Tuesday, April 7, 2009
...at DePaul University: Shell-shocked in DePaul
I wasn't 30 hours off the plane from Israel to give a presentation at Chicago's DePaul University on March 16, before I was greeted with the kind of direct anti-Semitism that legitimizes Kassam rockets fired at Sderot.
Several anti-Israel posters draped the entrance to the building in which I began my presentation to a small audience of around 20. Then the room began filling with people not merely against Israel's political policies and action but in clear support of the Hamas terrorist organization.
When I invited a question-and-answer session following my presentation, the very right of free speech which I offered the audience - now numbering more than 100 - was denied me. One audience member verbally attacked me, declared his support for the firing of rockets into Israel and ended his anti-Semitic rant with a question irrelevant to anything in my presentation. I pointed out that the questioner was not simply criticizing Israel but was clearly expressing his support for Hamas.
Before I could finish answering, I was interrupted and silenced by the Hamas supporters. Then a student rose up in the front of the room and called me a "dirty whore" in Arabic. He then grabbed his crotch and screamed, "Here's your Kassam!" - in Arabic.
I wasn't able to utter a word, so the event was shut down. After I'd collected my belongings, the local police - teamed with university security - escorted me to my car. The combination of unceasing anti-Semitic chants, personal harassment and solidarity with a terrorist organization hijacked the event...
Spinelessness in academe, redux.
I am not surprised, as this type of occurence is all too common, especially at American Universities. I have to compare this response to the one Brigitte Gabriel received last week here in Des Moines. Let me rephrase that. There is NO comparison to the response Ms. Gabriel received here. My grandfather was right when he told me fifty years ago that neither common sense nor common courtesy are common, certainly not on campus.
I wrote the following to the university:
I was horrified to read the following:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1238562905981&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
Surely this isn't reflective of a progressive or even a responsible educational environment?
I'm deeply concerned. I'm a citizen of the US and a person who reveres education.
I'm also a person who grew up during the Vietnam era and am no stranger to vociferous demonstrations.
However, we were demonstrating FOR tolerance, for peace, not against tolerance, not in favor of assaults on a civilian population and certainly we were not bigots.
This reflects poorly on your institution and I think you should address it immediately. There is no excuse for the hate and ignorance described in the article.
Sincerely,
Good luck, Sophia. I don't think you'll get much of a response.
Maybe you could add something extra to the letter to make it pack more punch. Something like, "As an alumna of your university with a net worth of over $100 million, I will now have to rethink my plans for a major donation to your institution."
OK, maybe that's a lie, but it would sure make them sit up and take notice. :-)
Great seeing you again around the Internet, Sophia. I've always liked reading your comments here and at Augean Stables.
Not content with bringing the venomous terrorism-apologist El-Hajj Mauri Saalakhan to campus in March, the Hamas-huggers of the MSA are now hosting this infamous Holocaust-denier. Absolutely shameless...
Subject : Palestine and Israel: Roots of Conflict and Prospects for Peace
When : Wednesday, April 08, 2009 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where : Tydings : 0130
Event Type(s) : Lecture
Featuring Guest Speaker: Dr. Norman Finkelstein
WHEN: Wednesday April 8th, 2009, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
WHERE: Tydings Hall 0130.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr. Norman G. Finkelstein received his doctorate in 1988 from the Department of Politics at Princeton University. For many years, he taught political theory and the Palestine-Israel conflict. He is the son of two Polish Holocaust survivors and is currently an independent scholar.
Dr. Finkelstein is the author of five books.
Visit http://www.normanfinkelstein.com for more info.
Sponsored by: UMD Muslim Students Association, Organization of Arab Students, Muslim Women of Maryland, Pakistani Student Association, International Socialist Organization, Nyumburu Cultural Center, Bengali Student Association, African Student Association, and Community Roots.
Website: www.msaumd.org
For more information, contact:
Abdel-Hameed Abdel Salam Badawy
+1 301 405 2068
absalam @T umd DoT edu