Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Some students are pushing back: Op-Ed: What apartheid is and is not
How would you react if a Stanford student organization announced the establishment of a new group called Students Confronting British Nazism, or Students Confronting Women’s Blame for Rape? Or how about Students Confronting African American Inferiority? Anyone with a moral bone in his body would clearly be flooded by feelings of incredulity, followed by outrage. Why? Because these group names not only assert a blatant lie, they are also deeply offensive and dangerous. The British are no Nazis, women are never to blame for rape and African Americans are not “inferior†to anyone. The purpose of such a group would be purely negative — its very ambition to dehumanize and delegitimize an entire group of people. Surely no Stanford student organization would stoop so low, right?
Wrong! By announcing last week that it was creating a new group called Students Confronting Apartheid in Israel — and launching a series of assaults accusing Israel of institutionalized racism, the Stanford student organization Coalition for Justice in the Middle East (CJME) — demonstrated that when it comes to the Jewish people, even the most abusive and pernicious lies are fair game on campus...
...CJME’s actions are not only based on a spiteful myth, they are also dangerous. Racism is the 21st century’s scarlet letter: Once branded racist, you’re an outcast. Those who attempt to label Israel an “apartheid state†are in effect campaigning against co-existence and peace. Does one co-exist with apartheid? No. Does one make peace with apartheid? Of course not, because to do so would be morally wrong. By establishing the new group, CJME hopes that the repetition of the rhetoric of demonization (“apartheid,†“genocide,†“racismâ€) will come to be accepted as truth, creating an atmosphere of intimidation for Jewish students and animosity toward Israel.
Ah, but what about free speech? While even hate propaganda may be protected speech, this does not mean that it is acceptable to spread offensive lies on campus. Would we tolerate a Stanford student organization whose sole purpose is to trash any other religious, ethnic or gender-based community? Our culture of respect and diversity makes this normatively unacceptable....
[H/T: Denis]
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Honestly, I would feel better if I saw non-Jewish students fighting back on Israel's behalf.
And, let me add this: This is a VERY dangerous time for Israel. Leaving aside the existential threat from Iran (if that's possible), we now have a situation where notorious Israel-hater James Baker is acting as the de facto Secretary of State, though Condoleeza Rice's recent comments did not stamp her as a friend of the Jewish state in any event. That said, I think that it is safe to assume that Baker will push HARD for a U.S. policy which is more "balanced" in its treatment of Israel. And, when you combine that with the impending departure of John Bolton from the U.N. (and thank you, Lincoln Chafee, for THAT departure gift), Israel is about to be as diplomatically isolated as it has ever been.
Sorry, but I'm feeling very glum about Israel's fate right now..........