New York's Yeshiva University engulfed in controversy over Jimmy Carter peace award

[Jefferson23]

America’s preeminent Modern Orthodox academic institution distances itself from 'student-initiated' award as critics call for financial pressure to cancel ceremony.

By Chemi Shalev | Apr.09, 2013 | 2:50 AM

Tensions are flaring at New York’s prestigious Yeshiva University and its Cardozo School of Law in the wake of growing protests against a decision to bestow an “International Advocate for Peace Award” on former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

The award, handed out by Cardozo’s student-run Journal of Conflict Resolution, is to be given to Carter on Wednesday at a ceremony at Cardozo’s Greenwich Village campus in Manhattan. Some Cardozo alumni have threatened to physically block Carter’s way when he arrives, while others have launched a public campaign to have both the ceremony and the award cancelled altogether.

Although the decision to salute Carter was announced only a few days ago, it still has the potential to develop into a major confrontation in light of Yeshiva University’s preeminent position in American Modern Orthodoxy, in which right-wing views on Israel, the Palestinians – and Jimmy Carter – are prevalent.

A so-called “Coalition of Concerned Cardozo Alumni” has set up a website calling on Cardozo graduates to “condition any continued support of Cardozo, be it financial or otherwise, on the cancellation of this event.” Protests against the decision to honor Carter have also spread in the right wing and pro-settler blogosphere, and these have now been reinforced by Harvard Professor Alan Dershowitz, a long time critic of Carter and his attitude toward Israel.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/new-york-s-yeshiva-university-engulfed-in-controversy-over-jimmy-carter-peace-award-1.514424

[riverbendviewgal]

1. Jimmy Carter is a man of peace

He is a peacemaker and has been always that way...

These people who protest this award for him make my stand against religion as correct. Some people who profess to be religious really are not. They are full of hate.

[Jefferson23]

2. Carter being a former U.S. president who has written on the subject of Israeli policy, interrupted

a narrative..that's a big no no, for some.

[azurnoir]

3. encouraging an either/or approach eh

run by Alan Dershowitz too he's a hero to some here I'm sure &quot
but Carter is a man of peace as the Camp David Accords show

[Jefferson23]

4. Dershowitz, the notorious liar:

Comments on Dershowitz
Noam Chomsky
chomsky.info, August 17, 2006

http://www.chomsky.info/letters/20060817.htm

[Jefferson23]

5. Outraged Y.U. Alumni Hope To Block Jimmy Carter From Cardozo Peace Honor

Enraged alumni have threatened to physically block Jimmy Carter from entering Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law, where he is due to receive a peace award on April 10.

Daniel Rubin, 62, said about a dozen former alumni are planning an act of civil disobedience to prevent Carter, a harsh critic of Israeli policies on the occupied West Bank, from picking up the International Advocate for Peace Award, given annually by Cardozo’s Journal of Conflict Resolution.

Rubin said former alumni would use their knowledge of the building layout to outmaneuver any attempts to stop them.

“Mr. Carter ain’t going to get anywhere,” Rubin said.

“There’s no reason for a school that has any sense of Jewish integrity to have a guy like that around,” he added.

http://forward.com/articles/174476/outraged-yu-alumni-hope-to-block-jimmy-carter-from/

[Jefferson23]

6. Tensions mount and rabbis clash over Yeshiva University ceremony awarding Carter for peace

As security tightens around Yeshiva University campus, Young Israel rabbis denounce Carter's 'animus and bias' toward Israel, while others uphold students’ 'academic freedom.'

By Chemi Shalev | Apr.10, 2013 | 1:21 PM

snip* “Mr. Carter’s well-known animus and bias towards the State of Israel has earned him widespread condemnation from Jews and non-Jews alike, and he is certainly not deserved to have any honor bestowed upon by him by an entity that has ties to the Jewish community and the Jewish State,” according to Farley Weiss, President of the National Council of Young Israel.

“We hope that Yeshiva University and Cardozo will do the right thing and reconsider its decision to permit Mr. Carter on campus and not allow its students to pay honor to someone who has done much to hurt the honor of the State of Israel,” Weiss added.

The statement by Young Israel, a body representing over 150 Orthodox synagogues that has close ties to Yeshiva University, is the latest salvo in the war of words that has broken out after the decision by Cardozo’s student-run Journal of Conflict Resolution to recognize Carter’s work on behalf of peace and human rights.

Cardozo alumni have threatened to “physically block” Carter when he arrives on Wednesday afternoon at the Greenwich Village campus of the Cardozo law school where the award ceremony will be held. Security around the campus has been increased in advance of the ceremony, which was originally slated to be open to the public but has now been designated “by invitation only” and closed to the media.

On Tuesday night, Carter made an appearance on Jon Stewart’s popular Daily Show, but the issue of the Cardozo award did not come up. Carter is slated to meet with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Wednesday before speaking at the Cardozo campus.

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/tensions-mount-and-rabbis-clash-over-yeshiva-university-ceremony-awarding-carter-for-peace.premium-1.514709

[azurnoir]

7. Shurat HaDin is suing President Carter wonder if __David will land to tell us about it?

he seems to be Shurat HaDin's rep here on DU

but about the law suit

Asserting that no individual has done more than former President Jimmy Carter to defame Israel and to challenge its right to exist, a group of readers filed a class action suit against Carter and the Simon & Schuster publishing company, back in February, 2011, alleging that Carter’s book, “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid,” contains numerous false and knowingly misleading statements intended to promote the author’s agenda of anti-Israel propaganda and to deceive the reading public instead of presenting accurate information as advertised.

The suit, Unterberg et al. v. Jimmy Carter et.al (11 cv 0720), filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in February, 2011, sought compensatory and punitive damages against the defendants.

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

The plaintiffs in that suit and the one to be filed, who described themselves as members of the reading public who purchased Carter’s book expecting that they were buying an accurate and factual record of historic events concerning Israel and the Palestinian Arabs, contended that Carter and his publisher intentionally presented untrue and inaccurate information and sought to capitalize on the author’s status as a former President to mislead unsuspecting members of the public.

The complaint alleged that the defendants’ misrepresentations, all highly critical of Israel, violated New York consumer protection laws, specifically New York General Business Law § 349, which makes it unlawful to engage in deceptive acts in the course of conducting business. While acknowledging Carter’s right to publish his personal views, the plaintiffs assert that the defendants violated the law and, thus, harmed those who purchased the book.

The suit was the first time a former President and a publishing house have been sued for violating consumer protection laws by knowingly publishing inaccurate information while promoting a book as factual.

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/jews-still-planning-to-sue-jimmy-carter-over-anti-israel-book/2013/04/10/

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

8. Wow. Talk about a full court press to silence free speech.