Posted on 12/27/2009 7:34:29 PM PST by pabianice
Spanish Government folds like Cheap Card Table
SPME Statement on the Expulsion of Ariel University from Solar Decathlon 2010 on Political Grounds
December 23, 2009 To: the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and to the organizers of the Solar Decathlon Competitions.
We, the undersigned faculty members, researchers, professionals, academics and students from around the world, denounce the decision of the Spanish government to expel the team of Ariel University Center in Israel from Solar Decathlon Europe 2010.
The Solar Decathlon challenges college teams from around the globe to design, build, and operate the most livable, energy-efficient, and completely solar-powered house. Solar Decathlon houses must meet all the home energy needs of a typical family using only the power of the sun. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends aesthetics and modern conveniences with maximum energy production and optimal efficiency. The first Solar Decathlon was held in 2002; it and those of 2005, 2007, and 2009 were held in the United States. Solar Decathlon 2010 will be the first to take place in Europe -- in Madrid next June.
Ariel University is an academic institution located in the West Bank, between Nablus and Ramallah. Ariel's student body includes both Jews and Arabs; the university provides them with a strong education and prepares them to work and live together productively and peacefully. Last April, the Ariel team was selected as one of the 20 architecture teams to participate in the competition as finalists.
Then several anti-Israel and allegedly pro-Palestinian groups (Architects for Justice in Palestine- APJP, PACBI, BDS Movement - Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions for Palestine) pressured the Spanish Ministry of Housing into expelling the Ariel team. In September, the Ministry announced the expulsion, basing its decision not on the Ariel team's merits or lack thereof but solely and explicitly on spurious political grounds. A letter from SPME requesting that the Ministry reverse its disgraceful decision went unanswered.
Some of us are affiliated with institutions that are past solar decathlon finalists. We are therefore especially appalled by what the Spanish government has done. It is specially embarrassing, that the expulsion of an University from this international competition occurs on occasion of the first Solar Decathlon to be held in Europe.
Politically motivated government interference degrades science and scholarship. The Spanish government's action has done more harm to Solar Decathlon Europe 2010 than to Ariel University Center, and may have set a precedent for the corruption of other academic competitions.
To read SPME's letter of concern regarding the expulsion of Ariel University Click Here.
Spain: Run by a red coward and an anti-semite.
Time to boycott this marxist-led cesspool.
Gee, I might actually be rooting for the ETA to take out the “dear red leader.”
Now that would be a blast, wouldn’t it?
American state run universities intending to go to this “Hate the Jews Fest” include Virginia Tech and University of Florida. Check: http://www.sdeurope.org/index.php/eng/PARTICIPATING-TEAMS
Thank goodness those nasty JOOOOZZZZZ are banned... You know that nothing good technologically comes from JOOOOOZZZZZ or Israel!
Mark
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