I realize that the subject of Anti-Semitism is not an easy one to broach here. Many diaries have degenerated into flame-wars over Israel and our place in foreign policy. I don't wish to engange on that argument from either side. Rather, I want to call attention to the fact that a good group - Amnesty International - is involved in sponsoring graphic displays of anti-Semitism at our my campus.
I'm currently a political science major at UC Irvine. Every year that I have attended, the Muslim Student Union at my school puts on a huge display of anti-Jewish sentiment. I was unaware that Amnesty International sponsored the group until just recently. Although the MSU denies that its display is anti-Semitic, pictures don't lie. It goes well beyond a critique of Israeli policy and is nothing more than hate speech against Jews. Follow me over the fold for my photo/video diary about what has happened...
The centerpiece of MSU's week-long demonstration is a replica of the Israeli wall, decorated with mixtures of different kinds of art that illustrate the case that is being made. I took these pictures myself on my cell phone, which is why they are low-quality.
The picture below shows the phrase "Palestinian Holocaust" and a bloody Israeli flag.
So far, this is incredibly poor taste, but not quite hate speech. Another side of the wall, however, pushes it over a line: A mashup of pictures of dead Palestinian civilians, complete with a poem starting: "Fe fie fo fum, I smell the blood of a Palestinian..."
To further the claim that Israeli Jews hate Palestinians and think nothing of murdering them, one part of the wall contains nothing but hateful statements made by prominent Israeli Jews, such as one Rabbi who stated "A million Arabs are not worth one Jewish fingernail."
Another prominently displays anti-Semitic cartoons, one of which features an ugly and offensive drawing of Ariel Sharon next to the word "Cannibal."
Violence is explicitly endorsed as a means to "take back" Palestine. Many quotes are given which talk about the honor of "Martyrdom," and a poster shows a scarf-wearing woman holding a machine gun under the words: "The Right to Return: Free Palestine."
There is one section of the wall in which the Muslim Student Union tries to make the case that Zionism is different than Judiasm. But the only Jews who they have nice things to say about spend their time holding signs that say "End Zionism." MSU also brags that most of their speakers are either Jews or of Jewish origin, but the anti-Jewish sentiment could hardly be more naked.
Among the guests that are not Jewish or of Jewish origin is Amir Abdel Malik Ali, who was famous on the conservative blogosphere for rants like this. Ali yells his hate out from a podium that reads: "Israel: The 4th Reich," and makes a point of honoring those who are engaged in using terrorism against Israel. In the next clip, Ali says, among other things, that it was really Jews who destroyed the World Trade Center.
The preceding clips was from an earlier visit to UCI, and I'm stunned that after a performance like that he was allowed to return to campus.
When I asked MSU members how they felt about suicide bombers, one said "If Palestinians had F-16s they would use them. The Palestinians are depressed and hopeless and using the only weapon to fight that they have." The man who explained this all to me was wearing a shirt that said: "Zionism = Terrorism."
Now, what can be done about this? We've had great successes in the past fighting against people like Ann Coulter by targeting sponsors. (As a side note, the Young Republicans are actually having Coulter come visit our campus next week. My campus is just going to be filled with hate.) I want to specifically target Amnesty International because an organization like that should never be involved in an event like this. They are not aware of what is going on, or they do not care. Please, go to Amnesty International and tell then what you think. Link to this diary. Explain to them that their money is going to support anti-Semitism at my college campus. Tell them that they will get our donations no longer unless they stop funding MSU's events and repudiate their naked and disgusting anti-Semitism.
Please visit http://www.amnesty.org/...
Again: http://www.amnesty.org/...
Email your friends about this and tell them about this issue. I used to love Amnesty International and it is a disgrace that they have sunk to the level of funding hate speech. We must hold their feet to the fire and get some accountability.
Feel free to comment and give attention to a diary that isn't about candidates, for a change!
Update: People are accusing me of not supporting free speech. I do support free speech. I just don't think Amnesty International should be sponsoring this particular use of it..