FOUSESQUAWK: My Op-Ed in Today's Orange County Register

Sunday, January 17, 2016

My Op-Ed in Today's Orange County Register

Hat tip to Nicole and the AMCHA Initiative for their help in submitting this

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/anti-700089-jewish-israel.html

3 comments:

ryan said...: The argument you make in the register article is just rhetoric. You claim most college students "don't understand the background and scope of the problem," but your mixing up anti-demotion with free speech and legitimate criticism. I agree that writing anything against "Jews" is racist, but equating that with criticism of Israel is a sad comparison. I'm sad you cannot separate the two, especially as a uci lecturer. Free speech means expecting criticism, but you don't bother with that issue in your article. If you teach writing, you should know that straw man arguments aren't very persuasive, and do not extend the discussion about the issue but only close it off.; January 17, 2016 at 10:28 AM
Gary Fouse said...: Ryan,

It is not just rhetoric. I quoted documented facts. The statements of Al Asi are on videotape and posted on this blog. Ditto for the comments of Malik Ali. I have personally heard Ali speak at UCI on multiple occasions and have interacted with him at those events. I have told him to his face he is an anti-Semite. That is also on videotape. The Berkeley professor I mentioned is also on videotape and camera on this blog. The swastikas and the Sharon cartoon are documented events-also on this blog. (I witnessed and photographed the cartoon on the Muslim Student Union's mock Apartheid Wall.) These are expressions that go far behind the issue of legitimate criticism of Israel. They are anti-Jewish. And you call it rhetoric?

I stated in the article that some hate speech is protected free speech, but the university also enjoys free speech and should exercise it in response to hate speech directed towards Jews as they do when it is directed toward other groups.

Yes, I did state that the rise in anti-Semitism on campus is thanks to the pro-Palestinian forces (which sadly includes some misguided Jews). I stand by that statement because these are not the actions of skin heads or Neo Nazis. I also stand by the statement that most students are not anti-Jewish but do not understand the scope and background of the problem. That comes from my own observations over the years at UCI.

I suggest you go back and re-read what I wrote. There is a vast difference between legitimate criticism of Israel and swastikas/anti-Jewish statements and expressions which I quoted. If you don't trust the truth of what I reported, research it for yourself. It is all at your fingertips.; January 17, 2016 at 11:10 AM
Squid said...: @ ryan,

I too have witnessed the anti-Semitic,anti-Israel and anti-American hate speech at UCI and UCLA. The reality of these anti-Semitic actions are real. What use be understood is this hate speech exists and it must be countered by free speech revealing the truth.

Ryan, you must understand what is real before you critique the writer for telling the truth.

Squid; January 17, 2016 at 5:16 PM