In the midst of the continuing controversy over the disruption of the Israeli ambassador's speech by the Muslim Student Union (February 8) and the ongoing Israel Apartheid Week at UC-Irvine, one positive note had been a scheduled event at the campus on May 16. Christian organizer Laurie Cardoza-Moore and her organization, Proclaiming Justice to the Nations (PJTN) based in Tennessee, had organized an event for the above date to feature a popular Christian band (Newsboys) that would show support for Israel and make a statement against anti-Semitism. The event would be held on the Aldrich Park section of the UCI campus and would have been expected to draw some 10,000 people. David Horowitz and conservative radio talk show host Dennis Prager were also expected to participate. Everything seemed set.
A couple of ago, however, just one day before the organizers were to finalize the contract and make a deposit, UCI cancelled the event. The reason given was that Aldrich Park could not accommodate such a large crowd. The university reportedly suggested alternate sites including the Bren Center (which reportedly holds about 5,000). That was unacceptable to the organizers since they could not accommodate the expected 10,000.
At this point, the May 16 date is off and Ms Cardoza-Moore is negotiating with the university for a date next year around the same time frame. There is as yet no final resolution.
It is disappointing that such a positive event is cancelled while the annual negativity and divisiveness of Israel Apartheid Week goes on as scheduled in spite of the controversies surrounding the MSU.
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Nothing featuring David Horowitz could be considered a "positive event," but that's really not the point. If an organization with bona fide ties to the campus, or an off-campus organization seeking to use a limited open forum on public property, can draw 10,000 people to watch their show, the university should not pick and choose who and what to give a forum to.
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