<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:garamond, new york, times, serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5271" dir="ltr">A response to this piece:</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5360"><a id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5359" href="http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/guest-commentary/2014-12-21/moving-controversy.html#comment-535426">http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/guest-commentary/2014-12-21/moving-controversy.html#comment-535426</a><font face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5272"><font face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5259" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5264" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5263" face="Calibri">This responds to Miriam
Elman’s commentary “Moving on from Controversy” (12/21). She writes: “In the
coming months, will faculty resolutions that vigorously defend academic freedom
also say that disparaging and bullying speech like Salaita's contradicts our
professional obligations and responsibilities? Because for Jewish college kids
an inclusive campus discourse can't come soon enough.”</font></span></div><font face="Times New Roman">
</font><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5261" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5260" face="Calibri">There is little that’s coherent in a twisted article that
relies on the assumption that supporters of Israel are somehow victims targeted
by anti-Semitic bullies. Yet I will focus on the last sentence quoted above, which
at least can be taken literally while interpreted differently.</font></div><font face="Times New Roman">
</font><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5362" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5361" face="Calibri">For the 16 years that I’ve attempted in our community to
promote perspectives critical of Israel based on rigorous scholarship, I have
been aware of no event, other than two off campus sponsored by the Anti-War
Anti-Racism Effort, that included genuinely diverse perspectives.</font></div><font face="Times New Roman">
</font><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5364" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5363" face="Calibri">While controversies surrounding Jewish identity and Israel
have become both central and contentious, no local Jewish institution,
including the Program for Jewish Culture and Society on campus, has convened an
event incorporating diverse perspectives. Meanwhile, Jewish youth are increasingly
alienated by Israel’s actions.</font></div><font face="Times New Roman">
</font><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5366" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1419190768092_5365" face="Calibri">This lack of “inclusive campus discourse” has been enforced
by the local Jewish establishment, because such discourse would have to legitimize
pro-Palestinian perspectives that challenge cherished doctrine. But I will conclude
by re-affirming my willingness to participate in such discourse should there be
a historic effort to publicly discuss an issue on which rests merely the moral
credibility and viability of Jewish-American culture, society, and religion.</font></div><font face="Times New Roman">
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