McGreevey, Rutgers president to discuss Pro-Palestine forum

[drdon326]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=124

TRENTON, N.J. -- Gov. James E. McGreevey will meet privately with Rutgers President Richard L. McCormick next week to discuss a pro-Palestine student forum that will be held at the university this fall.

The National Student Conference of the Palestine Solidarity Movement, scheduled for Oct. 10-12 at Douglass College student center, is expected to attract hundreds of student activists and supporters of an independent Palestine. The annual event will include sessions on how students can pressure their schools to stop investing in companies that do business with Israel, as well as cultural events and rallies to support the formation of an independent Palestinian homeland.

On Monday, Rutgers said the university would provide space for the forum despite the roughly 230 protest letters it has received that call for the event's cancellation or relocation to an off-campus site. The decision spurred Republican Senate President John Bennett to write a letter to McGreevey that urged him to cancel the event, which is being organized by New Jersey Solidarity, a registered Rutgers student group.

.................................................

i guess Charlottes little hate-fest is getting
noticed.

[jos]

1. Freedom of speech

McGreevey and Bennett should butt the fuck out. It's a matter of freedom of speech. If it were a pro-Israel get together, you wouldn't hear a word out of these clowns. In fact, a lot of the politicians would be clamoring to go.

The only hate I see is the hate for free speech. It's political correctness run amuck.

[Gimel]

2. More than speech

It sounds like indoctrination and organized activists trying to increase their numbers.

[drdon326]

3. Kates own words...

"Israel is an apartheid, colonial settler state. I do not believe apartheid, colonial settler states have a right to exist."

(http://www.nypost.com/commentary/109.htm)

not pro-palestinian......shes against the existance of israel.

she can KISS MY BIG BEAUTIFUL ASS.

[jos]

4. That's speech

You may not like it, but she's free to say it.

And relying on the Likud Post doesn't do your argument any good.

[GabysPoppy]

7. Free Speech is fine

Let her and her sponsors rent and pay for their own venue for hate. I don't want or should I be forced through my tax dollars to offer venues to her or the KKK or any other hate group for that matter.

Once again attack the messenger rather than the message. I personally don't care whether or not it's the NY Post or the NY Times, it's the story that is the issue. If the story is not a fact, feel free to attack the messenger. If the story is correct and you agree with her views, be person enough to admit it.

Playing the politically correct card to mask your views seems a bit cowardly at best and hypocritical at worst.

[jos]

8. Censorship

I tend to be a libertarian when it comes to these matters. As long as the group in question does not advocate imminent violence, that is violence stemming from the meeting itself, I have no problem with holding a meeting on public property. To say otherwise, is to advocate censorship.

And it is political correctness. There are groups in this country which seek to silence any criticsm of Israel's policies, or any advocation for the rights of the Palestinians. Such folks are tarred with the "anti-semitic" tag. It is despicable.

[Violet_Crumble]

13. And it's so sad that some folk oppose it...

Let her and her sponsors rent and pay for their own venue for hate. I don't want or should I be forced through my tax dollars to offer venues to her or the KKK or any other hate group for that matter.

Since when has opposing McCarthyist attempts to stop academic freedom of speech been hate? Since when has giving a shit about the Palestinian people been hate? Since when has workshops on non-violent resistance been hate? Since when do people who claim to be progressives so slavishly latch blindly onto every word from a hate-filled article from a nasty gutter-kissing right-wing trashy tabloid and then put student groups on the same level as the KKK? If yr so worried about where yr precious tax dollars are going, have a think about why you don't have any problem with yr tax dollars manifesting themselves in the US-made military equipment that the IDF uses when they kill all those innocent Palestinian civilians. That's a whole lot more $ than a student group hiring out a lecture theatre for a few days...

Once again attack the messenger rather than the message. I personally don't care whether or not it's the NY Post or the NY Times, it's the story that is the issue.

Does this line of thinking only apply when it's stories from a right-wing media source? I recall someone very recently on the old board attacking the messenger by responding to an article with a slam on them based on some bizarre belief that the author must be an expert in International Relations to be entitled to have an opinion. Oh, well ;)

The story is the issue, but it's important to understand that when the story is being reported in such differing ways by the scungy little NYPost and Ha'aretz (I've tried searching for their report on this that I saw but I haven't had any luck finding it again so if anyone wants to help me out on that I'd appreciate it), there's an underlying reason why crap like NYPost and Arutz Sheva are braying acccusations of anti-semitism while Ha'aretz didn't. It's also important to remember that certain publications have a track-record for articles displaying a racism towards Arabs and they do equate any criticism at all of Israels actions in the Occupied Territories, or the slightest bit of concern for what's been done to the Palestinian people as being anti-semitic...

The only two quotes from the woman organising the workshop were comments about supporting any means necessary for the Palestinians to resist the Occupation and saying that she didn't think Israel had a right to exist. Let's pretend for a moment that we're all pretty smart folk and we'll overlook the possibility that her words were possibly taken out of context or that they even exist. Any means necessary would include the deaths of civilians in attacks specifically aimed at them, but that would only be possibly anti-semitic if she didn't have that same attitude about other conflicts and was totally opposed to things like attacks on Russian civilians by Chechen rebels. Even then it might not be necessarily anti-semitic, not unless someone who notices that those who like to label themselves supporters of Israel tend to cling wholeheartedly to a support of any means necessary when it's used by the right-wing Israeli govt, so that support of any means necessary makes them anti-Arab. The other comment was about Israel's right to exist. In my opinion, it's a comment that's wrong and doesn't stand up to some logic, but it's not anti-semitic, not unless you think all those who do support a binational state are anti-semites...

Violet...

[jos]

5. That may be the effect

but so what? The right-wing Christian Zionists hold conventions and meetins where the try to indoctrinate and organize activits in order to increase their numbers, but you don't hear any politicians complaining.

[Gimel]

9. Media war

Teh Paleistinians have staged a media war, and convinced the American left that its cause constitutes "political correctness". Lokk at Univ of Michigan activities and SF State Univ. All are demonstrating in favor of "Palestinian Cause". I wouldn't say that Israel has captured the voice of the media in the US.

The Christian Zionist wanting to increase numbers? Fine. But they shouldn't advocate violent actions. I doubt that they collect money for the IDF, or volunteers.

[jos]

10. No,

they only collect money for west bank land expropriation.:eyes:

"I wouldn't say that Israel has captured the voice of the media in the U.S." You must be kidding! Anytime there is an attack on Israeli troops or a suicide bombing, it is splashed all over the "front page." But Palestinian civilians being killed or forced off their land is buried on "page 25," if reported at all.

[Gimel]

15. As is the nature

of media reports, to show the extreme cases and riviting events. Minor events such as murders of Israelis, kidnappings, etc, miss major US news reports also. A taxi driver went missing, his vehicle found in an Arab village, and a phone call that was cut-off all occured in the last 24 hours. Have you heard about it yet?
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/317443.html

Israeli forces enter Bethlehem or seek to arrest Palestinian terrorists in Jenin and it's called genocide in the media.

Edit: to add the link

[jos]

16. Expropriation of land

is a minor event? Maybe to you, but I'm sure not to the Palestinians. That's the whole problem with this issue, there is a lack of symmetry in the outrage.

[Gimel]

17. specifics

More than a general charge is needed. The building of the separation fence-wall is the major issue and that is causing some land to be disturbed. But other thatn that, the settler outposts are being dismantled. Progress there that GOI should receive credit for.

On edit: while the agreements are being implemented, it's hardly wise to call for more conflict and plan protests. At the end of the three month hudna, the attacks against Israel will start. Save your energy for then.

[jos]

18. "But on than that"

Other than the expansion of the settlements, other than the building of highways for Israelis only, other than water being given first to the settlements, other than the destruction of Palestinian farming, and other than the building of illegal settlements for the last 30 years or so, I guess you're right.:eyes:

[jos]

6. Bennett

I should also note, coming from New Jersey, that Bennett is in a tough re-election race. Enough said.

[Violet_Crumble]

11. Where's the link to the story?

All the link did was send me to a reply box to a thread at DU. Weird...


Violet...

[jos]

12. Conference to go on says Rutgers President

http://www.thnt.com/thnt/story/0,21282,764243,00.html

[Violet_Crumble]

14. $1400??????

From the article: "New Jersey Solidarity, a group that will receive about $1,400 in student fees next academic year, plans to host the Third North American Student Conference of the Palestinian Solidarity Movement Oct. 10-12 at the Douglass College student center."


Is that all that some people here are going on about?? The way they were carrying on I thought it was vast amounts of money. Holy crap!


What the university president said sounded right to me: "Intrinsic to Rutgers' own mission is the free exchange of ideas and discourse on a variety of issues, including those that are controversial," he said.

McCormick said there are "hundreds" of student groups which receive funds from the student fees, and not from tuition or state appropriations.

"Registered student groups also enjoy access to university facilities. We do not place restrictions on their views or missions, nor do we endorse them," he added."

What a pity that there's some, even some on a progressive forum, who don't agree with Rutgers' mission :(

Violet...