With election day just around the corner, I thought it might be useful for our local voters in Irvine to compare and contrast the public positions that candidates John Campbell (incumbant congressman) and his challenger, former Irvine mayor Beth Krom, have on the UC-Irvine controversy involving the UCI Muslim Student Union.
Campbell's position has been set out in a letter he wrote to UCI Chancellor Michael Drake after the February 8, 2010 disruption of the speech by Israeli Amabassador to the US Michael Oren. I previously reported it below via the LA Jewish Journal:
http://www.jewishjournal.com/community/article/oc_pols_urge_uci_discipline_hecklers_20100302
"............ Campbell (R-Calif.) urged full disciplinary action be taken against those students responsible for the incident, describing their behavior as “egregious” and “intolerable.” He also called for an investigation into the conduct and membership of the MSU.
“This is not the first time the MSU has been involved in violations of free speech, intimidation, and, at the very least, threats of violence on campus. Sadly, this is becoming a pattern, and one which is especially troubling, as the chosen rhetoric of this group incites hate and violence against both this country and Jewish-American students on campus,” Campbell wrote.
Beth Krom answered my query to her regarding her position yesterday. It is repeated below:
"Gary
Thank you for your e-mail. I attended the event at which Ambassador Oren spoke. I will not reference any of the communications I had with community leaders or UCI administration following the event. What I will tell you is that I have great respect for Ambassador Oren and was deeply disappointed that he was not afforded a respectful platform in which to speak. So much of the conflict in the world today is driven by a strategic intention on the part of one party or another to compromise civil discourse in order to control who gets to be part of the conversation.
One of the privileges of representing a district with a great university and a culturally diverse population, is the opportunity it affords me to engage with a multitude of people who respect and value education. It is truly one of most compelling features of this district. As a former teacher and someone who has served in leadership at both the community and municipal level, I look forward to building upon the strong relationships I have built with the university and other significant institutions as well as the community at large.
Thanks again for your e-mail, Gary. I hope we will have an opportunity to meet at some point in the future.
Beth Krom
So what jurisdiction does a member of congress have over what a state university does in handling disciplinary proceedings? This is essentially the same question that your favorite heckler asked Rep. Schakowsky, which we both agree she handled poorly.
ReplyDeleteYes, a congress rep DOES need to know at all times what provision of the federal constitution authorizes congress to act on a matter. If the question is not within the jurisdiction of congress, it would be highly ethical to observe that the proper authority to deal with this is not congress. Mr. Campbell is of course entitled to voice his personal opinion on any matter, but it wouldn't have much impact on my vote unless it was something he could act on as a representative in congress.
Siarlys,
ReplyDeleteIf a congressman or woman can bring pork to his/her district, can they not stick their noses into a local issue which has national and internation implications? I know they can't dictate anything to the university, but don't tell me they shouldn't put in their two cents worth.
Well, applying criteria you have offered more than once, it makes darn little difference whether I would vote for this or that candidate. I want to know how each candidate is going to legislate.
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