Dear President Napolitano and the University of California Board of Regents,

We are 521 University of California alumni who are deeply concerned about the safety of Jewish students at our alma mater.

We heartily commend the UC Berkeley, UCLA and UC Santa Barbara student senates for responding to the alarming escalation of anti-Semitic activity on UC campuses by unanimously passing resolutions which condemn anti-Semitism and resolve that their respective student senates will adopt the U.S. Department of State’s definition of anti-Semitism for identifying anti-Semitic activity.

We also applaud you for your own statement condemning anti-Semitism. Taking a public stand is a very important first step. However, it is critical that you do more to ensure the safety of Jewish students at the UC.

We join the coalition of 23 organizations that have recently written to you, urging you to take the following steps in order to adequately address the rising tide of anti-Jewish bigotry at the UC :

  1. Formally adopt the U.S. Department of State’s definition of anti-Semitism in order to identify all forms of anti-Semitic expression on UC campuses.
  2. Charge UC chancellors with training campus administrators and staff involved in discrimination prevention, student affairs and equity, diversity and inclusion, to identify anti-Semitic behavior, and direct them to develop clear protocols for addressing campus anti-Semitism with the same promptness and vigor as they do other forms of racial, ethnic and gender bigotry and discrimination.
  3. Charge UC chancellors with developing initiatives for educating the campus community about anti-Semitism and anti-Jewish discrimination.

No student should feel harassed, intimidated, threatened or marginalized. We implore you to better protect Jewish students at the UC.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Aaron Savar, UC Berkeley

Abe Carnow, UCLA

Afsaneh Mobasser, UCLA

Afshin Gabayan, UCLA

Alan Edelstein, UC Berkeley, UC Davis

Alan Harver, UC San Diego

Alan Kostinsky, UC Berkeley

Alane Schloss Shechter, UCLA

Albert Lapides, UC Berkeley

Alex Keyfes, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz

Alexandra Skierso, UCLA

Ali Strocker, UCLA

Aliza Robin, UCLA

Allan Fensten, UCLA

Allan Kandel , UCLA

Allison Moran Gingold, UCLA

Alvaro Gancman, UCLA

Amanda Eisner, UC Santa Barbara

Amir Agay, UCLA

Amy Capurro, UC Davis

Amy Lester Jones, UC San Diego

Amy Saft Ciocan, UCLA

Andrew Katz, UC Berkeley, UCLA

Anita Cotton, UC Berkeley

Ann M. Zeller, UCLA

Anna Paikow, UCLA

Anthony Brill, UCLA

Ariel Szmuilowicz, UC Irvine

Arlee S. Maier, UC Berkeley

Arnold Anisgarten, UCLA

Arnold Zeiderman, UC Berkeley

Audrey Israel, UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco

Audrey Pretsky Adler, UCLA

Avi Herbstman, UC Santa Cruz

Azy Susman, UCLA

Barbara Halpern, UC Santa Barbara

Barbara Simon, UC San Diego

Barbarba Gelb, UCLA

Bee Epstein-Shepherd, UC Berkeley

Ben Adler, UCLA

Ben Harris, UCLA

Bernard Fligelman, UCLA

Bernard H. Goldner, UCLA

Bernard Recht UC Berkeley

Betsy Rosenthal, UCLA

Betzalel N. Eichenbaum, UCLA

Beverly J. Haas, UCLA

Bob Prichard, UC Berkeley

Bonnie Elbaz-Dekel, UCLA

Brannon Glushakow, UCLA

Brian H. Wieder, UCLA

Bruce Eric Sherman , UCLA

Cambria Cohen Gordon, UCLA

Cantor Daniel Eli Friedman, UCLA

Carol Cohen, UCLA

Carol Kurz, UCLA

Carole Shnier, UCLA

Charlene Hartman, UCLA

Charlene Vener, UCLA

Charles L. Geshekter, UCLA

Charles Rosin, UC Berkeley

Chava Bieber, UCLA

Cheryl Herbstman, UC Irvine

Chloe Richdin, UCLA

Claude Ciocan, UCLA

Colby Davidson, UCLA

Craig Preston, UCLA

Dalia Hayon, UCLA

Dan Fuller, UC Santa Barbara

Dan Genud, UCLA

Dan Laks, UC Berkeley

Dan Shalom, UCLA

Dana Edelstein, UC Berkeley, UC Davis

Sanford N. Diller, UC Berkeley

Daniel A. Kaplan, UC Irvine, Hastings College of Law

Daniel Levinson, UC Irvine

Danit Ariel, UC Berkeley, UC Davis

Daryl Temkin, UCLA

David Boren, UC Berkeley

David De Castro, UCLA

David Dichner, UCLA

David E. Dann , UCLA

David Ehrenberg, UCLA

David Fischel, UCLA

David Gaertner, UC Berkeley

David Gitter, UCLA

David Halahmy, UCLA

David Howell, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis

David Jacobson, UCLA

David J. Taft, UCLA

David L. Moring, UC Riverside

David Lalezari, UC Irvine

David Neal Miller, UC Santa Cruz

David Polak, UCLA

David Resnick, UCLA

David Rosenheimer, UC Santa Barbara

David Savar, UCLA

David Shpak, UC Davis

David Siegel UC Berkeley

David Zalk, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara

David Ziskrout, UCLA

Debbie Schulner, UCLA

Debbie Winokur, UCLA

Debora Dennison Schulman, UCLA

Deborah M. Feiler, UC Berkeley

Deborah P. Oles, UCLA

Deborah Pouratian Heald, UCLA

Debra Glazer, UC Irvine

Debra Gornon, UC Berkeley

Debra Mendelson, UC Berkeley

Dick Hartman, UCLA

Dina Levy, UCLA

Dmitri Gelfand, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine

Don Neumark, UCLA

Donald P. Allen, UC Berkeley

Donald Sacks, UCLA

Donald C. Lipkis, UCLA

Doreen De Leon, UCLA

Doug Kruschke, UCLA

E. Brown, UCLA

Ed Canas, UCLA

Ealon Joelson, UC Berkeley

Earl Goldberg, UCLA

Earl Lewis Goldberg, UCLA

Eddie Blau, UCLA

Edward B. Rockower, UCLA

Edward Mizrahi, UCLA

Edwin Shapiro, UC Berkeley

Eileen Anisgarten Brown JD, UCLA

Eileen Schiff Wingard, UCLA

Elaine Goodfriend, UC Berkeley

Elaine Hearst Albert, UCLA

Elaine Isaacson, UC Berkeley

Elan Freedberg, UC Berkeley

Eli Avtzon, UCLA

Elina Veytsman, UCLA

Eliott Goretsky, UC Irvine

Elizabeth Alkaly, UCLA

Elizbeth Beattie, UC Berkeley

Elizabeth Belser, UC Santa Cruz

Ellen Fox, UC Riverside

Ellice Papp, UC Berkeley

Emanuel Gottlieb, UCLA

Emily Resnick, UCLA

Eric Goldberg, UCLA

Eric K. Biren, UC Berkeley

Eric Sirkin, UC Berkeley

Eric Strauss, UC Berkeley

Ernest S. Fried, UC Berkeley

Esther Kandel, UCLA

Esther Moscona, UC San Diego

Esther Varda Beck, UCLA

Etan Lorant, UCLA

Faith Schames, UCLA

Fariba Fischel Ghodsian, UCLA

Felisa Bluwal Pivko , UCLA

Francoise Farron, UC Berkeley

Frank Ariel, UCLA

Frank Ponde, UCLA

Fred R. Hecht, UCLA

Frieda Rapoport Caplan, UCLA

Gabriella Dakteris, UC Berkeley

Gadi Maier, UC Berkeley

Gail Bernstein, UCLA

Gail Budin Rubin, UC Berkeley

Gal Sitty, UCLA

Gary Aminoff, UCLA

Gary Bachrach, UC Berkeley, UCLA

Gary Frank, UC Berkeley, UCLA

Gary Klehr, UC Berkeley

Gary M. Epstein, UC Riverside

Gary Pearl, UCLA

Gary Shapiro, UCLA

Georgiana Flaherty, UC Berkeley

Gerald B. Leib, UC Berkeley

Gideon Rappaport, UC Santa Cruz

Gina Rosenfield, UC Davis

Grant Edelstone, UC Berkeley

Gregg M.Lane,UC Berkeley

Gregory Halprin, UCLA

Guy Husavy, UCLA

Hadar Zenah, UCLA

Hanni Mittelmann, UCLA

Harvey Katz, UC Berkeley

Haya Handel, UCLA

Heather Green, UC Riverside

Heather Hoppus, UC Irvine

Heather Howell, UC Davis

Hedy Woolf, UCLA

Helena Z. Katz , UCLA

Henry Fenton, UCLA

Hillary Bibicoff, UCLA

Holly Baral, UC Santa Cruz

Hope Anisgarten, UCLA

Howard Eisenberg, UC Berkeley

Howard Goodman, UCLA

Rabbi Howard Laibson, UC Santa Cruz

Howard Lesner, UCLA

Howard Meyers, UCLA

Howard R. Weisenfeld, UCLA

Ira Benjamin Katz, UCLA

Iris Maybloom, UCLA

Isabella Romalatti, UCLA

Israel G. Burstain, UCLA

Israel Harkham, UC San Diego

Ivan Ahmady, UC Irvine

Ivo Gerscovich, UC Santa Barbara

Ivy Greene, UCLA

J. Barry Gurdin, UCLA

Jack Bruker, UCLA

Jack Kessler, UC Berkeley

Jacob Goldberg, UC Berkeley

Jacqueline Rafii, UCLA

Jacques Adlere, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara

Jake Steinberg, UCLA

Jamie Cooperstein, UCLA

Jane C. Jordan, UC Berkeley

Jane Rubin, UC Berkeley

Janet Widerspan, UC Berkeley

Jason Cirlin, UCLA

Jay Abouaf, UC Santa Cruz

Jay Saadian, UCLA

Jay Walker, UCLA

Jeff Wieder, UCLA, UC San Diego

Jeffrey A. Carmel, UC Berkeley, UCLA

Jeffrey Barke, UC Irvine

Jeffrey D. Shapiro, UC San Diego

Jeffrey Kandel, UCLA

Jeffrey Lance, UCLA

Jeffrey Eyelkreif, UCLA

Jenna Passer Schule, UC Davis

Jennifer Dekel, UCLA

Jerome Marks, UCLA, UC Berkeley

Jerry Greenberg, UCLA

Jerry Schneider, UC Berkeley

Jessica Teisch, UC Berkeley

Joan Jurancich, UC Davis

Joan Sopher, UC Berkeley

Joanne Serin, UCLA

Joannie Burstein, UCLA

Jocelyn Robinson, UC Santa Cruz

Jodi (Alcalay) Frankenbach, UCLA

Jody Fox, UCLA

Joe Anderson, UC Santa Barbara

Johanna Wilder, UC Santa Cruz

John Stone, UC Santa Barbara

John Poris, UC Santa Barbara

John Segall, UC Berkeley

Jon Wilson, UC Berkeley

Jonathan Aron, UCLA

Jonathan Herskowitz, UCLA

Jonathan Lehrer-Graiwer, UCLA

Jonathan Lifton, UC Berkeley

Jonathan Meltzer, UC Berkeley

Jonathan Nassi, UCLA

Jonathan Schreiber, UCLA

Jonathon Krasny, UCLA

Jordan Warburg, UC Santa Barbara

Jordana King, UC Berkeley

Joseph Leibowitz, UC Berkeley

Joshua Cloner

Joshua Guss, UC Santa Barbara

Joyce Beattie, UC Santa Cruz

Joyce Ellenberg, UC Berkeley

Judie Wachs Friedman, UCLA

Judith S. Sher, UC LA

Judith Sher, UCLA

Judith Weiner, UCLA

Julia Raysh, UCLA

June Brott, UC San Francisco

Justin Sadie, UCLA

Karen Herskovic, UC Davis

Karen Kronick, UC Berkeley

Karen R. Platow Juergens, UCLA

Karol Delmar, UC Santa Cruz

Kayvan Gabbay, UCLA

Keith Abouaf, UC San Diego

Kelly, UC Irvine

Kelly Littleton, UCLA

Kenneth Fields , UCLA

Kenny Bendik, UCLA

Kevin Chroman, UC Berkeley

Kipp Cohen, UCLA

Kristin (Anderson) Rose, UC Davis

L.Katz, UCLA

Lanren Pearl, UCLA

Larik Malish, UC San Diego

Larry Bamberger, UCLA

Laura H Segall, UC Santa Cruz

Laura Nathan, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara

Laura Record, UCLA

Lauran Engel, UCLA

Lauren Helfand, UC Santa Cruz

Laurie Boxer, UCLA

Lawrence Fried, UC Berkeley

Lawrence J Polon, UC Berkeley

Lawrence M. Grossman, UCLA

Leah Markus, UC Berkeley, UCLA

Lenore E. Cohen, UCLA

Leonard J. Roth, UCLA

Leonard Jacobson, UC Berkeley

Leora Udkoff, UCLA

Leslie Goldfarb, UCLA

Leslie Weinstein, UC Berkeley

Lillian Lieber, UCLA

Lillian Sack Lieber, UCLA

Linda (Agay) Calhoun, UCLA

Linda Chap, UCLA

Linda Silverstein, UCLA

Linda Tochterman, UC Berkeley, UC Davis

Linda Weiner, UCLA

Lindsay Sirkin, UCLA

Lirit King, UC Santa Barbara

Lisa Agay, UCLA

Lisa Sherman, UCLA

Liz Milan, UCLA

Loren Kaiser, UC Santa Barbara

Loren Witkin, UCLA

Lori Asher Meyers, UC Berkeley

Lori Edelstone, UC Berkeley

Lucille Benveniste Veron, UCLA

Lynda Shapiro, UCLA

Marat Galperin, UCLA

Marc Cohen, UCLA

Marc Gipsman, UCLA, UC San Diego

Marc L. Andres, UCLA

Marcia Trost Rozelle, UCLA

Marcie Joy Meier, UCLA

Marisa Belinfante, UCLA

Mark Davidson, UCLA

Mark Farber, UCLA

Mark Feldman, UCLA

Mark Herskoyitz, UCLA

Mark J. Pearl, UCLA

Mark Langberg, UCLA

Mark Levy, UC Berkeley

Mark Milstein, UCLA

Mark Mobilne, UC San Diego

Mark Wolf, UC Berkeley

Marla Wilson, UCLA

Marlene Tabak Maier, UC Berkeley

Marnin Weinreb, UCLA

Marsha Zicherman Epstein, UCLA

Martin E. Grant, UCLA

Martin S. Orgel, UCLA

Marv Ellenberg, UC Berkeley

Marvin Klein, UC Irvine

Maureen Ellenberg, UC Berkeley

Maureen Roszler , UCLA

Max Grossman, UC Berkeley

Maytal Abishoor, UCLA

Mea Fred Lane, UC Berkeley

Melissa Lorin, UC Santa Barbara

Michael A. Waterman, Esq, UCLA

Michael Dab, UC Berkeley, UCLA

Michael Davood, UCLA

Michael Hahn, UC Berkeley

Michael Katzeff, UCLA

Michael Lubin, UC San Diego

Michael O. Rosenheimer, UC Berkeley

Michelle Mayer, UC Irvine

Michelle Witkin, UCLA

Mike Fitzsimons, UCLA

Mike Rogson, UC Berkeley

Mina Rush

Mindla Millett, UCLA

Mindy Serin, UCLA

Mitchell Keiter, UCLA

ML Heller, UC Irvine

Monica Artavia Blut, UCLA

Monica Mizrachi, UC San Diego

Mor Weizman, UC Santa Barbara

Morris A. Budak, UCLA

Morris Richman, UC Berkeley

Moshe Abramovici, UCLA

Murray Haberman, UC Davis

Rabbi Nathanie l Ezray, UCLA

Nancy (Alpert) Francis, UCLA

Nancy Josephs Edelman, UCLA

Nancy Kornfield, UC Berkeley

Nancy R. Goodman Wiener, UC Berkeley

Nancy Singer, UC Berkeley

Naomi Pollack, UC Santa Cruz

Nathan Palanker, UC Berkeley

Naya Lekht, UCLA

Nazila Day-Zadeh, UCLA

Neal Jacobi, UC San Francisco

Nelson R Rosal, UCLA

Nicole Lance, UCLA

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Nira Weiss, UCLA

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Pamela C Amundson, UC San Diego

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Patricia Eliahu, UC Santa Cruz

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Patricia Huizar, UCLA

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Paulina Wasco (Paulina Cisneros), UC San Diego

Pauline Regev, UCLA

Peter Schindler, UC Santa Barbara

Phil Liff-Greiff, UCLA

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Phyllis Bloom, UC Berkeley

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Pollin Farzin, UCLA

Rachel Modena Barasch, UC Davis

Rachel Sperling, UC San Diego

Rachel Wallace, UC Santa Cruz

Rachel Zubaty, UC Santa Barbara

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Raina Sinoty, UC Santa Barbara

Raizel Roszler Michelow, UCLA

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Randy Wolman, UCLA

Raphael Avraham, UC Davis

Raul Mirande, UC San Francisco

Rebecca Carpey, UCLA

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Russell Berman, UC Berkeley

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Join the Conversation

29 Comments

  1. Gee, I didn’t know that the Jews were the only group that can be classified as Semitic. I guess Arabs aren’t real? Curtailing free speech is always fun; you are truly my greatest ally.

    1. Anti-Semitism is defined as hostility or prejudice against Jews. It’s the same reason why being Egyptian (or an Afrikaner, for that matter) doesn’t make you “African-American”. Whenever a discussion of anti-Semitism comes up, it’s always easy to spot the anti-Semites because they are the ones that try to dodge the whole issue by turning to semantics.

      1. “it’s always easy to spot the anti-Semites because they are the ones that try to dodge the whole issue by turning to semantics.”

        I think it’s important to define terms so people don’t end up speaking at crossroads. Arabs are as Semitic as much as Jews.

          1. Nice adhomiem there friend.

            Both Jews and Arabs are semites. To deny this would be to deny both groups their humanity.

          2. If you don’t like the definition of a word, take it up with Webster’s Dictionary. Don’t waste our time with it.

          3. Nor does it change a million other meaningless and unimportant facts.

            But hey, but don’t let that get in your way. You just go right ahead debating the meaning of words with Webster’s dictionary. Don’t let all the ill-concealed laughter and eye-rolling stop you.

            Be proud of your contribution. You’re a semantic chicken bone, firmly lodged in the throat of intelligent discussion.

          4. “Nor does it change a million other meaningless and unimportant facts.”

            On the contrary, ascribing antisemitism as a phenomenon unique to the Jews marginalizes racism and oppression committed against Arabs who belong in the same cultural, linguistic and genetic groupings as the Jews.

            ” You’re a semantic chicken bone, excruciatingly lodged in the throat of intelligent discourse.”

            A semantic chicken bone who’s trying to cleave fact from fiction, I think.

          5. “… ascribing antisemitism as a phenomenon unique to the
            Jews marginalizes racism and oppression committed against Arabs who
            belong in the same cultural, linguistic and genetic groupings as the
            Jews.”

            Really?

            This is the point you’re trying to make? The dictionary definition of antisemitism marginalizes Arabs because Arabs are Semites, too?

            There are about 370 million Arabs compared to 12 million Jews on earth… and you’re worried that Arabs will be marginalized?

            Really?

            After this, what do you say we discuss the decreasing amount of salt water in the Pacific Ocean? I’m sure that’s another big concern of yours!

          6. “This is the point you’re trying to make? There are about 370 million Arabs compared to 12 million Jews on earth… and you’re worried that Arabs will feel marginalized?”

            Yes, I do.

            “After this, what do you say we discuss whether or not there’s enough salt water in the Pacific Ocean? I’m sure that’s another big concern of yours!”

            Which is why I’ve taken the initiative of dumping table salt into the Pacific Ocean to tackle the desalination of the world’s largest body of water.

          7. Well, it certainly sounds like you’re doing important work. You certainly have your priorities straight.

            And using your same logic, if Betty White ever finds herself in a boxing match with Mike Tyson, I’ll be sure to tell to go easy on him.

            Just out of curiosity – assuming you are taking this position as a liberal – shouldn’t you be more concerned about the small 12 million Jewish minority (about 3%), instead of the overwhelming 370 million Arab majority (about 97%)?

            And please, don’t suggest that the Arabs are oppressed. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Dubai, etc., these are very wealthy kingdoms with plenty of money and power. They fund organizations like Hamas that are dedicated to destroying Israel and Jews.

            If you’re guided by liberal principles – like supporting minorities and underdogs – in this case, exactly how did you come to the conclusion that you should worry about the overwhelming majority instead of the small minority?

          8. My view on what is “antisemitism” exists independent of any kind of political slant; violence perpetrated against a Semite on the basis of that person’s Semitic background whether he is a Jew or Muslim or Christian – is antisemitism.

          9. Well, let’s just be clear on this: You’re view absolutely has a political slant. Its biased and hypocritical.

            Webster’s dictionary (which is considered the authority for defining words in the English language) defines the following:

            Semite: A member of any of the peoples who speak or spoke a Semitic language, including in particular the Jews and Arabs.

            Antisemite: Hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.

            In order for you to hold your view, you have have to redefine the accepted definition of “antisemitism”. Now you may not like that definition. You may want to change that definition – but the reality is undeniable – Webster’s Dictionary defines Antisemitism as hostility towards Jews. To go to this extreme, you have to be more than a little biased.

            And here’s where the hypocrisy comes in: You wrote, “…antisemitism as a phenomenon unique to the Jews marginalizes racism and
            oppression committed against Arabs who belong in the same cultural,
            linguistic and genetic groupings as the Jews.”

            Why just”Arabs”? And why bring up “culture” and “genetics”?

            The original meaning of “Semitic” referred to people who speak (or once spoke) some form of the Semitic language. The defining factor is language, not cultural, religion or genetic. So according to you, “Semitic” should also include many other ethnic groups in and around Southern Asia, like Akkadians,
            Assyrians, Arameans and Phoenicians and more – extending way beyond just Arabs
            and Jews.

            And yet you chose to only focus on Arabs? You aren’t you concerned about marginalizing Akkadians,
            Assyrians, Arameans and Phoenicians and others?

            Why not? Because you know that over time, the term “Semitic” narrowed and focused on Arabs and Jews – and you’re obviously perfectly fine with this more narrowed definition. You aren’t concerned that any other groups might feel marginalized, or that the term took on implications of culture and genetics.

            But when it comes to the term, “antisemitism”, you have a problem with a more narrowed and focused definition. For some reason, in your view, when it comes to a term focused on just Jews, the same rules that once narrowed the definition of “Semites” to only Arabs and Jews – rules you obviously accepted because you focused on only Arabs and Jews – those rules simply don’t apply anymore. And Webster’s dictionary also doesn’t apply. Now – all of a sudden – you’re concerned about who might be marginalized by a more narrowed definition.

            On top of that, as I mentioned above, Jews are the significant minority. If you truly wanted to avoid a “political slant”, you’d take that into consideration. The ratio of Arabs to Jews is greater than 30 to 1, respectively. By attempting to delegitimize an established and well-recognized term defining the bigotry of a particular minority, you do damage to that minority. And to claim you are taking this view – that you’re willing to damage the significant minority – so the significant majority won’t feel “marginalized” is more than a little ridiculous.

            If that isn’t “political slant”, I don’t know what is.

    2. “Gee, I didn’t know that the Jews were the only group that can be classified as Semitic. I guess Arabs aren’t real? Curtailing free speech is always fun; you are truly my greatest ally.”

      Thank you for denying a term which has taken on its own meaning over decades of usage, to score a cheap technical point on its roots being illegitimate. You’re really great.

      1. “to score a cheap technical point on its roots being illegitimate. ”

        Where did I make this claim?

  2. What they really want to do is to impose a gag order against speech criticizing Israel’s apartheid and colonialism in the West Bank. Nice. And why is it that students of color aren’t afforded the same amount of attention despite the fact that we also deal with bigotry and discrimination. Are we not special or something? These people want the UC system to spend thousands, or perhaps, millions of dollars focusing on anti-Semitism (criticism of Israel), while non of it is used to address the concerns of students of color across the UC system.

    1. When students of color are discriminated against people are fired or expelled regardless of “free speech” concerns and whether it occurs on campus or is even directed at a particular student or students of color as was recently demonstrated at the University of Oklahoma. Just a few days ago the Daily Bruin published an article about a manhunt initiated to track down a student suspected of writing a racist message on a UCLA campus wall implying that if the student was caught the University would seek to have him arrested and criminally prosecuted. To utter a racist word or even to be accused of having a racist thought towards people of color is academic and career suicide on most college campuses these days including every UC. The same is not true of anti-Semitism.

      When Jews are discriminated against directly to their face on campus by persons holding official positions and using those positions to deny Jews educational opportunities that should be open to all students regardless of race or ethnicity, no one loses their position, gets expelled or suspended, or suffers consequences of any kind beyond there being a belated and vague “I’m somewhat disappointed about what occurred” letter from the dean directed at the campus community. So I really think it is laughable to suggest that Jewish students have it too good on UC campuses and that anti-Semetism isn’t a problem. For some reason they are the only minority ethnic group that it is politically correct to discriminate against these days.

      1. Did’ya forget, we have a court system in California. Or are those discrimination charges so baseless that they don’t show up in court ?

        1. So you are ok with discrimination and racism on UC campuses as long as they do not manifest themselves in ways that are criminally actionable? Or is it only when the victims are Jewish that there should be such a high bar to caring?

          1. Let’s try again. Howling anti-semitism against anti-Israel protest doesn’t make the charge any less false and less laughable. For any real instances of antisemitism there are university, state and federal actions. The reason none of them are being invoked is because everyone knows how laughable these claims are. All to avoid any response to questions of Israeli apartheid and ethnic cleansing.

          2. Says the Muslim fascist who cries “Islamophobia” whenever someone criticizes his terrorist friends like the ones who attacked the Charlie Hebdo. You Muslim fascists are the real apartheid supporters who defend ISIS and Boko Haram.

    2. “What they really want to do is to impose a gag order against speech criticizing Israel’s apartheid and colonialism in the West Bank. Nice.”

      Why is it that when Jews come up, people automatically criticize Israel? Do you not know how to differentiate? Why are you denying the suffering of Jewish students on your campus and others?

      “And why is it that students of color aren’t afforded the same amount of attention despite the fact that we also deal with bigotry and discrimination.”

      They should be. But it’s not a competition. You can’t deny Jewish discrimination because you want attention on you. All of the victims of discrimination must stand together, not try to compete for attention.

      “Are we not special or something? These people want the UC system to spend thousands, or perhaps, millions of dollars focusing on anti-Semitism (criticism of Israel)”

      When did criticism of Israel become anti-Semitism?

      1. No one is saying that all criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic. But certain kinds of criticism of Israel can certainly be anti-Semitic. When Israel is demonized, delegitimized, or subjected to an outrageous double standard, that’s often antisemitic. The moment anti-semities realized that attacking race and ethnicity was no longer socially acceptable, the moment they realized they could substitute the word “Zionist” for “Jew”, that’s when criticism of Israel became anti-Semitism.

    3. I assume you’re a Student-of-Color. Please forgive me if I’ve got that wrong.

      But if you are a Student-of-Color, your comment is one of the stupidest, most uneducated comments I’ve ever read on this board.

      On June 21, 1964, civil rights workers Michael Schwerner (Jewish Student), Andrew Goodman (Jewish Student), and James Chaney (Student of Color) disappeared in Mississippi. Later, all three were found murdered. This is the famous “Mississippi Burning” incident that captured the countries attention and helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

      If there was one ethnic group that worked side-by-side with African American’s to help achieve the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it was the Jews. Stanley Levison (A Jew) was an adviser and speech writer for Martin Luther King Jr. Billie Holiday’s anti-lynching song “Strange Fruit”, recorded in 1937 was written Abel Meeropol (A Jew). Felix Frankfurter (A Jew) was a Supreme Court Justice who helped found the ACLU. Joel and Arthur Spingarn (Jews) were early leaders in the NAACP. To this day, some of the most prominent civil rights activists and attorneys for African American causes are Jews.

      Jews are a natural and trusted ally for African Americans in their mutual fight against racist organizations like the KKK, and other White Supremacist groups.

      You would think that the Jews have enough enemies. But if there is one thing that makes me absolutely nuts, it is seeing the antisemitic rantings of some foolish Student-of-Color – so ignorant of his own history, he doesn’t even know that – in the fight against racial discrimination – the Jews are on his side!

  3. They want to impose speech codes ginned up by some AIPAC approved political hack in DC. Now ain’t them special.

    Why don’t they face up to the reality of racism and apartheid in Israel, rather than pretend that the campus is filled with anti-semitism.

    1. Please share with us your first hand knowledge of “racism and apartheid in Israel.” What specific incidents have manifested this? Please provide legitimate sources for your assertions.

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