UO Faculty Member Calls For “Appropriate” Free Speech
Mohamed S. Jemmali, a member of the UO Arabic Faculty, has a guest opinion in today’s Oregon Daily Emerald delightfully titled “Approach freedom of speech with care.” A cringe-inducing headline if I’ve ever heard one, even worse when you realize he’s writing about the recent Israel/Palestine demonstrations.
I won’t bother with the first paragraph, which describes the NRA supposedly “abusing” free speech by holding a rally after the Columbine massacre. Oregon Commentator Publisher Guy Simmons is much more versed on the subject and is already penning a letter to the Emerald about it.
It’s hard to pick a real argument or point out of Jemmali’s rambling parvum opus, but this seems to be it:
On Friday, some University students decided to exercise their freedom of speech. Lately, they’ve been watching horrifying live videos of dead, innocent Palestinian children and their hysterical mothers on a major U.S. news network (surprisingly), so they decided to take on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and organized a peaceful rally on campus, where they brought “PEACE” flags to call for an immediate cease-fire.
Many other University students decided to organize another rally in the same place at the same time, and brought flags of Israel to protest against the original rally. They were certainly legally exercising their freedom of speech, but was it appropriate to try to “crash the other party”?
As anyone who was actually at the rallies could tell you, there was no party crashing to be had. The pro-Israel demonstration stayed at a respectable distance, held signs and handed out fliers. But that’s besides the point. It’s troubling that Jemmali would even suggest that there’s something inappropriate about holding a counter-protest. He seems to lack a fundamental grasp of why a liberal interpretation of the First Amendment is important – namely, the right to say things that others consider “inappropriate” or offensive.
This is all very amusing because Jemmali then goes on to say (emphasis added):
Living in America, I can’t imagine what it may feel like to live in that area in the Middle East, so I shouldn’t tell people which side is right or wrong. That’s what the UN and international laws are for. What I do know is that 9/11 happened primarily because some Muslim extremists have had enough of America’s military support to Israel.
I read through a good portion of the opinions on this conservative megaphone supported with a few facts here and there, then back to the much needed right-wing answer from the pundits. The primary content through out all the writings is the sarcastic and sophomoric tone, the mode of expression is that the writer’s derision makes the point. This is just bias couched as writing, the reason that your points are invalid is that your intent is just to push your opinions and create an illusion of legitimacy by presenting it as journalistic writing, once someone reads your articles it’s clear that your opinions were formed long ago and the article is just a vehicle for your re-run of ideas with different events to correlate them with.
Your writing isn’t a discovery process, it’s just an attempt to say “I’m right, your wrong” no matter what the facts are, just a platform for preformed ideas to be presented as if they were relevant and new because they are attached to current events. In short, your writing is dishonest because you are not really interested in learning nor informing with your writing, just pushing your prejudice with sarcasm, ad hominem, other logic fallacies, and peer pressure. All of that stems from having ideas that lack merit those ideas can’t stand on their own, but need such tactics to be up held because you’ve decided to promote those ideas anyway, actual unbiased treatment be damned.
Prof. Jemmali makes a great point, why should people who support locking up families in their homes to later bomb them there, telling refugees to go to a UN school as a shelter to be later bombed there, and among many daily atrocities today these same people destroyed the UN headquarters in Gaza taking away tons of food, medical aid, and needed supplies from the people trapped and held hostage by these terrorizers; why should they be tolerated?
If you were raped and brutalized on campus, what would you say to people rallying in defense of the rapist because you wanted it, and they have video evidence of it and want to parade around with signs of your medical examination showing proof of it being “no big deal”?
Yeah being a biased academic about the destruction of other people and the “free speech” to support it, is easy. Free speech, as is often said, is not absolute, people can’t distribute your home address and broadcast speeches of why you should be killed because of your support for child molestation, according to them. You wouldn’t be here advocating for your martyrdom for “free speech” in that case. But since it’s other people’s death being supported, then you’re all for it and attacking people who say wait a minute.
If people, justly pursued a platform of “Hitler was right to try to exterminate the Jews, let’s get that started again” given the events leading up to today in Gaza and the whole atrocity of some people thinking they are owed someone else’s home land, I’m sure you’d make an attempt to show your journalistic integrity by supporting that “free speech.” but once that movement picked up steam and also targeted you for being a Jew lover, you’d change your tune in a heartbeat. Point being, you can talk about it as long as it’s academic to you in as heartless a way as you want, just shows a bad reflection on you. But when you are the target of it or you empathize with the targets of it, then it’s another story completely. So despite you being perched on your academic high horse casting criticisms and sneers to people who actually are making valid points, you are not taking into account that this murder spree is actually going on to people. This isn’t about the right to march but about being the kind of people who just don’t care that people are being slaughtered for wanting to live on their own land by invaders that took it from them. In your case, you care much more about your entitlement to cast sneers and be repugnant than about people being thus slaughtered, that is a reflection on you and those who march in support of it. You can march, but don’t you dare say we can’t hold you accountable for what you march for and support. You like a cry baby who want’s it both ways, you want to march but you don’t want to legitimate disgust people have at you for what you support. I like having you march so that the rest of us can mark you as the low life that you are for supporting this and criticizing people who criticize it. The Jews can just leave Palestine and give up on their idea of a Jewish State, there’s no reason for it other than their constant instance on it. Once we all get to the point of getting rid of this false state built on Palestinian land, then all problems are solved. All partied live in peace and are safe, and the injustice of having Palestine taken away from them is reversed. The only people standing in the way of this are the selfish Jews who don’t want to give up on a whim they feel entitled to. When you look at it that way, one group’s whim being placated versus the vicious killing of the other group – it’s clear why the advocates of the former group should not be tolerated.
To take it to a point you agree with, OJ Simpson was routinely kicked out of restaurants and not served as a matter of being accused and acquitted of the murders of Goldman and his former wife. I bet your ranting of this at every occurrence on this right wing rag can’t be found, because it’s not part of your agenda. So if you think about it, you just push ideas that are convenient to you not ones that are journalistically honest.
I’m just flattered that somebody hates me enough to remember my tenure five years ago. Thanks Rayman!
You schlubs have a lot of chutzpah! This is supposed to be a secret conspiracy, you schmucks! Don’t make me schlep myself all the way from Jersusalem to Oregon!
I’ve gotta write headlines for at least fifty news organizations, brainwash several heads of state, and recount all my gelt tonight before I go out and get all schickered with my chaverim and steal the blood of some Palestinian babies to make matzah! Oy vey!!!
“Israeli narrative” = anything not Michelle’s opinion
Just FYI.
The Mossad isn’t paying me enough to push their narrative. I had to go into my own pocket on the last counter-Palestinian demonstration I secretly organized in my club beneath the Pioneer Mother statue. (Anyone interested can get in by standing behind the statue and saying “Next year in Jerusalem” three times).
I’ve put in a request though and when the shekels start rolling in, you can find me next to the Jesus guy at the EMU. Hell, I even applied with Shin Bet, but they never got back to me. Oy vey!
On a more serious note though:
Michelle, there is a difference between addressing the logic and facts of an argument and attacking someone for their opinion. People are free to their opinion, but if they support it with double-standards, logical fallacy, half-truth and innuendo…it tends to attract the attention of readers who are concerned with the formulation and debate of a sound argument. Now, if a person abandons argument altogether and goes for insults and personal attack…well, that is their decision and the OC Blog is a place where you should do that with your thick skin on because you’re going to reap what you have sewn.
It’s interesting that you keep mentioning genocide too, but you should realize that no matter how long you insist that what is happening i genocide, it will not make it true. There are other words out there in the world that are more accurate. Full disclosure: I’m only making this argument because my handlers at AIPAC are paying me 10 shekels for each genocide claim I counter. Sorry, I’m just broke and really need to get some more beer and popcorn for the rest of this show.
Cheers!
It never ceases to amaze me how Zionists jump to attack any pro-Palestinian demonstration or internet comment. Mohamed, I’m sorry you’re dealing with this.
It is absolutely shameful for anyone to support the GENOCIDE of Palestinians and/or attempt to excuse it in any way. It goes to show how the Israel PR lobby is alive and well across campuses.
George: many UO professors do repeat the “Israeli narrative.” To name a few, Ami Mezhavah, David Frank, Mathew Dennis, Ken de Bouvois, and Chris Holman.
Betz: Rayman is correct. In fact, I just got the new marching orders from our
Jew“Zionist” paymasters earlier this morning. If you come to the next staff meeting, we’ll be handing out photocopies. Our friends in the international banking community tossed in a few shekels to distribute to our most loyal operatives for our good work in helping to elect ZiObama.Rayman had better watch his back, though. He’s starting to attract a little too much attention at Mossad HQ.
Yes, because only two websites out there – two, mind you – give you the REAL truth. Everyone else is LYING to you!! Its all part of an insidious plot where Obama is tryng to gain control of Isreal, who were the real plotters behind 9-11, to destroy his travel records that prove that Reagan actually shot JFK. It all makes perfect sense!
I love conspiracy theorists … they are so enthusiastic, and try so hard!
Gee, the OC remains ever the neo-con Zio blowhorn ever since that shithead Timothy Dreier was king. No one will ever have a firm grasp of the Gazan conflict until one acquires knowledge of Washington’s most powerful and secretive lobby – AIPAC, and all the supporting apparatus for Israel. The lit is out there. Read it! You might start with the scholarly and honest ‘The Israel Lobby’ by Mearsheimer and Walt. Yet for “fear of the Jews” so many stew in their ignorance. Vincent, you remain a limp-brain, a robot. You know only Establishment “history,” which is sorrowfully so full of lies and insidiously false propaganda of the Zio-backed victors in war, and apparently you have lost the power to analyze, if you ever had it. But such as Vincent is the status quo today. We’ve lost our nation, and Ziobama will expedite the process to total oblivion and obliteration. He may round up hundreds of thousands of dissidents of all stripes for the FEMA camps that wait for the death-signal from this coming Commie prez. I pity people who cannot see the death of freedom in our once “Home of the Brave!”
If most of you OCers lack the inclination or capacity to read, you might listen to Michael Rivero on the Net – whatreallyhappened.com. Or to RBN, Rense.com, more. They radiate truth.
Oh, and to address the classic “you’re paying 6billion dollars in foreign aid to Israel” blah blah blah…
The U.S. gives Israel 6 billion in foreign aid for the same reason it gives Egypt almost 2.1 billion in foreign aid: IT’S IN THE U.S.’s INTEREST!!! Would you believe that? You act like the U.S. Senate is some Jewish controlled cabal that throws money at Israel to do the bidding of Jewish interests. Yet you don’t mention that Egypt gets 2.1 billion foreign aid AND happens to be an oil producing country (unlike Israel.)
Egypt receives its aid b/c it signed a peace treaty with Israel some years back. You see, we say “Egypt, as long as you behave and stop being all terrorist, we’ll give you 3 billion a year.” And it has worked.
Israel, on the other hand, is given 6 billion in aid because it helps the U.S. in MANY ways. Believe it or not, Israel is good at making stuff. They’re really good at making military stuff. Did you know that Israel modifies and improves most defense systems that U.s. built? Did you know Israel spends almost all of their aid on U.S. defense companies in the U.S. economy? Did you know that Israel is a TEST battlefield for the U.S. to observe from a distance? Israel’s aid isn’t free. The U.S. benefits greatly by giving Israel money, because in the end, the U.S. stays on top of the best military and science technology. Israel happens to be a very scientific nation with many great inventions and innovations. Your fucking computers chips were probably designed by Intel Israel. Your cell phone chip was INVENTED by Israel. The only reason the U.S. has a missile defense system is b/c Israel created it! Did you know Israel trains many American pilots and soldiers?
But you prefer to tell a one-sided story. Your false narrative is that Israel receives 6 billion in aid as if it’s some kind of gift. Go to the U.S. budget website – read the foreign aid bill Jemmel. There ARE facts out there, you know.
Body count is the favorite argument of Hamas apologists. And here’s why it doesn’t work:
First, last time I checked, body count does not determine whether a conflict is justified. The U.S. bomb drop on Hiroshima was multiple times more devastating than any body count the Israel-Palestine conflict has produced over the years (put together.) We don’t see Japan accusing the U.S. of creating a holocaust or comparing them to Nazis. And this isn’t to say using the bomb was justified. But the fact is, Pearl Harbor was attacked, the U.S. was up against a regime which supported Hitler and his ideologies, and the bomb worked – and while it’s necessity is widely debated, the justification was there.
Now you should thank God that Israel is kinder than the U.S. – instead of nuking the Gaza strip or even all-out annihilating it, they go in for pinpoint strikes. The problem is that Hamas hides itself among civillians – common knowledge, buddy. The sad fact is that civillians will die when Israel attacks a target which hides behind civillians – do you HONESTLY BELIEVE that Israel gains any benefit from killing civillians? Not only does it help Hamas’ image and hurt Israel’s image, but it goes against every stated objective of the Israeli forces and teachings. The funny thing is that Hamas actually SUPPORTS killing civillians, as their suicide campaigns of years past show – targeting SCHOOLS, SYNAGOGUES, and other places where civillians exist.
Third, Israel will always have a lower body count b/c their military is much, much more advanced and capable of handling warfare. They have the better guns, the better armor, and the better precision. Hamas doesn’t. It relies on grassroots combat – which happens to put civillian lives in danger, and also makes use of shitty equipment. Let’s face it, they can’t fight well. They fight like cowards because instead of sending their soldiers off to war, they send their woman and children off to war with them, and then blame Israel for the cost of human life that they oh so value. Where was this cost when they called for suicide bombings? How is it valuable to ask your own people to detonate themselves in the name of war? That’s just… stupid. It’s barbaric. It goes against every emotion I have.
Golda Meir (FEMALE Prime Minister of Israel – yes, we elect females to higher office in Jew land) once said, The Arabs and Jews will have peace when the Arabs learn to love their children more than they hate the Jews. In other words, Hamas and Israel will be at peace when they learn to love their own people (Hamas doesn’t) more than they hate us (and their charter speaks for itself).
So go on with twisting your words Jemmali. I sympathize, empathize, and even mourn along with you for all innocent people killed in this war. Yes, it is sad that there are innocent people – most of whom are Palestinian – who have died. It is terribly sad. That is a fact and I’m not denying that pain. But when an elected “political” group (read: terrorist group by the EU, US, and most of the sane world) fires rockets into a country that has since withdrawn FULLY (the UN said so itself) from its territory, then you can’t expect the country will sit back and take it. Israel has a right to halt rockets and destroy Hamas. Sadly and tragically Hamas chooses to continue its Jihad at the expense of its own people.
You may find peace more quickly if you examine how Hamas could change. I can PROMISE – ASSURE – GUARANTTEE you that if Hamas were to STOP firing rockets into Israel and stop claiming a right to ALL of Israel as their land, then Israel would be more than willing to stop this war. Israel already withdrew from Gaza, yet they can’t get it together. Instead, they turn the territory into a bleeding mess. Look where it’s gotten them.
Mohamed:
Out of curiosity, do you believe “body count”, so to speak, is the best (or at least the most important) measure of the “morality” of a given conflict?
Finally! Thanks Tim.
By the way, as of today the dead count is 1,013 to 13. The dead children (under 14) count is 315 to 0.
I know I had some low pnts in this long discussion, but I’m very glad we had it. I’m a strong believer in communication to promote peace. That’s why I teach Arabic.
I’m not sure there’s such a thing as “Arab” culture any more than there’s such a thing as “American” culture. Both groups have so many atomized sub-groups that get along or hate each other to varying degrees that it’s difficult to put things in neat little boxes. Further, I don’t believe that collectives ever actually take actions or to a certain extent exist in a meaningful way. Individuals are the only actors – there might be trends and commonalities between groups of individuals who share certain characteristics, but that’s really not a good predictor of how any one person will behave.
That said, I’m willing to toss out the following postulates that I think we should all be able to agree with:
1 – There exist individuals who see the destruction of the US/West as their mission, independent of recompense for grievances against the state of Israel.
2 – These individuals are not notoriously selective about the people they blow up.
3 – There exist individuals who see the destruction of Israel as their mission, and these individuals also accept postulate 2.
4 – There are legitimate reasons to condemn the behavior of the government of Israel.
5 – There are legitimate reasons to condemn the behavior of the PLO or Hamas.
“
I wanna apologize if I portrayed a sense of superiority. I wanna apologize to George for calling him a racist. The truth is, I
Mo-Dawg wrote: George, you seem like a racist guy.
Drink!
But seriously, thanks for the “free lessons” A.K.A. Dennis Kucinich and Michael Moore talking points.
George, you seem like a racist guy. Can you handle an Arab calling you an idiot?
Let me just comment on the most ridiculous thing you said: Palestinians are voluntarily using children as human shields in order to score PR pnts? Wow! Which brainwashing news do you support? In other words, once the current fighting is over, Palestinians are gonna think “We may have sacrificed our children, but we won the PR battle. Yey!” What planet do you live on?
Judging by all the comments above, the OC seems to have a pretty diverse and open-minded group of fans. If any of you is hurting financially from the current economic crisis, may be you can think about the $6 billion of our taxes that we send to Israel’s military every yr that’s fueling the next 9/11 and promoting the next Iraq war. I’m done teaching you guys free lessons.
Mo-Dawg
[…] ODE has a letter in response to Mohamed Jemmali’s guest opinion that ran yesterday. Unfortunately, the Emerald did not deign to also print OC Publisher Guy […]
Tit…this is Tat, I mean Taube
Mohamed Jemmali? Damn people with weird, hard to pronounce names.
On snap!
Muhammed,
I love how you call it “culture” to show one-sided films about the Arab narrative to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in your LANGUAGE class. That’s very slimy. You don’t Jewish professors on campus showing videos portraying the Israeli narrative to the conflict and calling it “culture.” Wouldn’t that be upsetting to you – if a Biblical Hebrew professor showed a movie about the rockets being fired by the Gazan “terrorists” or how autocratic, anti-woman, anti-gay, and racist the Arab world is? Would you call that a cultural part of the class?
Arab culture is nothing to proud of today. Unfortunately many Arab people are the victim of disgusting regimes which promote hatred and/or repression in sad, barbaric ways. I think anyone with common sense, knowledge (knowledge is the key here) and an objective perspective, can see the sharp contrast between Israel and the Arab world. This isn’t a conflict between Israel and Palestine. It’s between Israel and the Arab world, which happens to own more than 90% of the Middle East.
Your narrative, Muhamed, is filled with omissions – that’s a form of lying. Just telling half the truth:
Has Israel killed civilians? Yes, this is a terrible consequence of war. But the other half of this truth is that Israel targets Hamas, which hides itself among its own population. How can you focus so much time on criticizing the Jews when Hamas has instituted a policy of allowing its children to strap bombs to their chest and enter markets? Do you not see how stupid this point of view is? When Israel kills Hamas’ children due to collateral damage, the world is up in arms. But somehow it’s okay for Hamas to kill its own children? The problem with Arab culture today is that it doesn’t examine its problems and tries to blame the rest of the world. We’re not the ones who are stuck in the middle ages when it comes to family values. Sorry, but I will not stone my daughter after she is raped. But that goes on in Gaza. I’ve got no respect for that culture. And don’t even call this racism.
Has Israel invaded Gaza, a tiny slither of land where Arabs are crunched in poor conditions? Yes, and doesn’t this sound terrible. The other half of this truth is that no country should have to tolerate barrages of rocket fire over their borders, especially when their forces withdrew from that slither of land a few years back. They have every right to plunder, pillage, and even re-take the Gaza strip and make it part of Israel again under the rules of war. But Israel’s merciful, and they target and warn people specifically. You should thank God that Russia isn’t the one sitting in Israel’s territory. Not only would they give you no warning, but they’d all out level your territory.
This post could go on with a list of half-truths propagated by your side. I wish for once I’d see just one person in the Arab world who would speak out against at least one problem in the Arab world. Jews speak out against their country, their problems, and their culture ALL the fucking time. Most of the pro-Palestinian people you’ll meet on campus are probably Jewish. Why can’t you examine the moral bankruptcy of an organization like Hamas for once instead of blaming the west and its Jews for your problems.
Go on and teach your language class. Show your “culture” videos. Continue to write letters to the paper which imply that the U.S. is at fault for 9/11 because they support Israel (God forbid we blame the fuckers who boarded those planes and crashed them), and go on an write sentences which show utter surprise that the media is reporting the Gaza conflict from your point of view – I love the implication of that astonishment, after all, the media is controlled by Jews according to your narrative. But we don’t say that publicly. Instead just watch the Arab tv channels and read their newspapers – hell, go to their bookstores and buy a copy of the Elders of Zion. Go to Israel, actually, and you’ll notice that they’re free – free to think with diverse opinions (hence Jews who speak out against Israel), free to live democratic lives, and free to express differing opinions. But I forgot – it’s Israel’s fault that Arab countries treat woman like garbage, stone gays, behead adulturers, and openly express their desire to annihilate another country. And I’ve never understood something — why the fuck do the Arab countries all speak out up in arms when Israel fights with the “Palestine” – a territory that most Arab countries don’t even border, let alone support in any meaningful way, yet the Arab countries love to turn a blind eye to their sick problems. HAve you ever thought of writing an article about whether woman should be forced to dress a certain way or whether its appropriate to send children off as shields in battle? Oh, I forgot again, Israel provoked this behavior.
LOL
Completely different topic, but the new issue looks sweet.
No one has even stated anything about your name on this blog. You seem to be the one jumping to conclusions, sarcastically claiming how glad you are that non one has called you an “anti-semite” (your 1st comment in this thread). Mr. Jemmali, you seem to be the one who has the wrong idea about the background and values of this publication and its contributors, and are the one jumping to conclusions.
At the OC we are well-versed in the ODE’s odious headline practices. As for the substantiative points about which protest was less cool: let’s just call that a draw. Otherwise I might turn into a giant green monster and go rampaging about the South American countryside.
Mr. Jemmali, Mohamed, Mo-Dawg (as it were) – you seem to be confounding two pretty different issues: freedom of speech on the one hand and decorum on the other. What people have a right to do when it comes to expressing their opinions on public (meaning state-owned) lands is pretty absolute. Fred Phelps, to name one, is a total dick but he has a right to stand on the sidewalk with his God-hates-fags sign. Same goes for Bible Jim.
Both “protests” or rallies or whatever in this case had an absolute right to organize peacefully, at the same time if they wanted to. We can debate the propriety of organizing one rally to distract from another, but that’s a lot different than what rights a person has. Also, the country has more than enough moral scolds without a minor professor at a state university joining the fray. Besides, doesn’t Bob Jones usually have the moral scold professor market cornered?
May be you should search my name on the Emerald and read what people responded to my articles in relation to my name. They weren’t even articles about the Middle East or terrorism.
I’m mentioning these things about me to make sure some people don’t get the wrong idea about my background and values. I’d rather have some people make fun of name than some idiots turning it into a hot political issue. You think names don’t affect people’s perceptions? Ask Barack Hussein Obama, the Muslim Arab who hangs out w/terrorists.
Thanks for advertising my sweet website. Funny how you say “we” won’t find much common ground. Do you speak for the OC’s minds?
Wow, Jemmali really has a hang-up about his name.
I think Mohamed is a pretty cool name. Really rolls off the tongue.
Do you know what C.J. stands for? Carl Jr. Yeah, for real. Try to think of what your life would be like if your name was Carl Jr. and you lived in the United States. People associate you with the fast food chain. Don’t take you seriously. “Do you get free food?” they ask, and then laugh. Would you change your name? Would you publish controversial articles?
But there I go again using my free speech unwisely.
P.S. The biggest humanitarian crisis in the world is happening in Africa, but nobody cares because it’s not at the center of an ideological flashpoint.
P.P.S. Judging from Jemmali’s sweet website, I don’t think we’re going to find much common ground here.
I’m sorry if you’re terribly offended by my description of my impressions of the protest. After reconsideration, I think I’d like to amend my thoughts about last Friday’s demonstration:
Frankly, the rally was a really vital event that many people seemed really interested in. The crowd was pretty big, probably because the weather was really quite ideal. I was more than impressed by the large number and variety of guest speakers. Furthermore, I can definitely say that found out about the protest in time to invite a bunch of my friends, who might otherwise have been doing other things on Friday afternoon after class. I was also mightily awed by the high quality of the signs that were put on display, all of which were clearly the result of days of planning and organization. In fact, the only thing that was even slightly amiss was the fact that there were a bunch of other protesters across the street talking about something completely unrelated.
Alright. Now that I’ve got that out of the way, I was wondering if you could point out an instance of anyone here — besides yourself — worrying about your name or your background.
Incidentally, I notice you haven’t had anything to say thus far about the Armenian Genocide. Does that mean you don’t care?
Vincent, you like to “pick fights” about insignificant little things. Looking at all your 4 previous comments, you just choose a “soundbyte” and unsuccessfully try to turn it into a big thing. You don’t say anything new or interesting. Let me know when you get an article published.
In response to your last comment: (1) It’s no surprise that Israel has more support than Palestine in the US. This is not about who can attract more people. That’s childish. (2) The weather was in favor of the rally, since it was the 1st day w/out rain in a long time. And although you got an email through a UO club the day before the rally (which triggered the pro-Israel rally), it doesn’t mean that the event was a last-min planning. (3) You still had nothing to say about innocent children. Does that mean you don’t care?
Here’s more about me: I’m not from the Middle East, I didn’t choose my name, and I have many Jewish friends. How many Muslim/Arab friends do you have? Try to think of how your life would be like if your name is Vincent and you lived in the Middle East (other than in Israel). Would you change your name? Would you try to publish controversial articles?
Grow up dude. This is a serious issue. Use your freedom of speech more wisely.
The pro-Israel demonstrators were peaceful and didn
All right guys, good discussion. Better than I thought. At least nobody called me an
Is this what Wang Chung was talking about when they said, “Everyone Have Fun Tonight?”
Sean, your points are well taken.
As for the email, we were expecting a little more, uh, “vibrant” protest. For example, do you remember last year when people hung up posters around campus that said, “Israel: Celebrating 60 years of genocide”? I guess we’re just used to the pro-Palestinian contingent on campus being really classy like that.
To everyone’s credit, though, the demonstrations on Friday were peaceful and relatively sane.
I don
Vincent:
I don’t think we’ll ever know the difference between
I actually didn’t get my idea about pro-Israel OC from the comments of the last blog post, which I am reading now.
Maybe it was this email:
“Just got an e-mail about some big anti-Israel protest that’s happening between 12 and 3. I’m going to be down there sometime between 1 and 3 to get some quotes and take in all the fucking lunacy”
I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong and I don’t have any evidence.
I’m glad that Vincent and CJ are both reaching to get opinions from both sides. I am not informed enough on the situation to write an opinion piece. Besides, unless you write an article that takes the extreme Israel or extreme Palestinian side, you will get berated because people are so polarized on this issue.
Maybe this is out of context, but I hope people understand that criticism of Israeli foreign policy is not anti-Semitism. And what is happening in Gaza, while horrifying, is NOT another Holocaust. There’s no comparison.
One last thing: WRT supporting the only democracy in the Middle East, that should not necessarily extend to the support of said democracy’s foreign policy. Unless you think we should support every aspect of the US foreign policy, as well.
Hey Sean, I’m Pro-Palestinian (always rooting for the underdog you know).
I totally hate Jews too. They are always hoarding all the gold for themselves.
Bastards.
And yes, I did invite Beshara Kehdi to write an AP article for us, and the invitation stands.
Is it justifying September 11th? No. Is Jemmali representing Muslim extremists? No. He
Well, shit, Sean. Maybe you should write an opinion piece about the subject for us. Vincent approached one of the guys at the pro-Palestine demonstration about writing an article for us as well.
We’re not all completely pro-Israel; it’s just that you don’t have to look very hard to find opinions from the other side of the spectrum on campus.
Sean, just curious but what do you interpret via the OC as being pro-Israeli?
Just saying it might help if people knew of instances that highlight this. And at what point does the disclaimer “the comments of the people on this blog are not the opinions of the O.C.” come into play? Point being, maybe you’re just reading a few opinions and extrapolating…
I don’t know.
“(and comments thread behemoth) Chris Holman”
LOL I like it.
Ouch, my brain.
Long time no see, fellow OCers.
Mohammed Jemmali is no Ward Churchill. If you look at the rhetoric of Osama bin Laden and his manifesto, so to speak, it definitely blames US support of Israel and its military presence in Saudi Arabia (formerly) Kuwait, Qatar, etc…and points to that as reason for the attacks.
Is it justifying September 11th? No. Is Jemmali representing Muslim extremists? No. He’s merely stating what their impetus for their terrorism was.
One thing that’s turned me off to the OC this year is its pro-Israel leaning stance. As a magazine that’s very good about getting ‘both sides of a story’, so to speak, I’m sad that there is absolutely no recognition of the Palestinian side of the Israel/Palestine debate.
9/11 happened primarily because some Muslim extremists have had enough of America
That guy’s my former Arabic teacher. He teaches Arabic at the U of O alongside OC contributor (and comments thread behemoth) Chris Holman. He’s from Tunisia, and while I know he loves living in America and being an American, he’s made no secret of his opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during class time. During my final term, we watched a series of videos about the conflict, mainly focusing on Jewish extremism and the “brainwashed” media, neither of which have much to do with the Arabic language.
Braaaaaains!