Amid Criticism, College Says Event on Israel Can Proceed

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Facing criticism for its decision to co-sponsor an event with speakers from an international group that advocates Israel’s withdrawal from disputed territories where Palestinians live, Brooklyn College indicated Monday that it still planned to do so — but would also host future events featuring opposing views.

Karen L. Gould, the president of Brooklyn College, said in a statement, “Over the next two months, with the support of the Wolfe Institute for the Humanities and other campus units and community groups, we will provide multiple opportunities for discussion about the topics and related subject matter at the heart of this controversy.”

The controversy erupted last month with the announcement that the college’s political science department was co-sponsoring an event featuring two speakers with B.D.S., which stands for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions. Several student and nonstudent groups are co-sponsors of the event, which is to be held at the college on Thursday. In her statement, Ms. Gould said she did not personally agree with the group, but supported its right to speak at the college."

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/nyregion/despite-criticism-brooklyn-college-says-speakers-on-israel-can-still-appear.html

[oberliner]

1. BDS is really rolling along

Won't be long now!

[bemildred]

2. Never give up!

‘Irvine 11’ Appeal Court Decision Over ‘Vague’ Law

http://www.newuniversity.org/2013/02/news/irvine-11-appeal-court-decision-over-vague-law/

[Jefferson23]

3. Oh hell, you'd think they had thrown shoes at Oren the way this is being prosecuted. n/t

[bemildred]

5. These things never seem to be done, they never really get resolved.

Deal Reached for Inquiry on Bombing in Argentina

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/28/world/americas/argentina-and-iran-to-investigate-jewish-center-bombing.html?_r=0

There is a great deal of further blather questioning this "deal" too.

[Jefferson23]

8. That is a lot of blather, sheesh, already..19 years and running. n/t

[bemildred]

9. I have reached the conclusion that many times, the blather is the point.

The purpose of the "story" is to generate blather, there is a list of these old atrocities that get trotted out as political red herrings, and for the daily two minutes of hate.

It's interesting that the Argentine government, which is under pressure politically, has poked a stick into two of these "distractive" issues lately: the Falklands and cozying up to Iran over this old bombing. As an American, I am most familiar with the technique.

The Bulgarian story is very similar in some ways, to the Argentine bombing, not least in the shortage of facts. But Israeli assassinations tend to run short on facts too, most of the time.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

4. First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

[oberliner]

6. Wonder what winning will look like

Unclear what the endgame is for BDSers.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

7. I have a pretty good idea of what Israel's wants its endgame to be,

and I hope that it is give time to reconsider that path.

[oberliner]

10. No you don't

The vast majority of Israelis just want to live in peace and security - same as the vast majority of Palestinians.

May they both succeed in those paths.

[Solindsey]

11. The "vast majorities" don't seem to matter anymore.

So why pretend the endgame Israel wants isn't real and very very crazy?

Peace and security at what expense?

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

12. "The vast majority of Israelis just want to live in peace and security..."

It is strange that you would be so bold to write that I "don't know" since Israel continues to flaunt international law and UN resolutions, illegal colonies still exist in the West Bank with no end in site to their being dismanteled, huge swaths of the WB are used as "security zones" by Israel blocking any kind of peace and Israeli politicians are either hostile to leaving the west bank or have mentioned plans to annex it.


So actually I do know, OB, what Israel's end game is and anybody that spends any time looking at the situation knows it as well. Israel would have left a long time ago it it didn't want the land, water and everything else for itself.

Some in I/P will tell the truth while others will try to run interference.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

15. I believe that I do know as others do as well.

If Israel was intent on leaving the West bank then it would have done it a long time ago.

[oberliner]

16. Have you ever been to Israel?

Would love to know the true answer to this.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

17. I can guess that this is going to be one of those subthreads

that state "Unless you have been there then you can't possibly comment on it."

Right?

[oberliner]

18. Not one of those

Just wondering. Maybe you had some really negative first-hand experience there. Could have soured you on the place a bit.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

19. I'm not sour to Israel, and I have known Israelis and some

friends who have lived there. I like Israel, but I do not like its outward policies with regard to colonization.

I can also be critical of my own country, but that doesn't mean that I am negative toward it. Like American government, Israeli Government does not always echo the warmth of its people, and they can be held hostage by the worst elements of their societies: fear, injustice scapegoating, etc.

The same goes for Palestinian government vs their citizens.

[Scurrilous]

20. Bloomberg: Move To North Korea If You Can't Handle Brooklyn College's Israel Event

<snip>

"Mayor Bloomberg yesterday chimed in on the latest Israel-related scandal to hit Brooklyn College, and he did not mince words! Asked about an event being held at the school today which will include some anti-Israeli opinions the mayor made his opinion crystal clear.

"I couldn't disagree more violently with BDS, as they call it, boycott, divestment, and sanctions. As you know I'm a big supporter of Israel, as big a one as I think you can find in the city," Hizzoner said. However, "If you want to go to a university where the government decides what kinds of subjects are fit for discussion, I suggest you apply to a school in North Korea."

"The last thing we need is for members of our City Council or state legislature to micromanage the kinds of programs that our public universities run and to base funding decisions on the political views of professors," he went on. "I can't think of anything that would be more destructive to a university and its students."

http://gothamist.com/2013/02/07/bloomberg_rightly_supports_academic.php

[oberliner]

21. Bloomberg: I couldn't disagree more violently with BDS

Well said.

[Jefferson23]

22. This group has proven to be such a threat, (which it is not) they need supporters of Israel to

limit and control the narrative.

Thankfully, Bloomberg is not one of them...you left that out of your praise line.