Commentary has a shocking piece about the swarm of anti-Semitism at Duke surrounding the meeting of the Palestinian Solidarity Movement, a group that openly approves of the use of terrorist tactics against Israel. The PSM is as virulently anti-Semitic as the Klu Klux Klan and open advocates violence against Israel, yet Duke was perfectly willing to host their conference and give their group a sense of legitimacy, as though “academic” discussions that systematically attempt to delegitimize Israel and argue for the destruction of the “Zionist enemy” is true civil discourse, while anyone who supports Israel is branded a traitor and their ideas rejected instantly. An example of the odious anti-Semitism that occurred at Duke:
The first salvo was an article in the Chronicle by one of its columnists, a Duke senior named Philip Kurian. Headlined “The Jews,†it denounced Jews as “the most privileged ‘minority’ group†in the United States and in particular bemoaned the “shocking overrepresentation†of Jews in academia. Replete with references to the “powerful Jewish establishment†and “exorbitant Jewish privilege in the United States,†the article went on to characterize Jews as a phony minority that can “renounce their difference by taking off the yarmulke.â€
Kurian’s column was followed by an even more intense anti-Semitic outpouring on the Chronicle’s electronic discussion boards. “I am glad you have the courage to stand up to the Jews,†wrote one correspondent. Another said he “was thrilled to read Mr. Kurian’s belligerent critique of that long-nosed creature sitting squarely in the middle of the room that nobody is allowed to talk about. Yes—that elephant Mr. Sharon . . . and his treasonous cousins in America.†One posting, besides providing a link to an online article blaming the Jews for the outbreak of World War II, called for “an investigation into the Jewish community’s practices and leadership during the past 150 years.†“Whenever anyone says anything negative about the Jews,†expostulated still another writer, “they go after them with Mafia-style ruthlessness. . . . This is the reason Jews are the most hated people on earth and why they have always been kicked out of every country.â€
If someone made the same statement about blacks, they’d be expelled from the Duke campus. Such outright hate speech should be an affront to the most basic values of civil society, yet sadly, they’re all too common on many university campuses.
Absolutely disgusting. I think we can all agree on that. I don’t think these people should be punished for their opinions and their right to speak freely, but neither do I think it was appropriate for their newspaper to opt to disseminate these views.
At any rate I think this pretty much dispels the myth of the Leftist domination of university campuses, don’t you?
The PSM is considered a far left group, and academic leftists are almost unanimous in their vicious condemnation of Israel.
Just more evidence of what I’ve been saying for years. Duke sucks.
I agree with your points and add to the chorus. Not only should the student newspaper refused publication of the “opinion” of the anti-semite, it certainly should have welcomed the PSM to its campus. It would be intesting to see which conservatives have been refused an invitation (Horowitz, maybe).
“Academic leftists are almost unanimous in their vicious condemnation of Israel.”
Real-world translation….academic leftists are almost unanimous in their “vicious” condemnation of the current practices of the Israeli government, led by Ariel Sharon, which they see as wildly counterproductive to long-term peace prospects. “Academic leftists” and most other present-day Sharon critics did not seem to have a grievance with Israel when led by Ehud Barak or Yitzhak Rabin.
Your inference that everybody who disagrees with the current practices of the Israeli government is one and the same as the anti-Semitic bigots speaking at Duke University reduces your argument to worthless partisan propaganda. Or are you suggesting it’s not possible to disagree with the Isreali government’s current course without hating Jews?
No, they don’t agree that Israel has the right to exist, which would have been clear had you acually bothered to read the linked article.
I read the link. It was merely a litany of a dozen or so “academic leftists” disparaging Israel’s “right to exist.” Using that link in defense of your earlier statement that “academic leftists are almost unanimous in their vicious condemnation of Israel” falls embarrassingly sort of journalistic integrity….even by your standards. Your initial post sufficed in showing an unfortunate pattern of acceptance towards anti-Semitism among a small number of academics. Unfortunately, you negated the effectiveness of your original point with your cheap shot about “academic leftists” unanimity in hating Isreal.
Seems as if the only unanimity is among right-wing bloggers and their vicious condemnation of “academic leftists” regardless of the facts.
The PSM is considered a far left group, and academic leftists are almost unanimous in their vicious condemnation of Israel.
But the PSM is complaining that the professors are all Jews, or whatever, so how can that be the case? Why would Jewish professors be anti-Semites?
If the nutjob leftists complain that academia isn’t left enough, or is too pro-Israel, clearly there’s something wrong with your assertion abut leftist domination of academia.