Wednesday, October 11, 2006
This just in on the 'Two ex-terrorists and a former Nazi' event posted about below. Note that an email was provided for non-Columbia students to RSVP.
I've just received the following forwarded email from someone who just happened to check their email from a Greyhound bus on the way to NYC to attend the event:
Sincerely,
Jewelnel Davis
University Chaplain
Associate Provost
Director of the Earl Hall Center
Criminal.
Readers will find this posting at Columbia's Blue and White Blog (the undergrad magazine) illuminating (emphasis mine):
Malice aforethought. Sad that a lot of people were looking forward to this, and also spent time and money on it. This is the Leftist campus today. Shut down, shut out, don't listen.
Will watch for further developments...
Further, our friend Seva (I was holding this pending talking to Seva, but since others are already posting it...):
I wonder what prompted you to suddenly change the attendance policy? I mean, I have signed up well in advance (prior notice, hint-hint), got the confirmation on time (hint-hint), and left Boston on time, having spent $50 for the roundtrip ticket.
It couldn't be due to political correctness, could it? I mean, you wouldn't be afraid of some outsiders coming to the event from afar so as to get educated, enlightened, and inspired, right?
This, dear Jewelnel, smells of a scandal. Which you are about to have, on account of this cancellation, as well as for quite a few other reasons. Your decision is outrageous, unfair, inconsiderate, undemocratic, anti-intellectual, anti-academic, frivolous, gratuitous, etc. Oh, wait, I forgot -- did I mention it was also highly untimely? This decision flies in the face of the First Amendment and everything else that makes this country great.
It's not as if Columbia U. didn't have enough scandals already, especially lately. So what's another scandal? No sweat of Columbia's back, right?
Well, we'll see about that last one, won't we? I hope you have good legal in-house counsel, for you have just made a whole lot of people quite unhappy. I am sure the reporters will have a field day once again. Enter the press ...
Unbelievable ...
Seva Brodsky
Kesher Talk is following things, and notes that Mary Madigan didn't get the message that outside RSVP's were cancelled so she'll be posting pics from outside the event.
Update: Michelle Malkin has links here, and Allah comments here. Awaiting Atlas's report.
Update 10/12/06: Atlas has her post with video from inside the event up. Yes, there were empty seats.
Kesher Talk has more interesting links and stuff.
Blue and White Blog is has posted a picture emphasizing the number of empty seats -- very pleased with themselves. Sad.
Michelle Malkin comments, and Mary Madigan, one of those who was literally left out in the cold, has pics and video.
More: Columbia Spectator report, here: Chaplain Cuts Conservatives' Guest List
In the extended entry there follows a description of events by a faculty member who was in attendance.
Then I got to Lerner about 6:45 with sandwiches and had a bite with Lee Kaplan, who was working with the Shoebat Foundation organizing the event. The guards wouldn't let us bring food into Lerner auditorium, even though parties with food are often held there. I had to check my tote bag, my umbrella, and my PURSE. They made another friend check his jacket. But they had no metal detectors and did not frisk us. So we could have been packing. I spotted Jewelnel Davis, and expressed my indignation. She spouted the party line about the priority of safety and not wanting people to storm the stage or get kicked in the head. I said they would have a lot of angry people out front (they did; I was hearing angry voices by 7:00), and she said yes, but they would not be inside. I asked why the late notice, and she said they had not anticipated so many (>125) non-CUID registrants. I asked why not. She said there were only 20 last week. I said, That was last week. This is ridiculously poor planning. She said this is what we have to do.
About 150 people were present in an auditorium that can hold ~400. Jewelnel began promptly at 8 by making a 5-minute speech about freedom of speech and civil academic discourse. She said the speakers would speak until about 9:15, and the Q&A would go until 10, after which everyone would be expected to vacate the premises. Then the speakers started. The first terrorist, Zakaria Anani, is, I think, a Baptist minister, but he is the son and grandson of imams, and at age 13 he became a militia fighter in the Lebanon war. At age 14 he made his first kill and celebrated. By age 16, he had killed 233 people and felt that his life had become meaningless and would not last long. Then he encountered a Baptist minister and converted. His imam told him that he had 3 days to convert back or be killed. In the next 20 years, there were 18 attempts on his life. For the first 10 years or so he was living in the Christian sector of Beirut, married, had children. One of the attempts injured him and his youngest daughter. After that his church got spooked and sent him away; he and his family moved to Canada. Somewhere along the line someone asked him the reason for the Islamic teaching that Jews have the wrath of God on them. He tried to research it and realized that the Jews were being wronged. But, he said, the western world does not understand.
The second speaker, Hilmar von Campe, also is a devout Christian who now lives in Alabama. He was 7 years old in 1933 when the Nazis came to power. His father was a state official of some sort who was ousted by the Nazis and relocated to an area that is now one of the Czech states. He reminded the audience that the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi party) was far left. Josef Goebbels, the chief liar, said We are Communists. Hitler eliminated all other parties, trade unions, youth organizations, etc. All young people had to join the Hitler Youth. Newspapers, radio, and the film industry were controlled by the Nazis. In school, there were jokes about religion and God, and constant rhetoric about how bad the Jews are and how good the Germans are. On 9/1/39, Hitler reported that the Poles had invaded Germany and that Germany had to defend itself. Although he and his circle hated the Nazis, all felt that they had to defend Germany first and deal with the Nazis second. He said that many people were unaware of the Holocaust, but that everyone was aware of the discrimination against and unhuman treatment of Jews and all kept silent, including the churches. He said he became a liar too. He also said that in 1972, the KGB and Andropov adopted a policy of turning the entire Islamic world against Israel and the United States. During the Q&A, Von Campe cited as his source a book, Red Horizons, by a defecting Rumanian general.
Walid Shoebat pursued that theme. His father was Palestinian, his mother an American who naively went to the Middle East to visit her husband's family and was trapped there with her children for 35 years. He said that Muslims fought on the Nazi side in World War II and murdered the Jews of Bosnia. He said that he was educated to believe that Jesus was a Palestinian revolutionary who came to liberate Palestinians from Zionist oppressors, that Jews spread Mad Cow disease, cause tsunamis, etc. He translated Jihad as Mein Kampf. He is a convert to Christianity. He also said during the question period that when Muslims are at least 20% of a population, they are obliged to seize state power. He also said that Muslims do not believe in the separation of church and state.
The Q&A was better than I expected. The questioners were somewhat critical but they did not rant. The answers were generally to the point, despite some language problems. The speakers were fairly critical of Jews and others who think appeasement can bring peace. Walid pointed out that the word hudna, usually translated as truce or ceasefire, actually means strategically taking time off from fighting to regroup and obtain concessions. Muslims feel no obligation to tell the
truth to non-Muslims. When criticized for hate speech, they responded that they were criticizing Islam, not Muslims individually. Walid had said at one point that Muslims should have a right to convert to Christianity, that Jews should have a right not to convert to Christianity, etc. A couple of questioners interpreted him as saying that Muslims should convert to Christianity. He straightened that out. Some questioners asserted that moderate Muslims do not believe all those bad things. Anani said, if you think your imam is moderate, ask him what would happen if his son converted to Christianity.
Walid's overall presentation, and that of the group, was, I thought, much stronger than his presentation at Columbia a couple of years ago.
I am sorry if you had to miss it.
More details are probably available in the Spectator, which I have not yet seen today.
8 Comments
Leave a comment to: Breaking: Shoebat Event Intentionally Sandbagged at Columbia - UPDATES
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http://www.californiarepublic.org/archives/Columns/Thornton/20061004ThorntonJihadists.html
Columbia had a mini-riot only days ago, when the Minutemen speaker on stage was rushed by a group of students from the audience. Columbia learned their lesson, and they as a private school can do whatever they want. Would you be up in arms the same way if someone wanted to let Hizbullah talk at Columbia?
Univision coverage part 1 of the Minutemen riot and
Part II- Univision Coverage.
What a bizarre comparison. Hizballah is a terrorist organization.
The Shoebat people were invited and scheduled. People were on their way and plans made. Columbia -- not just the administration, but the community seems to have their priorities in odd places -- screwed them at the last possible moment.
I posted Seva's email because he sent it to the whole list of rejected RSVPs and I know from your videos that he's a pretty public guy, so I assumed he wouldn't mind.
I want to point out that I RSVPed 5-6 days ago and got THREE confirmation emails over the next few days, with instructions to print out one for ID, get there early, bags will be searched, etc. The whole nine yards.
On Oct 11, 2006, at 9:55 PM, Sulayman Ferguson wrote:
Mr. Brodsky,
I know it sucks to be out $50, but please tone down the hyperbole. A private college has the right to restrict whoever it wants. Complaining about a violation of free speech on private property is like complaining I can't insult your family while on your lawn. I don't think you're aware of it, but they had a mini-riot during the Minutemen lecture only days ago, and want to avoid the same.
--Sulayman F.
Hmmm, well, let's see, where do I start? OK, one thing at a time:
1. Yes, it sucks being out $50;
2. It sucks having to waste a day on travel between the two cities, which are 4.5 hrs apart by bus;
3. As a matter of fact, yes, a private college does indeed have the right to restrict whoever it wants (as a law student, I should know) -- but doesn't this whole thing look fishy to you? Sure does to me, and to many others, too -- see the following blog entries and the comments therein:
http://www.solomonia.com/blog/archives/009290.shtml (this here blog)
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2006/10/columbia_uninvi.html
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=22927_CU_Shuts_Doors_at_Last_Minute#c0043
http://dailyinfidel.blogspot.com/2006/10/columbia-offends-pro-israel-community.html
http://dailyinfidel.blogspot.com/2006/10/unbecoming-columbia-bars-public-from.html
http://www.keshertalk.com/archives/2006/10/avoiding_politi.php
http://www.keshertalk.com/archives/2006/10/columbiashoebat.php
http://michellemalkin.com/archives/006103.htm
http://hotair.com/archives/2006/10/11/disgrace-columbia-bars-public-from-walid-shoebat-lecture-at-last-minute/
http://whataretheysaying.powerblogs.com
That's right, Jewelnel, the list keeps on growing, and fast ... Check your local paper soon -- this neat little scandal is coming to a newsstand near you.
4. "Complaining about a violation of free speech on private property is like complaining I can't insult your family while on your lawn."
Wait a second, Sulayman -- whoever said anything about anyone insulting anybody else? Whatever gave you that idea, Mr. Ferguson? Just what were you insinuating?
When looking up your unusual name (after all, one does not often come across a person with a British last name and a Muslim first one -- are you a Muslim convert, by any chance?), Google gave me this: http://www.icnyu.org, which states, inter alia:
Maintained by Sulayman Ferguson
© 1998 - 2006 Islamic Center at NYU
Ummmm ... (as opposed to umma) ... Could it be that a Webmaster for the Islamic Center at NYU just might happen to be partial?
5. As a matter of fact, I am perfectly aware of the "mini-riot during the Minutemen lecture only days ago, and want to avoid the same." -- I do not live in the vacuum, and subscribe to a bunch of lists, and have a pretty good idea of what's going on in the world, including NY, especially Columbia U., which has gained much notoriety lately. There was coverage in both the NY press (NYT, NY Sun, etc.) as well as national (LA Times, etc.)
Are you implying this was purely a law and order issue this time?
Now, we all know who started that riot last week -- the hard-core leftist extremists, who only like a very specific application of the First Amendment -- namely, when it applies to them, but not their opponents.
Who do you think would start a riot this time around -- those same intolerant leftist extremists, or their strange bedfellows, the Islamo-fascists with their sympathizers and supporters, or both? You tell me.
I just checked the above log entries, and found the following comment posted by you (see hhttp://www.solomonia.com/blog/archives/009290.shtml#12122), where you state, inter alia:
"Would you be up in arms the same way if someone wanted to let Hizbullah talk at Columbia?"
Are you implying that the 2 former Arab terrorists and 1 former German Nazi are as bad for the world as is Hizbullah, a violent terrorist organization? No, you couldn't have. So what exactly did you imply?
Then I noticed your comment at http://www.keshertalk.com/archives/2006/10/columbiashoebat.php, which said pretty much the same thing -- Sulayman, brother, you do get around -- I admire your tenacity and persistence. The Prophet Himself, PBUH, would surely admire your tireless efforts at taqiyya.
Oh, wait a second -- was this a blasphemy? Am I going to have to deal with a fatwah upon my butt now? Oh my, what have I done ...
Discombobulated and puzzled,
Seva
Atlas' post on the "event" was excellent. On one hand, I can't believe that Columbia did this, on the other, I am completely unsurprised (if that contradiction is possible).
Hi, Sol -- I've been googling Jewelnel Davis to get up to speed on where this woman's coming from . . . Stumbled onto this, which you may already be aware of:
Background and Analysis of the Columbia University Administration's Response to Columbia Unbecoming
Excerpt:
The film Columbia Unbecoming charges members of the faculty and administration of Columbia University with:
Systematic anti-Israel bias and breaches of academic integrity in curricula and course offerings,
Intimidation and humiliation of students because of their opinions regarding Israel, and
Abuse of the classroom as a platform for political propaganda and pressure.
It sounds like the old gal doth protest too much.
I left a meeting downtown early and trudged up on the subway, since traffic was bad due to the rain and plane accident. I then walked 20 blocks from 96th due to the 1 transfer not showing up for 20 minutes. I got there at 7:45 walked up to the desk and Ms Weisberg (a student in a red outfit) told me I wasn't getting in bcs I wasn't on the list. I gave her my 4 email confirmations from the night before and then she says this in an abrupt uncaring way -
"Oh you should have checked your email a couple of hours ago we sent an email informing you you wouldn't be able to get in".......
Like, there was something wrong with me for not checking my email on the road at 5 o clock that day.
And now 6pm the following day and not only did I not get that email above, but the CUGOP Philip Chan and Felix Hsieh DID NOT EVEN SEND A FOLLOW UP EMAIL TODAY apologizing to the 125 people they gave their word to and explaining what happened.
It's as if it happened, not our fault, oh well......... and Judith at Kesher Talk says the same thing.
Guess what -
1) CU GOP and Philip Chan and Felix Hsieh gave THEIR WORD to me, not Jewenel Davis.
2) They have a responsibility to the people who were screwed and took time out of their lives to attend.
3) It takes 10 minutes to compose an apology letter explaining what happened and send it bcc to everyone of the 125 email addresses.
4) It takes 2 minutes to include the email addresses and phone numbers of Lee Bollinger, Jewenel Davis and her direct staff to contact.
The atmosphere, and higher up at CU is obviously an arrogant Orwellian nightmare but that has nothing to do with the absolute lazy, unaccountable and uncaring attitude of the CUGOP staff.
Larry