The Orange County/Long Beach chapter of the Anti-Defamation League has written a strong letter to UC-Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake in the wake of last week's Israel Apartheid Week held by the Muslim Student Union. The letter is linked below.
(Hat tip to OC Independent Task Force on Anti-Semitism)
http://octaskforce.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/uci-2010.pdf
The problem I see with this letter is that the administrators aren't not going to do anythign and the MSU takes being called Anti-Semitic with pride. They almost wear it with a badge of honor. Malik Ali's comments made that clear during his speech.
ReplyDeleteMalik Ali answered your question in terms of oppressor and oppressed. He (along with some in the MSU) thinks since the Palestinians are the lesser power their actions and intents can be excused.
A few years ago a similar topic was a topic in the news. Some people argued that blacks cannot be racist because, in order to be a racist, the person's group must be a member of the preferred group who yields power. It seems to me a silly definition to me but I would guess that is the type of definition Malik Ali would subscribe.
So the MSU can act and feel like they are acting noblely and rightesiouly with their rhetoric when they attack Zionism (I don't think many even know what it means) because they believe they are standing up for the oppressed. They can say they are against civilian deaths but won’t denounce Palestinain terrorist organizations because they see members of those groups as being oppressed so they are willing to give them a free pass.
= wejomerv