I am linking the below article because it currently pertains directly to the campus where I teach (University of Califonia at Irvine.)
http://www.spme.net/cgi-bin/articles.cgi?ID=6675
I have been writing extensively on the issue of expressions of anti-Semitism at UC Irvine in light of the years-long conflict between the Muslim Student Union and Jewish students at UCI who identify with and support Israel. The above-linked issue goes directly to the question of whether the Department of Education (Office of Civil Rights) recognizes Jewish students as being protected under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act on the basis of religion. Currently, they do not. Therefore, acts or words of anti-Semitism are not recognized.
Here is my question; are Jews a religious group, an ethnic group or a national group-i.e. Israel? Of course, this leads to in-depth discussions of whether Jews are a religion, a race or a nationality? To me, Israel aside, it is not a matter of nationality since Jews can be Israelis, Americans, Germans, Ethiopians or whatever due to conversions. Indeed, virtually all of the major religions consist of those born into the religion or converts. Most interestingly, Hitler and the Nazis considered Jews a race whether or not they had assimilated or converted to Christianity, which many had.
So the question must be asked; why should one religious group be covered under the DOE Office of Civil Rights-like Muslims-but not another-like Jews?
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment