Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Congratulations to The Record, "The independent newspaper at Harvard Law School" for calling for the student group Justice for Palestine to uninvite Norman Finkelstein from the Harvard Law School campus. You would think that Harvard Law could do better than a man who's sole claim to fame is Jew baiting.
Amicus Curiae: Justice for Palestine or Jew-Baiting?
Third-year students may remember Finkelstein as the man who, back in 2003, accused Professor Dershowitz of signing his name to books written by the Israeli Mossad. (More on that shortly.) But there's much more to Norman Finkelstein than batty conspiracy theories about Alan Dershowitz. Finkelstein advances batty conspiracy theories about lots of people, and especially about one particular type of people - that is, Jews...
They go on. This one serves as a decent Finkelstein primer, too.
A few things about this 'intellectual thug'.
He never writes original content he is instead a copious if not obssessed cherry picker of other people's work.
He doesn't do original research or put out ideas that could be taken down per say.
He is always the one who tears down something or someone's else's work or repuration etc.. someone who is already established and would gain him publicity in doing so - the court jester.
It was just a matter of time before "JFP" invited him there. Did anyone expect they wouldn't? He is their biggest, best and most controversial draw.
He also thrives on controversy, thogh he often likes to portray himself as the embattled victim. He is a pro at viciously attacking others in a below the belt fashion while maintaining his 'critics' are 'zionists' who 'have in the past conspired against him' and 'control things' and are of course paranoid.
The only way to take a guy like this down is to spend some time copiously recording all of his statements going to his events and asking questions. Taking mental notes on his hypocrisies and contadictions and documenting them. Like with Gorgeous George you have to document himself putting his own egotistical foot in his mouth.
It's a disgusting job to waste your time with a miserable boring person as this and immersing yourself in the work. Interviewing serial killers in prison for forensic psychology is probably preferrable. However, a local bully only puffs himself up more and more and will continue to step on your face until you stand up to him. And this guy is savoring every second of the controversy, fame, fighting and low down dirty battles. I've seen him speak and nothing fills him up more.
People emailed Dershowitz years ago and told him that this thug was not going to dissappear, if in part due to his selling points (which he blushingly likes to say he doesn't like to mention over and over) and the conflict post 9-11 etc...
Dershowitz's own hubris is another story.
Mike
The article finishes by complementing SJFP for its principled stand and for being a fine organization.
This may or may not be a polite way of reaching out?
I'm sure the members and structure are likely different at every school but haven't they been involved in some controversial things?
Also, aren't they on the forefront of pushing the Divestment Campaign?
PS That was the cheesiest and off key rendition of the National Anthem I've heard in a while. Jon Secada apparently?
Do you know I haven't watched the series at all yet?
Yeah, there were a couple of things on the last page that raised an eyebrow, but aside from those it was a good piece.
Saw most of the series. Game 2 was a real good game.
What do you expect they gotta be PC.
Your description of what the AP picture is almost like that. It fin disgusting, not "the best choice".... they're being blatant about it.
Whack jobs like Finkelstein, Chomsky, Churchill and their ilk are unfortunately media darlings. Ever quotable, they say things about Jews in general and Israel in particular that would never be permitted were the terms they employ against Israel and Jewish people used agains, for example, African Americans, Arab Americans, etc.