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Israel fest at UC-Irvine-with hate fest to follow

Reader comment on item: My Disrupted Talk at UC-Berkeley

Submitted by gary fouse (United States), May 5, 2008 at 20:33

This week, I-Fest, the 60th anniversary of the birth of the state of Israel is being commemorated by the Jewish student group, Anteaters for Israel, Hillel and the Jewish Student Union.

The tone of the celebration is upbeat, featuring food, music, belly dancing, a Shabbat dinner and nightclub event. The theme of the week is "Peace, Love, Israel". I witnessed the start of the festivities today, which featured free hamburgers and two belly dancers.

On a more serious note, David Horowitz will appear on campus tomorrow night. His topic will be: Campus Support for a New Holocaust. I plan to attend, and will report on the event. It will be interesting to see if Horowitz's freedom of speech is respected.

But there will be a skunk at the garden party. The Muslim Student Union is bringing in radical former Depaul University professor, Norman Finklestein to speak against Israel. Then, the following week, all the skunks will arrive, again courtesy of the MSU. As every quarter, radical Oakland Imam, Amir Abdel Malik Ali, will slink onto campus to spew his anti-Semitic vile, talk about destroying Israel and glorify suicide bombers as "heroes". He will be joined by another radical "religious" figure, Mohammed Al-Asi, who will insult Israel, Israelis and Jews in general. Other leftist professors will join in to tell listeners what an evil country Israel is. It is the same show every quarter from the MSU.

What I hope will be noted by the various audiences at UCI is the happy, upbeat tone of the I-Fest compared with the hate that will be expressed the following week by the MSU and their speakers.

Of course, the administration of the university will hide under their desks, "support freedom of speech", and insist that there is no place for hate speech at UCI-a real contradiction. Chancellor Michael Drake recently told a meeting of Hillel that "there was no room for hate speech at UCI"-even as it happens every quarter. The Dean of Student Affairs, Manuel Gomez, as is his wont, will reject all criticism of MSU speakers as the unfounded allegations of outside groups. (I am not part of an outside group-I have taught part-time at UCI for 10 years. I've seen it. I've heard it. I know what I am talking about.) And the rest of the faculty, with a handful of exceptions, will remain silent-either out of fear, apathy or sympathy with the enemies of Israel.

It should be an interesting two weeks.

gary fouse

adjunct teacher

UCI-Ext

fousesquawk

Submitting....

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Title Commenter Date Thread
Re Hatem Bazian's lying tweet against Dr. Pipes [288 words]MichaelDec 16, 2022 03:12289769
2It's time you return to the University of California [45 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Steve KasselAug 20, 2021 00:17272952
Evolution of Academia - What was Taught then is the Drama Seen Today - However Truth Remains [107 words]M ToveyAug 22, 2021 22:31272952
I would imagine that today, in 2017, it would be even harder for you to speak there [7 words]Anon.Feb 2, 2017 13:05236242
Nice Wolf... Good Wolfe [46 words]KristaOct 31, 2008 08:22141610
My letter to UC-Irvine EEO [1028 words]gary fouseJun 3, 2008 20:38131024
Your Letter [15 words]william eastMay 17, 2009 14:59131024
Conract with UCI EEO office [39 words]gary fouseMay 17, 2009 19:43131024
The Best of luck to Sir Pipes. [24 words]YnnatchkahMay 6, 2008 03:09127846
Israel fest at UC-Irvine-with hate fest to follow [419 words]gary fouseMay 5, 2008 20:33127825
Names [9 words]TasosMay 4, 2008 17:39127694
Nice Puppy... Good Puppy... [23 words]KristaMay 3, 2008 19:30127595
Thank you to UCPD Officer Williams, puppy Morgan and all who keep the peace [65 words]KristaMay 10, 2008 08:26127595
The silence of the preoccupied Left [193 words]Ken BesigMay 2, 2008 05:37127423
Agree with you, Ken. [10 words]YnnatchkahMay 6, 2008 02:49127423
Nice surprise [186 words]jennifer solisMay 1, 2008 19:32127381
dammit [35 words]CletusMar 4, 2008 02:02121688
hate rallies allowed on college campus? [107 words]judyJun 13, 2008 22:11121688

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