[Peace-discuss] Letter to the Editor

[David Green via Peace-discuss]

A response to this piece:http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/guest-commentary/2014-12-21/moving-controversy.html#comment-535426This responds to MiriamElman’s commentary “Moving on from Controversy” (12/21). She writes: “In thecoming months, will faculty resolutions that vigorously defend academic freedomalso say that disparaging and bullying speech like Salaita's contradicts ourprofessional obligations and responsibilities? Because for Jewish college kidsan inclusive campus discourse can't come soon enough.”There is little that’s coherent in a twisted article thatrelies on the assumption that supporters of Israel are somehow victims targetedby anti-Semitic bullies. Yet I will focus on the last sentence quoted above, whichat least can be taken literally while interpreted differently.For the 16 years that I’ve attempted in our community topromote perspectives critical of Israel based on rigorous scholarship, I havebeen aware of no event, other than two off campus sponsored by the Anti-WarAnti-Racism Effort, that included genuinely diverse perspectives.While controversies surrounding Jewish identity and Israelhave become both central and contentious, no local Jewish institution,including the Program for Jewish Culture and Society on campus, has convened anevent incorporating diverse perspectives. Meanwhile, Jewish youth are increasinglyalienated by Israel’s actions.This lack of “inclusive campus discourse” has been enforcedby the local Jewish establishment, because such discourse would have to legitimizepro-Palestinian perspectives that challenge cherished doctrine. But I will concludeby re-affirming my willingness to participate in such discourse should there bea historic effort to publicly discuss an issue on which rests merely the moralcredibility and viability of Jewish-American culture, society, and religion.
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