[Peace-discuss] Response to Inga Karliner

[David Green via Peace-discuss]

This letter was sent to Inga Karliner, a physics professor at the U of I, in response to her letter this in the N-G this morning: Hi Inga, I fear that you have misunderstood my intent in your response to my recent letter to the editor http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/letters-editor/2015-01-14/writer-brazen-calling-out-others.html. First; I'm Jewish; second, I mentioned the names of three Jewish individuals who have published commentaries or have been quoted in articles critical of Steven Salaita and the pro-Palestinian movement on campus: Cary Nelson in a column by Jim Dey http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/columns/2014-10-26/jim-dey-ui-professor-takes-bds-movement-new-book.html; Robert Silverman in two guest commentaries, and Michael Leroy in the most recent commentary, which I was responding to in Saturday's letter. I was not addressing them as Jews per se, but as Jewish individuals whose views have been recently aired in response to the controversies pertaining to Steven Salaita. I have past personal acquaintance with all three individuals. All three have publicly expressed themselves in relation to what they perceive to be anti-Semitism. In all three of my recent letters, I have suggested the possibility of public discourse, especially among Jews, regarding Israel and Palestine. This hardly constitutes "asking them to account for their views," no less as "minority members," since I am also a member of that minority. Indeed, I am asking of myself to be held accountable for my views by other Jews. I've repeatedly stated that local Jewish institutions: religious, academic, and secular, should be more open to sincere discussion and debate regarding Israel/Palestine, in terms of both history and politics. By the way, I'm sure that you are well aware that both African Americans and Muslims are often publicly called to account for their views in the mainstream media in relation to "black on black" crime, Islamic terrorism, etc. So your comment in that regard also seems odd. I'll link to all of my three recent letters, just in case you missed the first two. I did not publish a direct response to either of Silverman's commentaries, which were harshly critical of Jews who support Steven Salaita (http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/guest-commentary/2014-10-05/guest-commentary-working-toward-solutions.html), and of my friend Gary Storm (http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/guest-commentary/2014-12-28/guest-commentary-where-are-problem-solvers.html), who wrote what was in my view a very well-reasoned commentary for the News-Gazette. All of these can be accessed online. http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/letters-editor/2014-12-09/nelson-apologist-zion-sophistry.html http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/letters-editor/2014-12-23/diverse-discourse-israel-needed.html http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/letters-editor/2015-01-10/legalisms-trivialize-painful-circumstances.html I look forward to future discussions. If you have any questions or concerns regarding my views or my attitude, I would be happy to respond to them, or to meet with you in person. As a Jew and a member of Sinai Temple from 1998-2004, I obviously have no interest in being perceived as a threat to other Jews. If I am perceived  in that manner by those who are critical of my politics, there's really not much I can do about that. Best regards, David GreenChampaign
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