faculty and staff members to "foster a climate of tolerance, civility and open-mindedness."
Yudof denounced hecklers who disrupted an event called "Israeli Soldiers Speak Out" at UC Davis last week. He said it was reprehensible that one protester linked the speakers to rapists and murderers.
The university president also spoke out against vandals who defaced an Israeli flag with the word "terrorists" at UC Riverside earlier this week.
Yudof says UC administrators are working on revising policies to improve campus climate for all students and prevent acts motivated by religious and racial bias
********
Occe again. To Tirumular Narayanan. This will not be over until you tell the authorities what coward set you up to do this. You should not be fielding this alone.
On Monday, February 27th , two Israeli soldiers gave a presentation (or at least, attempted to) at the University of California, Davis, meant to correct misconceptions about the moral standards of the IDF.
“Many IDF soldiers feel a deep sense of injustice at how some are misrepresenting them and the IDF. We want to tell you, the public, about our personal experiences,” explains the Israeli Soldiers Stories (ISS) website, an effort of StandWithUs.
Several UC Davis students associated with Students for Justice in Palestine, Muslim Student Association, and Jewish Voice for Peace attended the lectures (one by a Jewish Israeli and the other by a Druze Israeli) and heckled the presenters. Particularly notable was the self-identified Indian UCD student (“I'm not from Palestine, I'm Indian!”), who accused the ISS guests of turning “Palestine into a land of prostitutes, rapists and child molesters.” The student even asked the presenters “How many women have you raped? How many children have you raped? You are a child molester!” And he admitted freely: “I can embarrass myself all I want. I will stand here and I will heckle! My only purpose today is that this event is shut down!”
A Jweekly.com article further describing the heckling and apparent non-action of campus police can be found here.
Yesterday, Professor Tammi Rossman-Benjamin of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and co-founder of the Amcha Initiative, published a letter to UC president Mark Yudof and the rest of the UC administration decrying the behavior of the hecklers. In the letter, Professor Rossman-Benjamin cites claims by audience members that the Indian student was paid $50 to shout such accusations at the presenters.
A member of the CCAP funded UC Davis pro-Israel organization, Aggies for Israel, corroborates this claim, reporting that he himself witnessed the Indian student in question (identified as Tiru Narayanan) approach another member of the pro-Israel student group and the Provost/ Executive Vice-Chancellor, Ralph Hexter, following the event. According to the student, Narayanan “apologized profusely” for his interruptions, claiming that he had been paid for his behavior and that he “needed the money.” Narayanan apparently also claimed that the students who paid him had given him a script, and that he was asked to review, memorize and deliver parts of the script as his interruption.
CAMERA's students at UC Davis have asked Provost Hexter to document Narayanan's verbal apology in writing, and are awaiting a response.
CAMERA's student Liaison also noted that Tiru Narayanan published a written apology in the March 6th print version of The Aggie, UC Davis' student newspaper. A search revealed that the apology could not be found in the online edition of the paper (though, there is a PDF of the print version available on The Aggie website). In addition, Aggies for Israel posted a photo of the piece on their Facebook group. The piece reads,
“I am writing to apologize for my behavior on Feb. 27, 2012 at the Israeli Soldier event at Wellman 106. While I was one of a group of hecklers, I became the face of the protest. Though I am still upset about the Israeli-Palestinian political situation, the manner in which I expressed my frustration was extremely inappropriate. I apologize for my behavior and my disrespect to the speakers and the university. In the current climate on campus with the spirit of Occupy, my ego and my mouth got out of hand. I know this is no excuse for my actions. I behaved in a way that is unbecoming of a student of the university and a member of my community. -Tirumular (Drew) Narayanan, second-year Medieval Studies major."
UC Davis CCAP students have scheduled a meeting with UC Davis interim police chief to discuss the incident, but report that, to the best of their knowledge, the UC administration is not taking any disciplinary action against the protestors.
The Amcha Initiative has also not yet published a response to its letter to the UC administration, though the UC Davis Dateline published a March 7th letter from Associate Vice Chancellor Griselda Castro, which stated,
“This incident is currently under review to determine what appropriate follow up action(s) should apply. The pursuit of knowledge demands the free exchange of ideas and open expression of opinions and findings, including those that some may find disturbing or offensive in content, tone or timing. We recognize that all parties share the right to free expression…Serious exchange of ideas and debate is prevented when individuals shout down a speaker and dialogue cannot take place. The university finds such behavior deeply disturbing and inconsistent with the aspirations of our Principles of Community.”
In further news:
UC President Condemns Anti-Israel Acts on Campus
The head of the University of California is condemning recent anti-Israel incidents on UC campuses.
In an open letter Thursday, UC President Mark Yudof called on students, faculty and staff members to "foster a climate of tolerance, civility and open-mindedness."
Yudof denounced hecklers who disrupted an event called "Israeli Soldiers Speak Out" at UC Davis last week. He said it was reprehensible that one protester linked the speakers to rapists and murderers.
The university president also spoke out against vandals who defaced an Israeli flag with the word "terrorists" at UC Riverside earlier this week.
Yudof says UC administrators are working on revising policies to improve campus climate for all students and prevent acts motivated by religious and racial bias
********
Occe again. To Tirumular Narayanan. This will not be over until you tell the authorities what coward set you up to do this. You should not be fielding this alone.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
UC Davis heckler Tirumular Narayanan Apologizes for his Behavior
Tirumular (Drew) Narayanan , the now infamous UC Davis Heckler has written a public apology in the California Aggie, the UC Davis newspaper for his behavior.
Tirumular writes: "I am writing to apologize for my behavior on Feb. 27 2012 at the Israeli Soldier event at Wellman Hall. While I was one of a group of hecklers, I became the face of the protest… I apologize for my behavior and my disrespect to the speakers and the university… I behaved in a way that was unbecoming of a student of the university and a member of my community".
Damn straight, Tirumular.
As this incident grows in notoriety, more information emerges. Tirumular Narayanan is actually employed by the UC Davis Campus police . Could this be why the UC Davis campus police did not prevent him from disrupting the talk? Has he been placed on administrative leave from his position with the campus police? Has any disciplinary action been taken against him at all?
From the UC Davis campus police website:
"We are here to assist and provide security for all who attend, work, and visit our campuses…..We know we can't do it alone, and we ask our community and visitors to help us create a safe and secure environment."
How does employing a student who does not respect the constitutional rights of others create a safe and secure environment?
The UC Davis Police Support Services is "responsible for fairly and thoroughly investigating all complaints alleged against police department employees.." I strongly encourage people , especially those affiliated with the UC Davis community to write in and request a thorough and unbiased investigation.
Tirumular writes: "I am writing to apologize for my behavior on Feb. 27 2012 at the Israeli Soldier event at Wellman Hall. While I was one of a group of hecklers, I became the face of the protest… I apologize for my behavior and my disrespect to the speakers and the university… I behaved in a way that was unbecoming of a student of the university and a member of my community".
Damn straight, Tirumular.
As this incident grows in notoriety, more information emerges. Tirumular Narayanan is actually employed by the UC Davis Campus police . Could this be why the UC Davis campus police did not prevent him from disrupting the talk? Has he been placed on administrative leave from his position with the campus police? Has any disciplinary action been taken against him at all?
From the UC Davis campus police website:
"We are here to assist and provide security for all who attend, work, and visit our campuses…..We know we can't do it alone, and we ask our community and visitors to help us create a safe and secure environment."
How does employing a student who does not respect the constitutional rights of others create a safe and secure environment?
The UC Davis Police Support Services is "responsible for fairly and thoroughly investigating all complaints alleged against police department employees.." I strongly encourage people , especially those affiliated with the UC Davis community to write in and request a thorough and unbiased investigation.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Israeli Soldiers Stories at UC Davis. Event report from StandWithUs
Written by Gail Rubin SWU Davis Chapter
Despite hostile hecklers, protestors, and angry students shouting "rapists" "child molesters" and "liars", the two Israeli reservists brought by StandWithUs as part of its Israeli Soldiers Stories told their stories and handled themselves with dignity. Ran, the 28 year-old IDF reservist, and Ranya, the 20-something Druze woman, spoke from the heart about their lives in Israel and how they wish for peace. While the protestors represented the true face of Israel-haters, Ran and Ranya represented the heart of Israel. This event was co-sponsored by the UC Davis Chabad student club "Chai.” What the group lacks in numbers is made up by their courage and convictions, that the story of the Jewish people and the mitzvah of defending Israel remain paramount. As fear of physical altercations mounted, several "911" calls were made. The campus police appeared but refused to remove, reprimand or otherwise take any action against the disrupters. The police stated they were given "orders" not to take action against the disrupters, but instead, to close down the program if it got out of hand. What happened to our first amendment rights of freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, and the University of California's "principles of community" to ensure a "hate-free" campus?
The program continued, punctuated by slanderous and heinous bellowing from members of the audience. In all, at various times, there were approximately 150 in attendance. There were some 20 or so hecklers that would act as the cheerleaders who would cause the others to erupt with hoots and howls during the presentation. One protesting student was heard shouting out that the star of David worn by our StandWithUs campus professional , Matthew White, was a Nazi symbol. At another juncture, the Chabad Rebbetzin, Sorele Brownstein, despite being very pregnant, got up to speak in front of this hostile audience to defend the Jewish people. Even she was jeered at. The behavior of the disrupters was quite despicable.
The ringleader was a self-identified Indian who was extremely hostile, shouting that he was there to shut down the event, and begging to be arrested. After the event, this Indian young man approached Ran and Ranya, our speakers, and apologized to them for his behavior, and said he was paid $50 to disrupt the event. Apparently, the same Indian heckler told others in the audience that he was paid $50 to disrupt and shut down the talk.
When the program ended, a few Arabic-speaking girls approached Ranya, and apologized to her for the bad behavior of the others. Ran also recounted that at the end one Muslim student thanked him for coming and that he felt he learned some things he had never heard before.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 11 A.M. at the State Capitol
The Capitol Knesset Club, which formed last year as an interest group to address issues confronting the Jewish community and Israel, helped SWU bring Ran and Ranya to the the California Capitol. What a breath of fresh air after the previous evening's event at UC Davis. We were warmly received by several members of the State Legislature, including Speaker of the Assembly John Perez. Also, Assembly Member Linda Halderman, M.D. gave our Israeli guests a warm welcome and explained her personal family connection to Israel. About 40 to 50 people were in the audience. Ran and Ranya were then given a tour of the State Capitol, including an inside look into the Senate floor.
The leader of the Capitol Knesset Club, Ryan Pessah, said he received numerous emails raving about the Israeli Soldiers program. 50 people were in the audience. Ran and Ranya were then given a tour of the State Capitol, including an inside look into the Senate floor.
The leader of the Capitol Knesset Club, Ryan Pessah, said he received numerous emails raving about the Israeli Soldiers program.
Despite hostile hecklers, protestors, and angry students shouting "rapists" "child molesters" and "liars", the two Israeli reservists brought by StandWithUs as part of its Israeli Soldiers Stories told their stories and handled themselves with dignity. Ran, the 28 year-old IDF reservist, and Ranya, the 20-something Druze woman, spoke from the heart about their lives in Israel and how they wish for peace. While the protestors represented the true face of Israel-haters, Ran and Ranya represented the heart of Israel. This event was co-sponsored by the UC Davis Chabad student club "Chai.” What the group lacks in numbers is made up by their courage and convictions, that the story of the Jewish people and the mitzvah of defending Israel remain paramount. As fear of physical altercations mounted, several "911" calls were made. The campus police appeared but refused to remove, reprimand or otherwise take any action against the disrupters. The police stated they were given "orders" not to take action against the disrupters, but instead, to close down the program if it got out of hand. What happened to our first amendment rights of freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, and the University of California's "principles of community" to ensure a "hate-free" campus?
The program continued, punctuated by slanderous and heinous bellowing from members of the audience. In all, at various times, there were approximately 150 in attendance. There were some 20 or so hecklers that would act as the cheerleaders who would cause the others to erupt with hoots and howls during the presentation. One protesting student was heard shouting out that the star of David worn by our StandWithUs campus professional , Matthew White, was a Nazi symbol. At another juncture, the Chabad Rebbetzin, Sorele Brownstein, despite being very pregnant, got up to speak in front of this hostile audience to defend the Jewish people. Even she was jeered at. The behavior of the disrupters was quite despicable.
The ringleader was a self-identified Indian who was extremely hostile, shouting that he was there to shut down the event, and begging to be arrested. After the event, this Indian young man approached Ran and Ranya, our speakers, and apologized to them for his behavior, and said he was paid $50 to disrupt the event. Apparently, the same Indian heckler told others in the audience that he was paid $50 to disrupt and shut down the talk.
When the program ended, a few Arabic-speaking girls approached Ranya, and apologized to her for the bad behavior of the others. Ran also recounted that at the end one Muslim student thanked him for coming and that he felt he learned some things he had never heard before.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 11 A.M. at the State Capitol
The Capitol Knesset Club, which formed last year as an interest group to address issues confronting the Jewish community and Israel, helped SWU bring Ran and Ranya to the the California Capitol. What a breath of fresh air after the previous evening's event at UC Davis. We were warmly received by several members of the State Legislature, including Speaker of the Assembly John Perez. Also, Assembly Member Linda Halderman, M.D. gave our Israeli guests a warm welcome and explained her personal family connection to Israel. About 40 to 50 people were in the audience. Ran and Ranya were then given a tour of the State Capitol, including an inside look into the Senate floor.
The leader of the Capitol Knesset Club, Ryan Pessah, said he received numerous emails raving about the Israeli Soldiers program. 50 people were in the audience. Ran and Ranya were then given a tour of the State Capitol, including an inside look into the Senate floor.
The leader of the Capitol Knesset Club, Ryan Pessah, said he received numerous emails raving about the Israeli Soldiers program.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
UC Davis should be Ashamed
Two young Israelis, Ranya Fadel and Ran Bar-Yoshafat are touring American campuses as part of Israeli Soldiers’ Stories. The tour is sponsored by StandWithUs, an international Israel education organization. On Monday, Feb 27, they were scheduled to speak at UC Davis in an event co-sponsored by Chai Life-Club.
Ranya belongs to Israel’s Druze minority community. Her father and brother have both served in the Israeli military. She has a diploma in biotechnology and a bachelor’s degree in political sciences at Bar Ilan University. She begins her talk apologizing for her English- reminding people that its her third language, after Arabic and Hebrew . Bar-Yoshafat is a Jewish Israeli and is the grandchild of Holocaust survivors. He is the former Israeli national champion for mixed martial arts (1999-2000) and is a lawyer in the Kenneset.
The young Israelis were here not as representatives of their government, but rather to put a human face on the conflict that too often is ignored.
What happened to them at UC Davis was a disgrace and an embarrassment. Two young people, visitors from far way were subject to a display from Davis students and community members that has no place on a college campus, where above all else, free speech and open discourse should be cherished. The repugnant behavior of anti-Israel students organizations and anti-Israel community organizations, and the deliberate negilence of the UC Davis campus police to maintain order was deeply disturbing and needs to be addressed
From a local blogger
1. The plan of the anti-Israel bashers was twofold:
*to arrive early and fill the room to capacity allowing no other people to enter–and then at a predetermined point to get up and walk out, leaving an empty classroom with no one to listen to the speakers
*and if they were unable to carry out the above plan, to continuously heckle the speakers making their presentation impossible
2. In regard to the first part of the anti-Israel plan, the pro-Israel organizers of the event changed the room at the last minute which forced the anti-Israel forces to show up after many others had already arrived to take their seats.
3. In regard to the second part of the anti-Israel plan, the main heckler, a student from India, indicated after the program had concluded that he was paid $50 by “Muslim students” to heckle so loudly that the program would not be able to continue.
4. A pre-program meeting of the “pro-Palestinian” students took place in the campus classroom in which the program was originally scheduled to take place. In that meeting, there were approximately 100 “pro-Palestinian supporters” including not only UCD students led by Students for Justice in Palestine, but also representatives of the Davis Peace Coalition, the Jewish Voice for Peace, the Davis Committee for Palestinian Rights, American Muslims for Palestine, and the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) movement.
Ran and Ranya were exquisite, exhibiting tremendous grace under pressure. Never once loosing focus, they stressed to the students they were at Davis to talk. They spoke about their lives in Israel- lives very similar to those of American young people. They watched Seinfeld and Friends. They went to the beach. They went shopping with their friends. But all that changed during the second intifada. They spoke of the bus bombings and the assaults on Israeli civilians. They spoke of the friends they lost. Ranya showed a memorial- "This victim was Muslim. This victim was Druze. This victim was Jewish" Her message was clear- terror affects everyone. Ran showed us a list of his friends who had died- there were nearly 20 names on it. He carries the list so he never forgets.
UC Davis police, summoned to the event because of the disruptions refused to do anything. They refused to remove hecklers and do anything to ensure that the rights of the speakers were protected
Tuesday evening, Ran and Ranya spoke at UC Berkeley. A rapt, respectful audience listen to their every word, and politely questioned them after.
UC Davis should be ashamed. Let them know here.
Ranya belongs to Israel’s Druze minority community. Her father and brother have both served in the Israeli military. She has a diploma in biotechnology and a bachelor’s degree in political sciences at Bar Ilan University. She begins her talk apologizing for her English- reminding people that its her third language, after Arabic and Hebrew . Bar-Yoshafat is a Jewish Israeli and is the grandchild of Holocaust survivors. He is the former Israeli national champion for mixed martial arts (1999-2000) and is a lawyer in the Kenneset.
The young Israelis were here not as representatives of their government, but rather to put a human face on the conflict that too often is ignored.
What happened to them at UC Davis was a disgrace and an embarrassment. Two young people, visitors from far way were subject to a display from Davis students and community members that has no place on a college campus, where above all else, free speech and open discourse should be cherished. The repugnant behavior of anti-Israel students organizations and anti-Israel community organizations, and the deliberate negilence of the UC Davis campus police to maintain order was deeply disturbing and needs to be addressed
From a local blogger
1. The plan of the anti-Israel bashers was twofold:
*to arrive early and fill the room to capacity allowing no other people to enter–and then at a predetermined point to get up and walk out, leaving an empty classroom with no one to listen to the speakers
*and if they were unable to carry out the above plan, to continuously heckle the speakers making their presentation impossible
2. In regard to the first part of the anti-Israel plan, the pro-Israel organizers of the event changed the room at the last minute which forced the anti-Israel forces to show up after many others had already arrived to take their seats.
3. In regard to the second part of the anti-Israel plan, the main heckler, a student from India, indicated after the program had concluded that he was paid $50 by “Muslim students” to heckle so loudly that the program would not be able to continue.
4. A pre-program meeting of the “pro-Palestinian” students took place in the campus classroom in which the program was originally scheduled to take place. In that meeting, there were approximately 100 “pro-Palestinian supporters” including not only UCD students led by Students for Justice in Palestine, but also representatives of the Davis Peace Coalition, the Jewish Voice for Peace, the Davis Committee for Palestinian Rights, American Muslims for Palestine, and the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) movement.
Ran and Ranya were exquisite, exhibiting tremendous grace under pressure. Never once loosing focus, they stressed to the students they were at Davis to talk. They spoke about their lives in Israel- lives very similar to those of American young people. They watched Seinfeld and Friends. They went to the beach. They went shopping with their friends. But all that changed during the second intifada. They spoke of the bus bombings and the assaults on Israeli civilians. They spoke of the friends they lost. Ranya showed a memorial- "This victim was Muslim. This victim was Druze. This victim was Jewish" Her message was clear- terror affects everyone. Ran showed us a list of his friends who had died- there were nearly 20 names on it. He carries the list so he never forgets.
UC Davis police, summoned to the event because of the disruptions refused to do anything. They refused to remove hecklers and do anything to ensure that the rights of the speakers were protected
Tuesday evening, Ran and Ranya spoke at UC Berkeley. A rapt, respectful audience listen to their every word, and politely questioned them after.
UC Davis should be ashamed. Let them know here.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
UC Davis Jewish Studies Program Presents the Anti-Israel Narrative and Censors Questions
Cross-posted at Bluetruth
This is the report of a speaker event at the University of California at Davis, hosted not by an anti-Israel group but by the Jewish Studies Program. It was written by Gail Rubin J.D., co-chair of StandWithUs Davis. Please e-mail your concerns and comments to the Jewish Studies Program at jst@ucdavis.edu and to their funders: the Koret Foundation , the Osher Foundation , the Taube Foundation (info@taubephilanthropies.org), and the Posen Foundation (info@culturaljudaism.org).
This is the report of a speaker event at the University of California at Davis, hosted not by an anti-Israel group but by the Jewish Studies Program. It was written by Gail Rubin J.D., co-chair of StandWithUs Davis. Please e-mail your concerns and comments to the Jewish Studies Program at jst@ucdavis.edu and to their funders: the Koret Foundation , the Osher Foundation , the Taube Foundation (info@taubephilanthropies.org), and the Posen Foundation (info@culturaljudaism.org).
A WAR OF NARRATIVES AT UC DAVIS JEWISH STUDIES PROGRAM
Some UC Jewish Studies programs seem to be part of the growing problem of anti-Israel and anti-Zionist bias on UC campuses. Consider the lecture sponsored by the UC Davis [UCD] Jewish Studies Program on October 21st.
The lecturer was University of London professor Gilbert Achcar, author of the controversial book, “The Arabs and the Holocaust: The Arab-Israeli War of Narratives.” He was introduced by Diane Wolf, current chair of the UCD program, Professor Susan Miller, and founding chair, David Biale. Professor Miller praised Achcar and called his scholarship “courageous.”
Achcar may have been courageous in acknowledging the Holocaust was a uniquely horrifying event directed at Jews and that Palestinian leader Haj Amin al-Husseini’s anti-Semitism and collaboration with Hitler were deplorable. But after these observations, he careened into anti-Zionist, anti-Israel charges and distortions. Despite ample evidence to the contrary, he argued that the Mufti’s Jew-hatred had little influence on Palestinian and Arab hostility to Israel. He dismissed evidence about the cross-fertilization of Muslim anti-Semitism and Nazi-inspired anti-Semitism as hyperbole and charged that Israel exploits the Holocaust and exaggerates the Mufti’s influence only for propaganda purposes.
More disturbingly, he has argued that the rise of Zionism in 1920, not prejudice, spawned Arab Jew-hatred, essentially accusing Jews of causing anti-Semitism. Indeed, in his book, he excuses the current popularity of the Czarist anti-Semitic forgery, “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” in the Arab world, arguing it must be read from an anti-Zionist, not an anti-Semitic, perspective.
Achcar minimized pogroms against and expulsions of Jews in the Arab world after World War II and after Israel’s reestablishment, equating their expulsion with the American internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. He repeated anti-Israel clichés, denying Israel’s right to exist and referring to it as a “settler colonial project” built on “Arab land,” accusing Zionists of "ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians", and downplaying any suggestion of Pan-Arab racism toward the Jewish people.
Despite these tendentious charges, challenging questions were not welcomed during the Q & A. I was abruptly censored while attempting to establish facts to challenge Mr. Achcar’s skewed conclusion that the Grand Mufti’s anti-Semitism had only a minimal impact on both Jews and Arabs. Professors Miller and Biale angrily told me the questions were insulting and to either stop or leave the room. So much for free speech and scholarly discourse in academia.
Unfortunately, this lecture was not an anomaly. It is symptomatic of attitudes in the UC Davis Jewish Studies Program and elsewhere in the UC system. Approximately 30 Jewish Studies faculty members signed a March 3 letter to the Orange County District Attorney, opposing legal action against the “Irvine 11.” The “Irvine 11” were the Muslim Student Union students who had orchestrated a disruption of a lecture by Israel Ambassador Michael Oren on the UC Irvine campus, in violation of both campus guidelines and the law. The six UCD faculty connected to Jewish/Middle Eastern scholarship who signed that letter are: David Biale; Ari Kelman; Ze’ev Maoz; Susan Miller; Brenda Deen Schildgen; and Diane Wolf.
Yet, these same academics turn a blind eye to campus anti-Semitism. Open letters were submitted to UC President Mark Yudof in June of 2010, highlighting the rise of anti-Semitism throughout the UC system. Some of the signatories included the Simon Wiesenthal Center, CAMERA, StandWithUs, and Scholars for Peace in the Middle East. More than 700 students signed an on-line petition. In September , 2011, more than 5,200 supporters sent another letter to Mr.Yudof, urging him to investigate and take action. Thus far, not one of the UCD professors referenced above has signed on to the letters, nor have they taken action to protect Jewish students from harassment and fear on their own campus. In fact, Emanuel Ringelblum Professor David Biale criticized the decision by the U.S. Office of Civil Rights to extend Title VI protection to Jewish students as “bizarre” because “the Jews are a group with power”.
Blind allegiance to any ideology is dangerous for the free exchange of ideas that is supposed to be the hallmark of a university. It is even more dangerous in the current climate where professors and academic departments encourage anti-Israel, anti-Zionist, and anti- Jewish views and behaviors. Too often, students who express favorable views about Israel are ridiculed and verbally abused. Surely Jewish Studies Departments should ensure that the distortions and misinformation that propel anti-Israel dogmas are exposed and critiqued. People committed to intellectual integrity and the future of Israel and the Jewish people should be concerned about these trends in Jewish Studies Programs.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Malik Ali at UC Davis
Both independent bloggers and the mainstream Jewish community have documented efforts by anti-israel forces to create "linkage" between very dissimilar incidents. Earlier attempts by fringe groups to show a relationship between local oppression of people of color and Israel's ongoing conflict with Gaza dipped frighteningly in the realm of fantasy, and served as a general incitement to hate and anti-Semitism .
Photo from San Francisco ANSWER rally, taken by our friend Zombie
The goal of these events was ostensibly to create alliances, to combat "oppression", but in reality they served to dehumanize not only the Jewish state, but the Jewish community as well. The attempt to link the death of Oscar Grant to the ongoing conflict in Gaza continued on Feb. 22, with a presentation at University of California at Davis, by Malik Ali, an Oakland Iman considered fringe, even in the Islamic community. The talk was promoted with the theme "Politics of Ghettoization", stating "Oscar Grant and the Gaza Seige, two incidents of oppression that coincided in the summer of 2009...East Oakland and the West Bank, two areas with economic segregation formatted along ethnic lines". Malik Ali runs a mosque in Oakland associated with the anti-Semitic Sabiqun movement, which seeks to establish Islamic rule in the U.S. In previous speeches he has praised Hamas and Hezbollah as part of the "Islamic Revival" which will bring "the death of Zionism" and the collapse of the "American empire".
Malik Ali had a surprise when he showed up at Davis. The local Jewish community had mobilized, and 35 members showed up to protest his Jew-hatred. He ended up delivered a different talk that had been promoted. But during the question and answer period, his true nature was revealed again, by his glowing endorsement of Iran's Ahmadinejad.
Malik's primary goal is the overthrow of the American government and its replacement with an Islamic world order. The question remains- why are our public institutions hosting him?
Photo from San Francisco ANSWER rally, taken by our friend Zombie
The goal of these events was ostensibly to create alliances, to combat "oppression", but in reality they served to dehumanize not only the Jewish state, but the Jewish community as well. The attempt to link the death of Oscar Grant to the ongoing conflict in Gaza continued on Feb. 22, with a presentation at University of California at Davis, by Malik Ali, an Oakland Iman considered fringe, even in the Islamic community. The talk was promoted with the theme "Politics of Ghettoization", stating "Oscar Grant and the Gaza Seige, two incidents of oppression that coincided in the summer of 2009...East Oakland and the West Bank, two areas with economic segregation formatted along ethnic lines". Malik Ali runs a mosque in Oakland associated with the anti-Semitic Sabiqun movement, which seeks to establish Islamic rule in the U.S. In previous speeches he has praised Hamas and Hezbollah as part of the "Islamic Revival" which will bring "the death of Zionism" and the collapse of the "American empire".
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| Malik Ali at UC Davis |
Malik Ali had a surprise when he showed up at Davis. The local Jewish community had mobilized, and 35 members showed up to protest his Jew-hatred. He ended up delivered a different talk that had been promoted. But during the question and answer period, his true nature was revealed again, by his glowing endorsement of Iran's Ahmadinejad.
Malik's primary goal is the overthrow of the American government and its replacement with an Islamic world order. The question remains- why are our public institutions hosting him?
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One said "Sharia Law".
Wishful thinking I suppose.
A university official told me that this was organized by outsiders, not students.