QuoteIn the safe spaces on campus, no Jews allowed
By Anthony Berteaux September 15
This article is excerpted from a longer piece in the Tower.
When Arielle Mokhtarzadeh arrived at University of California, Berkeley, to attend the annual Students of Color Conference, she had no way of knowing that she would be leaving as a victim of anti-Semitism.
The conference has maintained a reputation for 27 years as being a "safe space" where students of color, as well as white progressive allies, can discuss issues of structural and cultural inequality on college campuses.
For Mokhtarzadeh, an Iranian Jew at UCLA, her freshman year was punctuated by incidents of anti-Semitism that were both personal and met with national controversy. She was shocked during her first quarter in school, when students entered the Bruin Cafe to see the phrase "Hitler did nothing wrong" etched into a table. Months later, Mokhtarzadeh's friend Rachel Beyda was temporarily denied a student government leadership position based solely on her Jewish identity, an event that made news nationwide.
The campus was supposed to be her new home, her new safe space — so why didn't she feel that way? She went to the conference hoping for some answers.
[So you're a Jew and you're starting college? Prepare for anti-Zionism.]
But on the first day there, she was horrified when the discussion became an attack on Israel — and soon devolved into attacks on the Jews.
"Over the course of what was probably no longer than an hour, my history was denied, the murder of my people was justified, and a movement whose sole purpose is the destruction of the Jewish homeland was glorified. Statements were made justifying the ruthless murder of innocent Israeli civilians, blatantly denying Jewish indigeneity in the land, and denying the Holocaust in which six million Jews were murdered," she said. "Why anyone in their right mind would accept these slanders as truths baffles me. But they did. These statements, and others, were met with endless snaps and cheers. I was taken aback."
Mokhtarzadeh walked out on the verge of tears. "It was in that moment, during that conference, that I realized that every identity and every intersection of identity was to be welcomed and championed in progressive spaces — except mine."
The recent surge of progressive activism on college campuses across the country has led to many debates on the merits of concepts such as "microaggressions" and "safe spaces" in educational settings that should respect free speech and dialogue. Student uprisings against racial injustice and discrimination at Yale, the University of Missouri and dozens of other universities have shown the power of students who have banded together against institutionalized racism in academia and the student body.
But little has been said about how the idea of "intersectionality" — the idea that all struggles are connected and must be combated by allies — has created a dubious bond between the progressive movement and pro-Palestinian activists who often engage in the same racist and discriminatory discourse they claim to fight. As a result of this alliance, progressive Jewish students are often subjected to a double standard not applied to their peers — an Israel litmus test to prove their loyalties to social justice.
[Jewish groups decry Black Lives Matter platform's view on Israel]
Progressive Jewish students have said they feel like they have to hide their Jewish identity in order to belong in these movements. Such was the case of Michael Stephenson, a Jewish sophomore at the University of Missouri who participated in the racial justice protests last fall, and yet felt his Jewish identity undercut his "social justice" credibility. He told the Jewish Week newspaper that there were countless moments when his social justice cred was questioned, including statements that "bordered on anti-Semitism."
While the effectiveness of campus protests is worthy of debate, it should remain undeniable — and undeniably troubling — that the progressive college movement, and specifically pro-Palestinian groups within it, have pushed anti-Semitic rhetoric in the name of progressive values. For example, the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter at Northeastern University likes to fashion itself a progressive organization, but in 2012 the school's SJP adviser was recorded telling members to be proud to be called an anti-Semite — to wear it as a "sign of distinction. This proves that I'm working for the right side, the just cause."
The ramifications of ignoring the normalization of anti-Semitism cannot be understated: The most recent FBI hate crime report found that 58.2 percent of hate crimes motivated by religious bias were targeted at Jews. Jews make up 2.2 percent of the American population, so the FBI's statistics make it clear that Jews are the most disproportionately attacked religious group in America. It should be troubling to everyone that an SJP member at Temple University physically assaulted a pro-Israel Jewish student two years ago, calling him a "Zionist baby killer." But it should be far more troubling that the SJP chapter at Temple (like all SJP chapters) promotes itself as a progressive organization, claiming solidarity with movements such as Black Lives Matter.
['Jew.' Why does the word for a person of my religion sound like a slur?]
Another incident occurred at UC Santa Cruz, when Jewish student Daniel Bernstein, an elected representative on his college council, received a message from the SJP-aligned chair of the student council instructing him to abstain from a vote on divestment from Israel because he was elected with a "Jewish agenda."
"I was literally in awe," Bernstein said. "Just the phrase 'Jewish agenda' is so volatile and anti-Semitic. To think that my own council members think that I am unable to uphold their beliefs and ideals in the greater student assembly because I am Jewish is beyond anything I ever thought would be told to me."
Northeastern University's SJP chapter was so persistent in anti-Semitic harassment — from defacing the statue of a Jewish donor to disrupting Holocaust awareness events — that the university was forced to temporarily suspend the organization in 2014. The SJP chapter at Vassar College even tweeted Nazi propaganda from 1944.
[I wondered if I was 'Jewish enough.' Then I tested positive for a Jewish genetic disease.]
When these events happen, there are no outcries from the progressive community. Tyler Fredricks, a student at Duke, has noticed the variation in responses from the SJP-aligned progressive crowd when instances of anti-Semitism occur.
"When someone wrote 'No n—–s, whites only' on a Black Lives Matter flyer, the Duke community held a march where over a hundred students marched and rallied in support. They did the same thing when someone wrote a homophobic slur in the dorms," Fredricks said. "When someone wrote anti-Semitic comments on a Duke Friends of Israel flyer, there was no march, rally or campus outrage."
This pattern has made Jews of all ages question their place within higher education. "Jewish students and their parents are intensely apprehensive and insecure about this movement," Mark Yudof, the former president of the University of California system, told the New York Times. "I hear it all the time: Where can I send my kids that will be safe for them as Jews?"
Two more questions come to mind: If the progressives who have fought against racial injustice and bigotry for so long eventually become the ones who perpetuate it, who will remain to call them out? At this rate, if anti-Semitism is normalized through the efforts of the rising progressive movements on college campuses, what will the future look like for Jewish college students?
Outreach is imperative now. This means making the progressive community understand the ramifications of anti-Semitic speech. Engaging this audience — through trips to Israel, visits to Holocaust museums, and even simply interacting with Jewish students — can help change the narrative.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/09/15/in-the-safe-spaces-on-campus-no-jews-allowed/
For right wing racists, Jews are non-white interlopers in the West. For SJWs, Jews are ultra-white oppressors.
Jews, just can't catch a break.
QuoteAnother incident occurred at UC Santa Cruz, when Jewish student Daniel Bernstein, an elected representative on his college council, received a message from the SJP-aligned chair of the student council instructing him to abstain from a vote on divestment from Israel because he was elected with a "Jewish agenda."
Jesus H Blumpkin Christ. :bleeding:
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3588/3357292487_eb55858030.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/pDiUAPn.jpg)
This is probably the biggest reason why I go left only so far. Beyond that point there is a basket of deplorables on the other spectrum, motivated by useful idiocy and misguided empathy rather than intolerance and malice. Luckily, so far, the basket of deplorables on the left is much smaller than on the right in US. Unluckily, it's because the basket on the right is so damn big and overflowing.
Is this Marti's new leaf?
Even I know that the left hates Jews. Surely this isn't shocking.
Quote from: The Brain on September 25, 2016, 10:14:41 AM
Even I know that the left hates Jews. Surely this isn't shocking.
Most moderate leftists are still in denial about this though.
Quote from: Ancient Demon on September 25, 2016, 11:01:08 AM
Quote from: The Brain on September 25, 2016, 10:14:41 AM
Even I know that the left hates Jews. Surely this isn't shocking.
Most moderate leftists are still in denial about this though.
Yes, but that's par for the course for Europeans.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on September 24, 2016, 02:01:21 AM
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3588/3357292487_eb55858030.jpg)
You know what a blumpkin is right.
(https://barelyawakeinfrogpajamas.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/roach.gif)
"Yeah."
Quote from: The Brain on September 25, 2016, 10:14:41 AM
Even I know that the left hates Jews. Surely this isn't shocking.
But are these people "left" or just plain crazy?
Quote from: Razgovory on September 25, 2016, 11:04:30 AM
Quote from: Ancient Demon on September 25, 2016, 11:01:08 AM
Quote from: The Brain on September 25, 2016, 10:14:41 AM
Even I know that the left hates Jews. Surely this isn't shocking.
Most moderate leftists are still in denial about this though.
Yes, but that's par for the course for Europeans.
"The most recent FBI hate crime report found that 58.2 percent of hate crimes motivated by religious bias were targeted at Jews. Jews make up 2.2 percent of the American population"
I'm sorry what?
Quote from: Zoupa on September 25, 2016, 08:54:01 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on September 25, 2016, 11:04:30 AM
Quote from: Ancient Demon on September 25, 2016, 11:01:08 AM
Quote from: The Brain on September 25, 2016, 10:14:41 AM
Even I know that the left hates Jews. Surely this isn't shocking.
Most moderate leftists are still in denial about this though.
Yes, but that's par for the course for Europeans.
"The most recent FBI hate crime report found that 58.2 percent of hate crimes motivated by religious bias were targeted at Jews. Jews make up 2.2 percent of the American population"
I'm sorry what?
The FBI must track hate crimes motivated by religious bias in addition to hate crimes motivated by ethnic bias.
Quote from: Zoupa on September 25, 2016, 08:54:01 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on September 25, 2016, 11:04:30 AM
Quote from: Ancient Demon on September 25, 2016, 11:01:08 AM
Quote from: The Brain on September 25, 2016, 10:14:41 AM
Even I know that the left hates Jews. Surely this isn't shocking.
Most moderate leftists are still in denial about this though.
Yes, but that's par for the course for Europeans.
"The most recent FBI hate crime report found that 58.2 percent of hate crimes motivated by religious bias were targeted at Jews. Jews make up 2.2 percent of the American population"
I'm sorry what?
And?
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 23, 2016, 03:29:56 PM
For right wing racists, Jews are non-white interlopers in the West. For SJWs, Jews are ultra-white oppressors.
They always get that when you think about it.
To the nazis the Jews were both the evil money men controlling the global economy and communists.
Quote from: Razgovory on September 25, 2016, 09:18:33 PM
Quote from: Zoupa on September 25, 2016, 08:54:01 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on September 25, 2016, 11:04:30 AM
Quote from: Ancient Demon on September 25, 2016, 11:01:08 AM
Quote from: The Brain on September 25, 2016, 10:14:41 AM
Even I know that the left hates Jews. Surely this isn't shocking.
Most moderate leftists are still in denial about this though.
Yes, but that's par for the course for Europeans.
"The most recent FBI hate crime report found that 58.2 percent of hate crimes motivated by religious bias were targeted at Jews. Jews make up 2.2 percent of the American population"
I'm sorry what?
And?
An american dismissing rampant anti-semitism in his country: par for the course I guess.
And how many crimes does 58 percent of religious based hate crimes equate to?
Quote from: Zoupa on September 26, 2016, 02:19:49 AM
An american dismissing rampant anti-semitism in his country: par for the course I guess.
You might want to look up the meaning of "rampant" before you try to use the word again.
Quote from: Zoupa on September 26, 2016, 02:19:49 AM
An american dismissing rampant anti-semitism in his country: par for the course I guess.
Your numbers don't demonstrate that. 58% of "X" without telling me what "X" is useless.
Now here's something: 851 anti-Semitic hate crimes reported to police in 2014 in France. Compare this to 635 anti-Semitic hate crimes reported to police in 2014 in the USA. So the US has a significantly lower reporting of the total anti-semitic hate crimes than a nation that is five times smaller.
http://hatecrime.osce.org/
Nice try, Zoup. Better luck next time. :)
Quote from: Tyr on September 25, 2016, 11:30:58 PM
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 23, 2016, 03:29:56 PM
For right wing racists, Jews are non-white interlopers in the West. For SJWs, Jews are ultra-white oppressors.
They always get that when you think about it.
To the nazis the Jews were both the evil money men controlling the global economy and communists.
Got to hedge your bets.
Of course there is an unholy alliance between the left and islam. Its called political power.
And those progressive students in the article, i hope they learned their lesson.
Quote from: Siege on September 26, 2016, 05:41:13 PM
Of course there is an unholy alliance between the left and islam. Its called political power.
And those progressive students in the article, i hope they learned their lesson.
What does this post even mean?
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 27, 2016, 12:10:15 PM
Quote from: Siege on September 26, 2016, 05:41:13 PM
Of course there is an unholy alliance between the left and islam. Its called political power.
And those progressive students in the article, i hope they learned their lesson.
What does this post even mean?
That he's on your side.
Quote from: Siege on September 26, 2016, 05:41:13 PM
Of course there is an unholy alliance between the left and islam. Its called political power.
It used to be called Ba'athism. And it kept things nice and quiet.
Quote from: mongers on September 27, 2016, 01:32:09 PM
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 27, 2016, 12:10:15 PM
Quote from: Siege on September 26, 2016, 05:41:13 PM
Of course there is an unholy alliance between the left and islam. Its called political power.
And those progressive students in the article, i hope they learned their lesson.
What does this post even mean?
That he's on your side.
You really think a religious nut is on my side? :huh:
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 27, 2016, 01:38:07 PM
Quote from: mongers on September 27, 2016, 01:32:09 PM
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 27, 2016, 12:10:15 PM
Quote from: Siege on September 26, 2016, 05:41:13 PM
Of course there is an unholy alliance between the left and islam. Its called political power.
And those progressive students in the article, i hope they learned their lesson.
What does this post even mean?
That he's on your side.
You really think a religious nut is on my side? :huh:
Hatred makes strange bed fellows.
Quote from: Razgovory on September 27, 2016, 02:58:24 PM
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 27, 2016, 01:38:07 PM
Quote from: mongers on September 27, 2016, 01:32:09 PM
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 27, 2016, 12:10:15 PM
Quote from: Siege on September 26, 2016, 05:41:13 PM
Of course there is an unholy alliance between the left and islam. Its called political power.
And those progressive students in the article, i hope they learned their lesson.
What does this post even mean?
That he's on your side.
You really think a religious nut is on my side? :huh:
Hatred makes strange bed fellows.
I don't hate people, and "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" is not something I subscribe to.
Quote from: Razgovory on September 27, 2016, 02:58:24 PM
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 27, 2016, 01:38:07 PM
Quote from: mongers on September 27, 2016, 01:32:09 PM
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 27, 2016, 12:10:15 PM
Quote from: Siege on September 26, 2016, 05:41:13 PM
Of course there is an unholy alliance between the left and islam. Its called political power.
And those progressive students in the article, i hope they learned their lesson.
What does this post even mean?
That he's on your side.
You really think a religious nut is on my side? :huh:
Hatred makes strange bed fellows.
Yeah I didn't want to explicitly point that out.
Quote from: mongers on September 27, 2016, 03:23:50 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on September 27, 2016, 02:58:24 PM
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 27, 2016, 01:38:07 PM
Quote from: mongers on September 27, 2016, 01:32:09 PM
Quote from: Hamilcar on September 27, 2016, 12:10:15 PM
Quote from: Siege on September 26, 2016, 05:41:13 PM
Of course there is an unholy alliance between the left and islam. Its called political power.
And those progressive students in the article, i hope they learned their lesson.
What does this post even mean?
That he's on your side.
You really think a religious nut is on my side? :huh:
Hatred makes strange bed fellows.
Yeah I didn't want to explicitly point that out.
I have nothing to add.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on September 27, 2016, 03:26:03 PM
......
I have nothing to add.
Not even a plea to crop quotes? :P