Video of UC Irvine Jewish students speaking out

[Mediocrates]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDk208v1LNo&feature=player_embedded

http://www.standwithus.com/app/iNews/view_n.asp?ID=1374

[ranchcer]

A good way to start could be by having a second look at the First Amendment that gives cover to hate group speech on U.S campuses. Not to mention the Second Amendment that can get people hurt if they speak out too loudly...:rolleyes:

[curlyg]

Good on them for taking the time to organise and respond. The Jewish student group where I study is completely apathetic towards Israel and Zionism. Actually, I'm quite sure that they're apathetic towards Judaism. It's Jewish in name only, mostly it just does regular social events. And by regular social events I mean going to pubs, getting wasted, and then going clubbing. What does this have to do with being Jewish, you may ask? I haven't a clue - I'm asking myself the same question.

Hopefully when I take control of it next year I'll rattle things up a little. ;)

[dayag]

Good on them for taking the time to organise and respond. The Jewish student group where I study is completely apathetic towards Israel and Zionism. Actually, I'm quite sure that they're apathetic towards Judaism. It's Jewish in name only, mostly it just does regular social events. And by regular social events I mean going to pubs, getting wasted, and then going clubbing. What does this have to do with being Jewish, you may ask? I haven't a clue - I'm asking myself the same question.

Hopefully when I take control of it next year I'll rattle things up a little. ;)

Sounds like they are training for Purim. :D

[ranchcer]

Curlyg, your fellow students are dead right...Part of the answer is that student life is short and doesnt have to be confrontational. What´s the point bringing up divisive issues that could potentially turn campuses into battlefields?
In my days, overseas students had a lot of fun ( except Asian bookworms) and common interests to unite and stand up for ( ie introduction of student loans by the Iron Lady) etc. It´s a perfect time to relax, study, go to concert
try out Cannabis and new brands of beer..:cool:

[Reffo]

Excellent video. The student of Jewish/Egyptian descent was particularly impressive.

Rancher

I understand what you are saying ... enjoy your youth .... good advice on one level. But on the other hand, I say this to all of us .... if we are not careful, apathy will be the death of us ....

[Mediocrates]

http://www.jewishjournal.com/articles/print/is_uc_irvine_safe_for_jews_20100413/

Jews must boycott the UC system NOW!

[montetal]

I attended this event and one can not but be disgusted at the manner in which a group of Muslim hecklers at the University of California Irvine (UC Irvine) disrupted the lecture of Israel's Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Michael Oren, an accomplished academic, author and public servant. Why the University allowed this conduct is unknown. All knew in advance what the Muslims waiting in line to enter the auditorium were planning. Yet this is just one of countless events aimed at bashing Israel and harassing Jews. And these events have a serious impact: faced with on-going hostility from Muslims in their Western homelands, many Jews feel so uncomfortable they uproot and move to Israel to feel safe. This systematic harassment must stop!

Faced with hostility, Jews have historically kept a low profile, preferring to wait out the storm. And faced with rhetoric that Israel is an aggressive racist country, many feel particularly uncomfortable. At the UC Irvine event, most of us sat in silence in the face of a hostile minority. And when a few in the audience stood up and demanded that the hecklers leave, some of us actually asked our fellow Jews to stop their impolite conduct and sit down. Later on, many good-intentioned civil rights oriented Jews debated whether it was correct to arrest the hecklers for simply exercising their freedom of speech. Our liberal tolerance allows our less-liberal adversaries to grow stronger.

Israel was founded in part to establish a new Jewish identity: from people of the book, to pioneers, farmers, soldiers and builders of a homeland. From victims of hostility to defenders of the Jewish state. Today, the vast majority of Israelis truly yearn for secure peace. But when fired upon, Israel does not back down. It responds, and if required to, it does so harshly to send a strong message: leave us alone or pay the price. Israel has successfully created a more assertive Jew, one that stands up and says: "No more!!" We should be proud of this transformation.

The Zionist Organization of America has adopted a similar approach by seeking to have UC Irvine pay a price for sanctioning behavior aimed at harassing us. It is calling for donors to cease donating to the University. The ZOA should be commended for this bold and assertive move. By economically penalizing UC Irvine (why not penalize the entire UC System?) we send a clear message to a cash-strapped UC system: we will no longer tolerate the hosting of illegitimate anti-Israel and anti-Jewish conduct.

We should support and duplicate the ZOA approach. Jews world-wide should no longer passively watch themselves be bullied, beaten up and humiliated by anyone, and definitely not Muslim hooligans. We have the economic, intellectual and political clout to punish anyone who hosts or sanctions activities which harass us. In any given case, the appropriate punishment should be tailored. But it is time to use our power and shift the pain to the other side.