Hat tip Investigative Project on Terrorism
Two American citizens are being kept from leaving the Gulf nation of Qatar despite being cleared by a judge of culpability in the death of their adopted daughter.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/11/30/qatar-court-overturns-conviction-us-couple-accused-starving-adopted-daughter/?intcmp=latestnews
I don't know the truth behind this story, but I do know that Qatar is not a country I trust. It is a country notorious for mistreating the foreign workers who come to do the heavy lifting involved in building that oil-rich nation's infrastructure. It is a country that stands accused of bribing its way into hosting an upcoming World Cup. And most importantly, it is a country that plays a double game when it comes to international terrorism. While they portray themselves as a moderate Islamic country, numerous intelligence reports indicate that they fund international terror groups including Hamas. There are also a host of questions involving Qatar's international news agency, Al Jazeera.
http://www.investigativeproject.org/4011/qatar-duplicitous-game
http://www.investigativeproject.org/4467/democratic-congressman-calls-out-qatar-hamas#
"Every one of those rockets [fired by Hamas into Israeli cities] is a war crime, almost every one," Sherman said, noting that Hamas seeks to hit civilian targets. "Of course it's a war crime committed by Hamas. And of course the owners of this TV network help fund Hamas."
Al Jazeera, of course, is a Qatar-based international news agency that tries to sell itself to the West as a responsible source of news. It is funded by the Qatari ruling family. As far as I am concerned, I don't trust the veracity of anything that comes out of Al Jazeera,
Yet this is the same news agency that Al Gore sold his interest in Current TV to, which brought us Al Jazeera America. Subsequently, Gore and Al Jazeera counter-sued each other over money Gore says was never paid.
Pardon me if I shed no tears for Mr Gore. Any American who dirties his or her hands with Al Jazeera or anything related to Qatar deserves no sympathy.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
The UCLA Divestment Farce
Hat tip The Mike Report
As previously reported, a pro Divestment vote has recently been passed at UCLA aimed at firms doing business with Israel. The BDS vote failed last year, but they just keep coming back until they pass. Of course, these exercises, which take up so much time and energy of various university student governments, are symbolic in that they are followed by a statement from the university that no such divestment will take place. Such a statement was issued by UCLA Chancellor Gene Block.
Below, courtesy of my Seattle-based friends, The Mike Report, is a brief report on what happened at UCLA. It also contains the final remarks of Avinoam Baral, the Israeli president of the student council in the face of the pro-divestment bullies in the room.
http://mikereport.wordpress.com/2014/11/21/video-seattles-avinoam-baral-defends-israel-to-bds-mob-at-ucla/
G-d bless, Avinoam. He stands in marked contrast to the pro-divestment bullies and the radical faculty who drive this asinine BDS movement on our campuses.
Hopefully, some day this movement will exhaust itself. It is the practical equivalent of little girls playing house. What's sad is that it sucks up so much of the time, energy and resources of a campus that does nothing to further the education or the well-being of the students. The exact opposite is the result. I long for the day when our universities can get back to the business of being universities.
As previously reported, a pro Divestment vote has recently been passed at UCLA aimed at firms doing business with Israel. The BDS vote failed last year, but they just keep coming back until they pass. Of course, these exercises, which take up so much time and energy of various university student governments, are symbolic in that they are followed by a statement from the university that no such divestment will take place. Such a statement was issued by UCLA Chancellor Gene Block.
Below, courtesy of my Seattle-based friends, The Mike Report, is a brief report on what happened at UCLA. It also contains the final remarks of Avinoam Baral, the Israeli president of the student council in the face of the pro-divestment bullies in the room.
http://mikereport.wordpress.com/2014/11/21/video-seattles-avinoam-baral-defends-israel-to-bds-mob-at-ucla/
G-d bless, Avinoam. He stands in marked contrast to the pro-divestment bullies and the radical faculty who drive this asinine BDS movement on our campuses.
Hopefully, some day this movement will exhaust itself. It is the practical equivalent of little girls playing house. What's sad is that it sucks up so much of the time, energy and resources of a campus that does nothing to further the education or the well-being of the students. The exact opposite is the result. I long for the day when our universities can get back to the business of being universities.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
The Perils of Being Pro-Israel on Campus
Hat tip Legal Insurrection
Legal Insurrection, a blog by Cornell Law Professor William Jacobson, has a good article on the dilemma faced by pro-Israel students on campus: Fight or flight. There are two videos. The first shows students describing the thuggery and intimidation they receive at the hands of pro-Palestinian supporters on campus. The second has recent video from encounters at Cornell.
http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/11/being-pro-israel-on-campus-fight-or-flight-spoiler-alert-fight/
These outrages, of course, could not go on if universities had administrators with an ounce of courage. Sadly, they do not. Secondly, these thugs are more often than not inspired and encouraged by leftist anti-Israel professors who have indoctrinated them in the classroom and at campus speaking events. It is a sad commentary in our universities today that places of learning have become places of indoctrination and intimidation.
And where are the national Jewish organizations that should be speaking out about these outrages and pounding on the desks of university presidents demanding an end to anti-Semitism and bullying of Jewish students on campus? They are missing in action. With the exception of a handful like the Zionist Organization of America, Stand With Us, and CAMERA, they are missing in action. Other organizations like Hillel, the Jewish Federation, and the Anti-Defamation League are afraid to upset the apple cart on campus. In the case of the first two, they are too embedded with the university and too dependent on same in order to operate on campus. They are also afraid that Jewish students will decide to attend other schools if their university is known for anti-Semitic agitation. The ADL will not complain about anti-Semitism when it comes from Islamic sources. It all adds up to a perfect storm.
What is needed is that groups like Students for Justice in Palestine, various Muslim Student Association chapters, radical professors on their soapboxes, gutless Jewish organizations, and university administrators need to be exposed to the community. Furthermore, it is time for campus police to cease their policies of "low profile" anytime a volatile situation is taking place on campus. The campus should be a safe place for all, and those that make it anything else should be removed from the campus.
Legal Insurrection, a blog by Cornell Law Professor William Jacobson, has a good article on the dilemma faced by pro-Israel students on campus: Fight or flight. There are two videos. The first shows students describing the thuggery and intimidation they receive at the hands of pro-Palestinian supporters on campus. The second has recent video from encounters at Cornell.
http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/11/being-pro-israel-on-campus-fight-or-flight-spoiler-alert-fight/
These outrages, of course, could not go on if universities had administrators with an ounce of courage. Sadly, they do not. Secondly, these thugs are more often than not inspired and encouraged by leftist anti-Israel professors who have indoctrinated them in the classroom and at campus speaking events. It is a sad commentary in our universities today that places of learning have become places of indoctrination and intimidation.
And where are the national Jewish organizations that should be speaking out about these outrages and pounding on the desks of university presidents demanding an end to anti-Semitism and bullying of Jewish students on campus? They are missing in action. With the exception of a handful like the Zionist Organization of America, Stand With Us, and CAMERA, they are missing in action. Other organizations like Hillel, the Jewish Federation, and the Anti-Defamation League are afraid to upset the apple cart on campus. In the case of the first two, they are too embedded with the university and too dependent on same in order to operate on campus. They are also afraid that Jewish students will decide to attend other schools if their university is known for anti-Semitic agitation. The ADL will not complain about anti-Semitism when it comes from Islamic sources. It all adds up to a perfect storm.
What is needed is that groups like Students for Justice in Palestine, various Muslim Student Association chapters, radical professors on their soapboxes, gutless Jewish organizations, and university administrators need to be exposed to the community. Furthermore, it is time for campus police to cease their policies of "low profile" anytime a volatile situation is taking place on campus. The campus should be a safe place for all, and those that make it anything else should be removed from the campus.
Blow Against Free Speech in Canada:Ezra Levant
Hat tip Squid
Ezra Levant is a TV host for Sun News in Canada. He has just lost a libel suit against a Muslim lawyer in Canada and has been ordered to pay the equivalent of $80,000 in dollars for calling the man an anti-Semite.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/11/27/sun_news_host_ezra_levant_ordered_to_pay_80k_in_libel_suit.html
While Levant is appealing his case, he is also appealing for funds from supporters.
Levant is one of Canada's most courageous voices against Islamic extremism. If you can help him, please visit the above site.
Ezra Levant is a TV host for Sun News in Canada. He has just lost a libel suit against a Muslim lawyer in Canada and has been ordered to pay the equivalent of $80,000 in dollars for calling the man an anti-Semite.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/11/27/sun_news_host_ezra_levant_ordered_to_pay_80k_in_libel_suit.html
While Levant is appealing his case, he is also appealing for funds from supporters.
Levant is one of Canada's most courageous voices against Islamic extremism. If you can help him, please visit the above site.
White House Response to We the People Petition: Muslim Brotherhood
We the People Petitions is a program run the White House whereby if they receive a petition and it
receives 100,000 signatures within 30 days, they are obligated to respond.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/
Recently, a petition was organized to declare the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization.
It received the requisite number of signatures.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/declare-muslim-brotherhood-organization-terrorist-group/zGxCQ55g
This is the text of the White House response.
From: The White House To: (deleted) ReplyTo: The White House Subject: Response to We the People Petition on the Muslim Brotherhood Sent: Nov 29, 2014 08:59 Response to We the People Petition on the Muslim Brotherhood
Thank you for your petition.
We have not seen credible evidence that the Muslim Brotherhood has renounced its decades-long commitment to non-violence.
The United States does not condone political violence of any kind and we continue to press actors of all viewpoints to peacefully engage in the political process. The United States is committed to thwarting terrorist groups that pose a threat to U.S. interests and those of our partners.
Tell us what you think about this petition response and We the People. You're receiving this email because the address (deleted)was entered to sign a We the People petition.
Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy Please do not reply to this email. Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111
---------------------------------------------------------------------
This is what you get for gathering 100,000 signatures. (Good thing they didn't have to round up
100,000 horses.)
Obviously, the WH has not heard about the campaign of terror in Egypt by the MB against
Christians, the burning of churches, kidnappings of children and forced conversions.
Obviously, they are not aware of the attacks on Egyptian police and military by the MB.
Obviously, they are not aware that the MB is the umbrella organization of virtually all Islamic
terrorist organizations.
Obviously, the WH is not aware that the current head of Al Qaeda, Aymen al Zawahiri, an Egyptian, came out of the MB.
What a joke!
Pope Francis Gets it Wrong
As Pope Francis I continues his visit to Turkey, there are questions as to just how strongly he is voicing his concerns about Muslim persecution of Christians. Prior to leaving he made a statement on the subjecct. Yet it seems that his words are limited to what ISIS is doing in Iraq and Syria. Now he is using that discredited line that poverty is behind Islamic extremism and is calling for more interfaith dialogue-an exercise that has proven to be more counter productive in that it usually leads to non-Muslims being lied to.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-29/pope-urges-solidarity-to-stop-aggressors-in-syria-and-iraq/5927518
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/11/29/pope-francis-visits-iconic-muslim-and-christian-sites-in-istanbul/?intcmp=latestnews
And now as Francis is in Turkey reflecting, there is a report that the Syrian border town of Kobani is now being besieged from the Turkish side of the border as well.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/11/29/islamic-state-group-extremists-launch-new-assault-on-syrian-border-town-kobani/?intcmp=latestnews
I am still waiting to hear if the Pontiff will address the rising anti-Semitism in Turkey especially coming from Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ministers. As it is, my own gut feeling is that he could have made a more powerful statement by cancelling this trip.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Did IRS Turn Over Confidential Tax Payer Records to White House?
Hat tip Daily Caller
It looks like the screws are tightening on ex-IRS official Lois Lerner and the White House as well. At issue are the thousands of documents being released that may reveal that IRS turned over confidential tax payer records to the White House. And that, Dear Reader would be a crime.
http://dailycaller.com/2014/11/27/thousands-of-documents-irs-gave-taxpayer-information-to-white-house/
It looks like the screws are tightening on ex-IRS official Lois Lerner and the White House as well. At issue are the thousands of documents being released that may reveal that IRS turned over confidential tax payer records to the White House. And that, Dear Reader would be a crime.
http://dailycaller.com/2014/11/27/thousands-of-documents-irs-gave-taxpayer-information-to-white-house/
Open Hillel by Professor Mark LeVine
Mark LeVine (on the right calling David Horowitz a liar "on international television")
UC Irvine Professor Mark LeVine is a regular writer for Qatar-based Al Jazeera, which is funded by the ruling family of Qatar.
And who is Mark LeVine, you ask?
You don't wanna know.
But, if you insist, he is a professor of Middle East studies at UC Irvine, where I also teach part-time. A few days ago, he got very angry at me at a campus event when I called him an "anti-Israel activist" and told me in no uncertain terms that if I ever called him "anti-Israel" again, I would have a problem!
Anyway, here is one of Mark's recent pieces for Al Jazeera in which he talks about the Open Hillel movement, an effort to get the national Jewish student support organization to admit members who are anti-Israel, folks like Jewish Voice for Peace, the most inappropriately-named organization since the LA Lakers.
http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/10/jewish-american-openhillelstudentorganizationisraeloccupation.html
"For many years, the powerful Israel lobby, a group of Jewish and (largely) conservative Christian and U.S.-national-security-related organizations whose main purpose is to ensure untrammeled U.S. support for Israel, regardless of its policies, has overshadowed American Jewish life. However, a convergence of factors, including the spread of alternative media, the rise of the anti-globalization and anti-war movements, the intensification of the occupation and deepening of violence in Israel and Palestine and the emergence of a highly educated and committed progressive activists, is increasingly challenging Israel’s militarized policies and the brand of Jewish identity championed by right-wing Israeli leaders."
Boy! That's a mouthful.
"Open Hillel’s rapid growth mirrors that of Jewish Voices for Peace, a grass-roots organization that advocates for a lasting peace that recognizes the security and self-determination of both Israelis and Palestinians. Israel’s recent assault on Gaza has given the group another boost."
"Open Hillel’s rapid growth mirrors that of Jewish Voices for Peace, a grass-roots organization that advocates for a lasting peace that recognizes the security and self-determination of both Israelis and Palestinians. Israel’s recent assault on Gaza has given the group another boost."
Jewish Voice for Peace, despite its name, is an anarchist bunch of misfits that is totally in line with the Palestinian movement. They hate Israel with a passion. Three of these characters came to UCI a couple of years ago, and guess what-one of them, Rachel Roberts, yelled at me. (What else is new?) Roberts is now a legal counsel for CAIR. Are you surprised? Another was Matan Cohen, a self-described student and anarchist, whose main claim to fame has been getting tuned up by Israel forces when he tries to put his anarchist tricks to use against them, He even lost an eye in the process. The third was a b-grade actress named Estee Chandler, who, in spite of her training, had to sit and read her presentation from her laptop!
To call JVP a grass roots group that advocates for a lasting peace that recognizes the security of Israel is laughable.
"This group, however, is coming into conflict with U.S. Jewish leadership. While average American Jews remain the most liberal group in U.S., the core leadership has moved to the far right on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Criticizing Israel remains taboo, and even the best-known American Jewish intellectuals (Tony Judt, Judith Butler, Tony Kushner and Noam Chomsky, among others) face vitriolic attacks for speaking out against the occupation."
Judith Butler? Noam Chomsky?
When I was studying linguistics, I had to read Chomsky's book on Universal Grammar. Whatever his talents as a linguist, when it comes to anything else, the man is an idiot-in my humble view, of course. I don't know which he hates more, Israel or the US.
(At least I didn't call him a moral idiot. That would be vitriolic, wouldn't you say?)
"Uhhhh.................yeaaaah."
To close, I am no fan of Hillel-at least its chapter in Orange County. If they want to open up their organization-which claims to support Israel- to Jews who don't share that view, that's their business. But it must be pointed out that this Open Hillel movement is nothing more than trying to infiltrate Hillel with anti-Israel forces and change the very nature of the organization. In my view, it is all part of the grand scheme to totally deligitimize Israel.
"This group, however, is coming into conflict with U.S. Jewish leadership. While average American Jews remain the most liberal group in U.S., the core leadership has moved to the far right on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Criticizing Israel remains taboo, and even the best-known American Jewish intellectuals (Tony Judt, Judith Butler, Tony Kushner and Noam Chomsky, among others) face vitriolic attacks for speaking out against the occupation."
Judith Butler? Noam Chomsky?
When I was studying linguistics, I had to read Chomsky's book on Universal Grammar. Whatever his talents as a linguist, when it comes to anything else, the man is an idiot-in my humble view, of course. I don't know which he hates more, Israel or the US.
(At least I didn't call him a moral idiot. That would be vitriolic, wouldn't you say?)
To close, I am no fan of Hillel-at least its chapter in Orange County. If they want to open up their organization-which claims to support Israel- to Jews who don't share that view, that's their business. But it must be pointed out that this Open Hillel movement is nothing more than trying to infiltrate Hillel with anti-Israel forces and change the very nature of the organization. In my view, it is all part of the grand scheme to totally deligitimize Israel.
A UCLA Student Lectures a Black LA Cop on Race
Hat tip Frontpage Magazine
It appears from what looks like LA City Hall in the background that this protest took place in downtown LA. Watch the below video tape as a snot-nose white female who identifies herself as a UCLA student "doing research" lectures an older black LAPD cop about race.
http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/dgreenfield/white-ucla-student-to-black-cop-you-are-kept-down-by-your-race/
Where does one begin? That cop has more life experience with race in his little finger than that arrogant white female will ever have in her life. As for the female, she didn't learn that rhetoric from her parents; she learned it from her professors over in trendy Westwood Village. This is the garbage that she and the rest of our kids are learning in the classroom, not just at UCLA, but all over the country.
I once regretted the fact that my two kids only finished two years of college. Now I don't. They don't talk like this. They have common sense and are living in the real world. This young woman is living in a fantasy land of "structural racism" and "white privilege", "People of color" and all the other divisive nonsense that is being taught in humanities and social sciences these days. I wonder how much Mommy and Daddy are paying for their daughter to learn this crap.
And you know what's really scary? This lady ten or twenty years from now instead of looking back and thinking, "How could I have been so dumb?" will probably be teaching that same stuff in some other university.
It appears from what looks like LA City Hall in the background that this protest took place in downtown LA. Watch the below video tape as a snot-nose white female who identifies herself as a UCLA student "doing research" lectures an older black LAPD cop about race.
http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/dgreenfield/white-ucla-student-to-black-cop-you-are-kept-down-by-your-race/
Where does one begin? That cop has more life experience with race in his little finger than that arrogant white female will ever have in her life. As for the female, she didn't learn that rhetoric from her parents; she learned it from her professors over in trendy Westwood Village. This is the garbage that she and the rest of our kids are learning in the classroom, not just at UCLA, but all over the country.
I once regretted the fact that my two kids only finished two years of college. Now I don't. They don't talk like this. They have common sense and are living in the real world. This young woman is living in a fantasy land of "structural racism" and "white privilege", "People of color" and all the other divisive nonsense that is being taught in humanities and social sciences these days. I wonder how much Mommy and Daddy are paying for their daughter to learn this crap.
And you know what's really scary? This lady ten or twenty years from now instead of looking back and thinking, "How could I have been so dumb?" will probably be teaching that same stuff in some other university.
Another Sex Grooming Ring Convicted in UK
Hat tip Vlad Tepes
A group of Somali men has been convicted in Bristol for running an underage prostitution ring using British girls "groomed" for the purpose.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/thirteen-somali-men-convicted-of-running-bristol-sex-ring-that-targeted-vulnerable-british-girls-as-young-as-13-9887517.html
This is not an isolated case. Britain is afflicted with numerous such rings, mostly comprised of Pakistani men.
A group of Somali men has been convicted in Bristol for running an underage prostitution ring using British girls "groomed" for the purpose.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/thirteen-somali-men-convicted-of-running-bristol-sex-ring-that-targeted-vulnerable-british-girls-as-young-as-13-9887517.html
This is not an isolated case. Britain is afflicted with numerous such rings, mostly comprised of Pakistani men.
Hillary Clinton's Speaking Demands+$300,000
Hat tip Slate.com and Shirley
Daddy may have no idea, but I do. Here is more on that time Hillary Clinton came to speak at UCLA.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/11/27/hillary_clinton_speaking_demands.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top
And keep in mind this woman is running all over the country making speeches and collecting 6-figure fees (all for the Clinton Global Initiative, of course)
The woman is not only running for president, she (like her) husband is a grifter.
No doubt UCLA will respond that this money comes from some sort of special fund set up by private donors and all that. But if the University of California is so hard up for money that they are pleading with the governor to increase the tax-payer bite for them and having to raise tuition again, perhaps those special funds could be used for better purposes like providing a quality education for serious subjects. Having a vainglorious politician come and receive some boffo award and spout her off-the-shelf BS to a college audience does little to advance education in my view.
Three hundred thousand to listen to Hillary Clinton? It's like spending a few thousand to attend a World Series game. I can watch it on TV for free.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Continuing Insanity at UPenn: Prof. Anthea Butler
Hat tip Campus Reform
University of Pennsylvania professor Anthea Butler has been featured on this site before. Her statements are so outlandish that even the academics at UPenn should hide their heads in shame. Look what she has to say over Michael Brown and the Ferguson case.
http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6102
White racist God?
Does it look like this? Or this?
I don't know what a white racist God is supposed to look like, but I think this woman is first of all, full of hate, and second of all a nut case. No wonder they bring her on to MSNBC.
University of Pennsylvania professor Anthea Butler has been featured on this site before. Her statements are so outlandish that even the academics at UPenn should hide their heads in shame. Look what she has to say over Michael Brown and the Ferguson case.
http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6102
White racist God?
Does it look like this? Or this?
I don't know what a white racist God is supposed to look like, but I think this woman is first of all, full of hate, and second of all a nut case. No wonder they bring her on to MSNBC.
The Question of Professors Bringing Their Beliefs Into Classrooms (Steven Salaita)
Hat tip American Thinker
This post originally appeared in Eagle Rising.
My friends and colleagues Tammi Rossman-Benjamin and Leila Beckwith of the AMCHA Initiative have an article in American Thinker about how the anti-Israel campaign has infected academia and even the classroom. This has been mostly brought to the fore by the controversy over the rescinded hire of Professor Steven Salaita by the University of Illinois.
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2014/11/antiisrael_bias_infiltrates_the_classroom.html
I have said many times on this site that I do not bring my personal beliefs into the classroom. (I teach English as a Second Language part-time at the University of California at Irvine.) That includes my personal support of Israel. However, I do make my views known at other venues on campus, specifically speaking events where I attend and often participate in q and a, usually in opposition to the speaker. I think that is fair game. While I don't organize out-of-class events myself, I would not preclude myself from doing so. I think two things are important here: First, I don't subject my own students to my beliefs either in class or on a university server (campus e-mails etc).
Salaita lost his UI job offer principally over intemperate tweets suggesting approval for the kidnapping of Israelis living in the disputed settlements. I don't tweet myself, but I do send out personal emails and I blog. I am sure many who read my comments about Islamic extremism have concluded that I am Islamophobic or that I hate Muslims. As to the latter, I plead innocent. As to the former it depends how you define that tricky term, which I shouldn't even give lip service to since it was invented only a few years ago by Islamists themselves to try and silence their critics. (Sorry, it hasn't worked.)
Some of the things outlined in this article that I find troubling are Salaita's attempts to organize an academic boycott of Israel. As to other professors, I note the account of UC Riverside's Professor David Lloyd and others putting together a speaking event by noted anti-Israel agitator Omar Barghouti and assigning students to attend. I was present at that event, and when I took the organizers to task during the q and a and asked whether they were going to balance their presentation to their students by inviting an opposing voice, Lloyd responded by defending Barghouti and calling the question "preposterous". The video can be viewed here.
Professor David Klein of California State University at Northridge as stated above, has used the university list server to spread propaganda to his students about Israel, which in my view is an abuse of his position and misuse of university resources. CSUN does not agree with my assessment, however. To me that indicates they agree with Klein's anti-Israel message.
As for CSUSF professor Rabab Abdulhadi (also described in the article), its seems to me that the university should seriously investigate what influence she has had on her students either in the classroom or those she mentors given the deadly expressions some of them have uttered about murdering Israelis. As to her use of university funds for a trip that was misrepresented, that should also be investigated.
Two things are clear: As stated by the authors, our universities are out of control when it comes to spewing radical propaganda, and secondly, the Israeli-Palestinian issue has been pushed to the fore of all the issues that consume the students interests and passions. Why is it that of all the issues competing for our attention in the world this one issue is the number one hot topic issue on campus?
It is because of a well-organized and well-financed campaign by pro-Palestinian forces to delegitimize the Jewish state in the eyes of Americans-especially the future leaders of this country who are walking on our university campuses today.
This post originally appeared in Eagle Rising.
My friends and colleagues Tammi Rossman-Benjamin and Leila Beckwith of the AMCHA Initiative have an article in American Thinker about how the anti-Israel campaign has infected academia and even the classroom. This has been mostly brought to the fore by the controversy over the rescinded hire of Professor Steven Salaita by the University of Illinois.
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2014/11/antiisrael_bias_infiltrates_the_classroom.html
I have said many times on this site that I do not bring my personal beliefs into the classroom. (I teach English as a Second Language part-time at the University of California at Irvine.) That includes my personal support of Israel. However, I do make my views known at other venues on campus, specifically speaking events where I attend and often participate in q and a, usually in opposition to the speaker. I think that is fair game. While I don't organize out-of-class events myself, I would not preclude myself from doing so. I think two things are important here: First, I don't subject my own students to my beliefs either in class or on a university server (campus e-mails etc).
Salaita lost his UI job offer principally over intemperate tweets suggesting approval for the kidnapping of Israelis living in the disputed settlements. I don't tweet myself, but I do send out personal emails and I blog. I am sure many who read my comments about Islamic extremism have concluded that I am Islamophobic or that I hate Muslims. As to the latter, I plead innocent. As to the former it depends how you define that tricky term, which I shouldn't even give lip service to since it was invented only a few years ago by Islamists themselves to try and silence their critics. (Sorry, it hasn't worked.)
Some of the things outlined in this article that I find troubling are Salaita's attempts to organize an academic boycott of Israel. As to other professors, I note the account of UC Riverside's Professor David Lloyd and others putting together a speaking event by noted anti-Israel agitator Omar Barghouti and assigning students to attend. I was present at that event, and when I took the organizers to task during the q and a and asked whether they were going to balance their presentation to their students by inviting an opposing voice, Lloyd responded by defending Barghouti and calling the question "preposterous". The video can be viewed here.
Professor David Klein of California State University at Northridge as stated above, has used the university list server to spread propaganda to his students about Israel, which in my view is an abuse of his position and misuse of university resources. CSUN does not agree with my assessment, however. To me that indicates they agree with Klein's anti-Israel message.
As for CSUSF professor Rabab Abdulhadi (also described in the article), its seems to me that the university should seriously investigate what influence she has had on her students either in the classroom or those she mentors given the deadly expressions some of them have uttered about murdering Israelis. As to her use of university funds for a trip that was misrepresented, that should also be investigated.
Two things are clear: As stated by the authors, our universities are out of control when it comes to spewing radical propaganda, and secondly, the Israeli-Palestinian issue has been pushed to the fore of all the issues that consume the students interests and passions. Why is it that of all the issues competing for our attention in the world this one issue is the number one hot topic issue on campus?
It is because of a well-organized and well-financed campaign by pro-Palestinian forces to delegitimize the Jewish state in the eyes of Americans-especially the future leaders of this country who are walking on our university campuses today.
Pope Condemns Violence Against Christians
Pope Francis has spoken out about the killing of Christians and Yazidis by ISIS on the eve of a trip to the Middle East.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/11/27/pope-condemns-islamic-state-violence-against-christians-in-interview/
I hope His Holiness goes further because it is not just what is happening in Iraq and Syria. It is not just ISIS. Christians are being persecuted in Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Iran, Pakistan, and Nigeria just to name a few. In addition, Turkey, which the Pope is set to visit, has shown a troubling anti-Semitism in recent months. Furthermore it is Muslims who are the perpetrators of all this hate, and that must not be sugar-coated.
The Pope should speak forcefully and let those with whom he meets know that the world is watching this persecution and hate play out (which may not be altogether true) and that people will draw their own conclusions about this persecution. In short, it must end. That is the message that Middle East leaders should hear.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/11/27/pope-condemns-islamic-state-violence-against-christians-in-interview/
I hope His Holiness goes further because it is not just what is happening in Iraq and Syria. It is not just ISIS. Christians are being persecuted in Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Iran, Pakistan, and Nigeria just to name a few. In addition, Turkey, which the Pope is set to visit, has shown a troubling anti-Semitism in recent months. Furthermore it is Muslims who are the perpetrators of all this hate, and that must not be sugar-coated.
The Pope should speak forcefully and let those with whom he meets know that the world is watching this persecution and hate play out (which may not be altogether true) and that people will draw their own conclusions about this persecution. In short, it must end. That is the message that Middle East leaders should hear.
Erwin Chemerinsky Defends Obama's Immigration Action ( or Inaction)
UC Irvine's liberal law school dean Erwin Chemerinsky has an op-ed in today's Orange County Register predictably defending President Obama's immigration amnesty plan for some 5 million illegal immigrants.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/obama-643494-president-law.html
When it comes to liberal law school professors, I prefer people like George Washington University's Jonathan Turley, who condemned Bill Clinton's perjury and abuse of office and has condemned Obama for taking the country to the "constitutional brink" by going around Congress.
Note to President Obama: If Ruth Bader Ginsburg decides to retire over age and health issues (as I know you are hoping for), Chemerinsky is your man.
Note to Ginsburg. Get well.
"You're killing me, Erwin."
Piers Morgan on Darren Wilson
Piers Morgan is one of the real dopes out there. Every time he opens his mouth, something dopey comes out. So it was this week when he appeared on Access Hollywood with Billy Bush and Kit Hoover and opined on the Ferguson grand jury decsion. He objected to Officer Wilson telling George Stepanopoulos in an interview that his conscience was clear. Then he said that Officer Darren Wilson had carefully planned his testimony, and that he wasn't subjected to a cross examination as would have happened at a trial. ( I am paraphrasing.) He also raised the case of Treyvon Martin and "re-convicted" George Zimmerman. Then he goes into his America and guns rant that he is famous for.
Did he read the transcripts??? Has he heard about how Officer Wilson's "carefully planned testimony" is supported by the evidence?
First of all, Morgan (a Brit) has little understanding of our legal system. It is a prosecutor's duty to decide if a person should be charged. First of all, he must decide if enough evidence exists to convince a trial jury beyond a reasonable doubt to convict. More importantly, if the evidence points to innocence, it would be an ethical and a moral malfeasance of office to take the case to trial. (Are you reading this, you Florida prosecutors who charged George Zimmerman?)
Morgan's views were echoed by fellow panelist Segun Oduolowu, an Access Hollywood contributor, who was also ignoring the evidence that the grand jury (6 whites and 3 blacks) had examined. According to Segun, Wilson had shot Brown to death for petty theft. No, he shot him to death for trying to take his gun away from him.
In the interest of full disclosure, my two children were friends and schoolmates of Segun and his younger brother when we lived in Northern Virginia in the 1990s. My son is still in contact with Segun's younger brother, and he has visited our home here in California on a couple of occasions. He is a fine young man, and I am sure Segun is as well. I just think he is not accepting the evidence that came out of the grand jury. Of course, he is not the only one.
One thing that is necessary to reiterate: When you try to take a cop's gun away from him, the whole idea of being unarmed goes out the window. That is what the evidence showed, not once, but twice, once in the car, and then outside the car when he tried to rush Wilson who had his gun drawn.
Access Hollywood should stick to blabbing about the private lives of Hollywood stars.
Did he read the transcripts??? Has he heard about how Officer Wilson's "carefully planned testimony" is supported by the evidence?
First of all, Morgan (a Brit) has little understanding of our legal system. It is a prosecutor's duty to decide if a person should be charged. First of all, he must decide if enough evidence exists to convince a trial jury beyond a reasonable doubt to convict. More importantly, if the evidence points to innocence, it would be an ethical and a moral malfeasance of office to take the case to trial. (Are you reading this, you Florida prosecutors who charged George Zimmerman?)
Morgan's views were echoed by fellow panelist Segun Oduolowu, an Access Hollywood contributor, who was also ignoring the evidence that the grand jury (6 whites and 3 blacks) had examined. According to Segun, Wilson had shot Brown to death for petty theft. No, he shot him to death for trying to take his gun away from him.
In the interest of full disclosure, my two children were friends and schoolmates of Segun and his younger brother when we lived in Northern Virginia in the 1990s. My son is still in contact with Segun's younger brother, and he has visited our home here in California on a couple of occasions. He is a fine young man, and I am sure Segun is as well. I just think he is not accepting the evidence that came out of the grand jury. Of course, he is not the only one.
One thing that is necessary to reiterate: When you try to take a cop's gun away from him, the whole idea of being unarmed goes out the window. That is what the evidence showed, not once, but twice, once in the car, and then outside the car when he tried to rush Wilson who had his gun drawn.
Access Hollywood should stick to blabbing about the private lives of Hollywood stars.
Happy Thanksgiving
After a hard week dealing with turkeys, it's time to say happy turkey day. So may all of you (except the turkeys) have a happy Thanksgiving.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
More Jew Hatred on Display at UC Berkeley
Hat tip JWeekly and Pro Israel Bay Bloggers
On December 4, a union representing 13,000 graduate student workers in the University of California will be voting on a resolution calling for (yawn) an academic boycott of Israel. It appears they are trying to keep it low key to keep the voter turnout low. (So that is why I am telling you.) The union in question is UAW 2865 (United Auto Workers???) Yes. They oversee 2865, which is a union for graduate student workers. Go figure.
Tammi Rossman-Benjamin of the AMCHA Initiative has written an article about an ugly incident that occurred at UC Berkeley on November 12 when Lara Kiswani, the director from the Arab Resource and Organizing Center (whatever the Hell that is) spoke in support of the measure. The meeting was arranged by-get this- the BDS caucus of UAW 2865. Here is what happened:
http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/73278/as-long-as-you-choose-to-be-on-that-side-im-going-to-continue-to-hate-you/
On December 4, a union representing 13,000 graduate student workers in the University of California will be voting on a resolution calling for (yawn) an academic boycott of Israel. It appears they are trying to keep it low key to keep the voter turnout low. (So that is why I am telling you.) The union in question is UAW 2865 (United Auto Workers???) Yes. They oversee 2865, which is a union for graduate student workers. Go figure.
Tammi Rossman-Benjamin of the AMCHA Initiative has written an article about an ugly incident that occurred at UC Berkeley on November 12 when Lara Kiswani, the director from the Arab Resource and Organizing Center (whatever the Hell that is) spoke in support of the measure. The meeting was arranged by-get this- the BDS caucus of UAW 2865. Here is what happened:
http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/73278/as-long-as-you-choose-to-be-on-that-side-im-going-to-continue-to-hate-you/
“See, part of the problem with the Palestine question particularly on campus is it always gets framed as this two-sided thing and liberal democracy loves to make it seem like everyone has a right to speak, including the oppressor alongside the oppressed. … I don’t think that this form of liberal democracy really has a place in terms of real struggle. … Maybe liberal Zionists here on this campus have a hard time understanding what that means. … As long as you choose to be on that side, I’m going to continue to hate you.”
After Kiswani’s remarks, the Jewish graduate student left the room in tears."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At least the young lady learned a valuable lesson. It is fruitless to try and engage in dialogue with these ideologues. Her time would have been better spent trying to get Ms Kiswani to leave the room in tears.
As Tammi says, this asinine BDS movement against Israel is really about (Jew) hatred.
I am also posting this item from Pro-Israel Bay Bloggers about this measure coming up for a vote on December 4. First of all, the UAW is opposed to BDS.
And then there is this message I received from Pro-Israel Bay Bloggers tonight:
"To all Graduate Students at the University of California: (parents and friends of grad students, please forward)
You may not have already heard about this- the opposition is keeping it very quiet, because low voter turn out is what they are hoping for .
The graduate student union that represents all 13,000 graduate students at the University of California is voting on an academic boycott of Israel on Dec. 4. This isn't about disagreeing with Israeli policies- its about endorsing the elimination of academic collaboration with Israel. Its an egregious break with academic principles of academic freedom, diversity and discourse.
These folks are coordinating the effort to have it defeated http://informgrads.org
Please sign the petition, and pass on the contact information. They can fill you in on the particulars of where to vote .
If you aren't already a member of the graduate student union, you can join on Dec.4, the day of the vote. We need to spread the word among graduate students to vote No on this resolution."
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I urge my readers to go to this site and sign the petition. I have.
Let me close by saying this: Beyond the issue of one young Jewish lady learning a lesson the hard way about trying to dialog with these characters, it never ceases to amaze me how many Jews and Jewish organizations have such an unnatural hatred for Israel. I suppose most of it is related to being leftists. Jews have an expression for this called, "self-hating Jews". Being a Gentile, I don't use that term preferring to leave it to the Jews to thrash that out.
But I have nothing but contempt for that crowd nonetheless, whether it be despicable organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace or J Street or individual Jews.
Since the focal point for anti-Israel agitation and Jew-hatred in general is right smack dab on our university campuses, I have a particular contempt for left-wing Jewish professors who engage in anti-Israel activism and indoctrination of their students to that end. Perhaps, surprisingly there are a fair number of them out there, but perhaps that is because universities are hotbeds of leftist thought.
How can any self-respecting Jewish person, religious or not, align him/herself with such Jew-hating forces? I am still trying to figure that out.
But I have nothing but contempt for that crowd nonetheless, whether it be despicable organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace or J Street or individual Jews.
Since the focal point for anti-Israel agitation and Jew-hatred in general is right smack dab on our university campuses, I have a particular contempt for left-wing Jewish professors who engage in anti-Israel activism and indoctrination of their students to that end. Perhaps, surprisingly there are a fair number of them out there, but perhaps that is because universities are hotbeds of leftist thought.
How can any self-respecting Jewish person, religious or not, align him/herself with such Jew-hating forces? I am still trying to figure that out.
The New York Times "All the News That's Fit to Print" (Including Darren Wilson's Home Address)
This has to be a new low in journalism -even by New York Times standards.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/11/26/reckless-move-ny-times-publishes-darren-wilsons-address/
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/11/26/reckless-move-ny-times-publishes-darren-wilsons-address/
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