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FWIW, I didn't find anything antisemitic in Braverman's comments,
either -- neither in his Focus 580 interview nor at the Champaign
Library.<br>
<br>
He sounded more like a prophet calling the people to
righteousness. Since when has that been a comfortable thing to
hear? <br>
<br>
I keep thinking of one of the many people Amos Oz interviewed in his
book, In the Land of Israel. An Israeli Jewish farmer, this man
put the situation plainly: what his generation should do, he said,
was to drive the Arabs out, by whatever means. Their descendents
would feel guilty for what their parents had done, but no matter --
the land would be theirs.<br>
<br>
We in the US are in the position of those descendants.
Collectively, our European ancestors, whether they had the farmer's
historical vision or not, massacred the people and stole the land
from the Native Americans who lived here before we did, and stole
the labor and the lives of generations of African slaves, to build
the wealthy country where we live now. Those people could be used
or displaced or killed, because they were contemptible and they were
dangerous.<br>
<br>
This heritage is a terrible pall for us to live under who recognize
it. And the forms of thinking that shaped that pall remain with
us, as we imprison more of our population than any other country, or
as we make wars to secure access to oil under other countries' land
and tell ourselves that that their people hate what we stand for and
that they put us, the world's superpower, in mortal danger.<br>
<br>
Though Braverman didn't put it in the way I'm saying above, I see
him as calling on the Jews of Israel not to follow our example. And
I think that talking in these terms might let some people hear his
message who would otherwise not begin to listen.<br>
<br>
Braverman did say, among many other things: We must identify
ourselves universally with human suffering, speaking truth to power,
confronting the kings. Those are Jewish values. To tell ourselves
that we can only be Jewish by walling ourselves up lifelong,
surrounded by walls and guards, forever telling ourselves that
everything outside is deadly, that is soul-destroying. (Being
surrounded by murderous rabble had been his grandmother's reality in
Europe. It is not so today, but the psychology of it remains. We
can't move on.)<br>
<br>
How can we expect the Israeli Jews to give up the privileges they
have in a Jewish state? (What group can we show as example which
has willingly given up its privileges, as we in the US have not?)
Braverman's reply was the most heartening thing I'd heard in a long
time: they wouldn't have to. An open society in Israel of Jews and
Muslims and Christians, relieved of its burden of militarization and
fear, would be a vibrant one, in which everyone would gain, compared
with what they have today.<br>
<br>
But it will be a long road to get there - compared to that, South
Africans say, what they went through was a walk in the park.<br>
<br>
On 2/15/12 8:30 AM, David Green wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:1329316220.12381.YahooMailNeo@web65411.mail.ac4.yahoo.com"
type="cite">
<div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times
new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt">
<div><span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://will.illinois.edu/focus/monthly/2012/02/">http://will.illinois.edu/focus/monthly/2012/02/</a></span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span>You can listen to his interview with David Inge.
Neither there nor on Saturday morning did I find any
evidence for any form of anti-semitism. Apparently, he feels
that Jews during the time of Jesus would have been better
off if they had joined him in challenging the Romans. That I
suppose is a pretty controversial thing to say, and perhaps
the historical counter-factual that leads from that is also
controversial. He refers to a history of Jewish
exceptionalism, that is now on display in a negative way in
Israel. But given his own background, his informed
understanding of what's going on in I/P, and his genuine
concern for Israeli Jews, there's nothing anti-semitic about
any of this.</span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span>DG</span></div>
<div><br>
<blockquote style="padding-left: 5px; margin-top: 5px;
margin-left: 5px; border-left-color: rgb(16, 16, 255);
border-left-width: 2px; border-left-style: solid;">
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times,
serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times,
serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div dir="ltr"> <font face="Arial" size="2"> <b><span
style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Carl
G. Estabrook <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:galliher@illinois.edu"><galliher@illinois.edu></a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b>
David Green <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:davegreen84@yahoo.com"><davegreen84@yahoo.com></a> <br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cc:</span></b>
Peace Discuss
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:peace-discuss@lists.chambana.net"><peace-discuss@lists.chambana.net></a> <br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b>
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 5:07 AM<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b>
Re: [Peace-discuss] Fw: Fwd: Hate will not prevail
in C-U<br>
</font> </div>
<br>
"...Hillel is working to address this visit with U of
I's administration and the other groups that sponsored
the visit..."<br>
<br>
That's a threat of censorship and suppression of views
on a university campus that is thoroughly McCarthyist.
There should not be less free speech in the university
than there is in society as a whole; if you don't
believe in free speech for ideas you despise, you don't
believe in it at all.<br>
<br>
Instead of trying to prevent the expression of Mr.
Braverman's views, we should be setting out and
evaluating them. Is a transcript of his talk or an
article by him available? --CGE<br>
<br>
<br>
On Feb 14, 2012, at 9:05 PM, David Green wrote:<br>
<br>
> As Braverman said on Saturday morning, the battle
is joined.<br>
<br>
<br>
> ----- Forwarded Message -----<br>
> From: Chris Tuck <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:christuck911@gmail.com"
ymailto="mailto:christuck911@gmail.com">christuck911@gmail.com</a>><br>
> To: Priscilla Christians <<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:p_christians@yahoo.com"
ymailto="mailto:p_christians@yahoo.com">p_christians@yahoo.com</a>>;
David Green <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:davegreen84@yahoo.com"
ymailto="mailto:davegreen84@yahoo.com">davegreen84@yahoo.com</a>>;
John Setterlund <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:john.setterlund@gmail.com"
ymailto="mailto:john.setterlund@gmail.com">john.setterlund@gmail.com</a>><br>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 8:14 PM<br>
> Subject: Fwd: Hate will not prevail in C-U<br>
> This absurd statement deserves a response..<br>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------From:
Rogerio Z. Cukierman - Illini Hillel <<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:rogerio@illinihillel.org"
ymailto="mailto:rogerio@illinihillel.org">rogerio@illinihillel.org</a>>
Date: Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 11:50 AMSubject: Hate will
not prevail in C-UTo: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:chris_91187@cox.net"
ymailto="mailto:chris_91187@cox.net">chris_91187@cox.net</a><br>
> Having trouble viewing this email? Click here<br>
> <br>
> Hillel Foundation at the University of Illinois<br>
> Cohen Center for Jewish Life<br>
> <br>
> <br>
> <br>
> <br>
> Dear Christopher,<br>
> Last Friday and Saturday, anti-Israel activist Mark
Braverman visited the University of Illinois and the
Champaign-Urbana community. Hillel had been aware of the
visit and had been working in partnership with other
organizations to mitigate its impact. But as familiar as
we were with the nature of the things he is fond of
saying, we were still stunned by the intensity of Mr.
Braverman's remarks against the State of Israel, the
American Jewish community and Judaism itself. The hate
rhetoric adopted by Mr. Braverman is unacceptable and it
does not belong in our community.<br>
> <br>
> I am writing to assure you that Hillel is working
to address this visit with U of I's administration and
the other groups that sponsored the visit. At the same
time, we are concerned with the well-being of our
students, some of whom felt personally attacked by Mr.
Braverman's vicious words. All of our staff is available
to talk to you at any time if you feel the need - this
is our number one priority right now. Just contact one
of us by phone, email or facebook, and we will make the
time to meet with you.<br>
> <br>
> Hate will not determine how we live in
Champaign-Urbana!<br>
> <br>
> Le'Shalom (in peace)<br>
> <br>
> Rogerio<br>
> -------------------------------<br>
> Rabbi Rogerio Z. Cukierman<br>
> Executive Director<br>
> Hillel at the University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign<br>
> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:rogerio@illinihillel.org"
ymailto="mailto:rogerio@illinihillel.org">rogerio@illinihillel.org</a><br>
> <br>
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> Forward this email<br>
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> This email was sent to <a moz-do-not-send="true"
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