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ANSWER leftists target Rutgers for (gasp) canceling a Palestine Conference

Posted on 09/13/2003 8:55:24 PM PDT by Gopher Broke

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS CANCEL PALESTINE CONFERENCE

Statement from the Organizing Committee of the Third National Student Conference on the Palestine Solidarity Movement at Rutgers University

*** This is an Urgent Call to Action! Your immediate solidarity is needed! ***

(Press release follows this Call to Action)

Today, Rutgers University officials have CANCELLED the Third National Student Conference of the Palestine Solidarity Movement, scheduled for October 10-12, 2003 at Rutgers University.

Yet, the students at Rutgers University are determined to hold the conference as planned.

In canceling this widely supported conference throughout North America, the university administration has trampled on constitutional rights, muted free speech, and has betrayed its pledge to fairness and education.

This is an attack on peace and justice activists everywhere. It is an attack on our society as a whole and on our right to free _expression and assembly.

But the university administration has gone much farther, and has taken a shameful overt political stand in favor of Israeli Apartheid. As the university cancels the Palestine conference, it is simultaneously supporting an overarching pro-Israel program called "Israel Inspires", organized by the likes of AIPAC and Hillel International along with others, which will be held at Rutgers to "neutralize the Palestinian movement".

According to the official website of "Israel Inspires" (www.israelinspires.org), the president of Rutgers University, Dr. Richard L. McCormick, "pledged his support for Israel Inspires, and asked to be personally involved in Hillel's positive pro-active initiative." In fact, President McCormick will appear tonight as a keynote at a pro-Israel event hosted by Zionists groups at Rutgers University. Featured participants at the "Israel Inspires" program during the weekend of October 10-12 will include the arch-Zionist Richard Perle and former CIA Director, James Woolsey. They will join the president of the right-wing Hudson Institute, Herbert London, and the publisher & CEO of the Jerusalem Post, Tom Rose. On September 18, 2003, Israeli Minister, Natan Sharansky, will be featured as the opening speaker of the anti-Palestinian year-long program.

Palestine solidarity students and activists have the same right to assemble and hold a conference. They have the right to demand that their university is not invested in another Apartheid system, and that they are not party to the suppression of the Palestinian people. They have the right to express their views and be heard without intimidation and constant harassments.

Palestine solidarity students and activists should not be silenced by anyone. The Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities should not be marginalized and positioned as conspirators.

These attacks on the organizers of the Palestine conference and the movement have mirrored the escalating assault on the Palestinian people, and have intersected with the attacks against our civil liberties and constitutional rights. The movement for peace and justice is at a crossroad today, and our society is being tested and pushed to the limits.

The Palestine solidarity movement needs your support! The Third National Student Conference on the Palestine Solidarity Movement must be held as planned.

To register your objection to the university action, and to support the students' constitutional right to hold the conference, please contact the following people. Please also send a copy of your letter to endorse@njsolidarity.org

Richard L. McCormick, President Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 83 Somerset Street New Brunswick New Jersey 08901 Telephone: 732/932-7454 Fax: 732/932-8060 Email: president@rutgers.edu

or, Emmet Dennis Vice President for Student Affairs 732-932-8756 dennis@oldqueens.rutgers.edu

or, Marie T. Logue Associate Dean 732-932-7442 logue@rci.rutgers.edu

SUPPORT THE CONFERENCE AND REGISTER NOW ONLINE: http://www.divestmentconference.com

ENDORSE NOW ONLINE: http://www.njsolidarity.org/conference/confendorse.html

DONATE: www.njsolidarity.org/confdonate.html

---------------------------------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Paola Rizzuto New Jersey Solidarity (347)239-9156 Invisipoet@aol.com

Charlotte Kates New Jersey Solidarity 973-297-0161 732-207-7215 ckates@pegasus.rutgers.edu

ADMINISTRATION ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE STUDENT SPEECH AT BEHEST OF PRO-ISRAEL LOBBY; ATTEMPTS TO CANCEL STUDENT CONFERENCE

NEW BRUNSWICK - (September 12, 2003) - Dean Marie Logue of the Department of Student Affairs at Rutgers College; Rutgers University today announced to several student representatives of student Palestine advocacy organization New Jersey Solidarity that the administration has deemed that "logistics" forbid students to proceed with a national Palestine solidarity conference scheduled for October 10-12, 2003; the student organization is determined to continue, saying they will hold the conference "wherever we must." This decision comes the day University President Robert McCormick is scheduled to appear at a dinner sponsored by Rutgers Hillel, a Zionist group on campus.

The hastily-called meeting, to which students were called on Thursday evening, was unexplained. The organization's faculty advisor, Dr. Robert Trivers, was unavailable, and students attempted to reschedule the meeting, but were denied. Dean Logue stated at the meeting that "deadlines" prevented the conference from occurring, even though students had raised over $6,000 to be deposited in their account and met with Dean Johnston of Rutgers College on September 5 - the day of the allegedly missed deadlines. Organizers replied that this assertion was "ludicrous. The deans of this University have made it clear on numerous occasions that they do not want this conference to happen. This is political repression - just as the Palestinian people have been repressed through history. The University is attempting to abuse bureaucracy in order to silence student voices," said Paola Rizzuto, a Rutgers College sophomore and President of the organization.

"We refuse to be silenced. We will hold our conference. The Palestinian people have continued to resist despite incredible and overwhelming force displayed against them - and we owe them nothing less than to refuse to be silenced. We stand in solidarity with Palestine, and we call upon this university to divest all of its funds from the state of Israel and companies that do business with it. To do otherwise is to support apartheid. This is an official action on the part of Rutgers University in support of apartheid," said Charlotte Kates, a second-year student at Rutgers School of Law in Newark.

Robert McCormick, the University's new President, is scheduled to appear tonight at a Hillel-sponsored dinner at Brower Commons, the University dining hall. Rutgers Hillel is sponsoring "Israel Inspires," a counter-conference that will take place the same weekend as the student Palestine solidarity conference. "This appearance indicates the overt bias and discrimination displayed by Rutgers University administration," said Cecilia Joulain, a Douglass College senior and Treasurer of New Jersey Solidarity. "Bureaucracy is not an excuse. This is an attempt to silence student organizing at the University."

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TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: answer; internationalanswer; israel; leftist; liberalhatespeech; newbrunswick; newjersey; nj; palestine; rutgers; rutgersuniversity
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1 posted on 09/13/2003 8:55:25 PM PDT by Gopher Broke
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To: Gopher Broke
LOL.. What N.E.X.T. ? ;-) These guys are a bad joke.

Off note here, but did you see the head of the AFL-CIO , JohnSweeney,got arrested here today for the same thing Je$$e HiJackson got arrested for a couple of weeks ago, obstructing the street as part of a union unity protest at Yale...

2 posted on 09/13/2003 9:01:06 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi .. "Logic ", of late, flies in the face of conventions AND principles in California.)
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AFL-CIO president arrested at Yale protest

Off the Sac Bee FRom AP

3 posted on 09/13/2003 9:03:14 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi .. "Logic ", of late, flies in the face of conventions AND principles in California.)
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To: 1bigdictator; 2sheep; a_witness; adam_az; agrace; American in Israel; Anamensis; anapikoros; ...
FRmail me to be added or removed from this pro-Israel ping list.
4 posted on 09/13/2003 9:06:45 PM PDT by Alouette (The bombing begins in five minutes.)
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To: Gopher Broke
Palestinian student "solidarity" movement? Sounds like a Pali version of MECHA. I think the chancellor/president of the university got wind of what really went on at their meetings.

Solidarity, as far as the Palestinians go, consists of throwing rocks at Israelis, yelling ineffectually when their terrorist leaders are taken out, and ululating with joy when thousands of Americans are murdered.
5 posted on 09/13/2003 9:09:37 PM PDT by Ex-Dem (A.N.S.W.E.R. = [A]nti-American [N]ihilistic [S]addam-lovers [W]orking to [E]radicate our [R]epublic)
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To: Gopher Broke
Wouldn't surprise me one bit if ONE outraged 'palestinian', so upset by this cancellation, used a little suicide vest and blew him/herself up in the administration building.

Nice that some universities won't sponsor 'national' meetings of organizations that support terrorism, organizations who USE the liberties we allow in this country to have their freedom of speech.

Perhaps when this conference does occur, names can be taken and student Visas can be checked. After all, the members are all here legally, I'm sure.

Kudos to Rutgers.

6 posted on 09/13/2003 9:27:59 PM PDT by bart99
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To: All
"ARE THEY FOR US OR AGAINST US?" (Updated Daily - Click Here.)

7 posted on 09/13/2003 10:03:11 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: firebrand
PING

October freep? Canceled?
8 posted on 09/13/2003 10:04:28 PM PDT by Calpernia (Innocence seldom utters outraged shrieks. Guilt does.)
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To: Coleus
Ping. We were going to freep this.
9 posted on 09/13/2003 10:04:58 PM PDT by Calpernia (Innocence seldom utters outraged shrieks. Guilt does.)
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To: Gopher Broke
While the harcore left is still out there, the middle left is waking up to reality that is the Palestinian society, and government. No self respecting leftist could possibly support Hamas and its insane ideology. And no self-respecting liberal democrat could appreciate the cleptocratic dictatorship that is the PA, which allows Hamas to operate with impunity.
10 posted on 09/13/2003 10:12:34 PM PDT by monkeyshine
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To: Gopher Broke
Well I guess we know where the first pallie bombs are going to go off in America.

The Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities should not be marginalized and positioned as conspirators.

Terrorists of a feather flock together.

11 posted on 09/13/2003 10:33:59 PM PDT by tubavil
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To: Gopher Broke
Chock full of terrorist, commie, socialist, arab, and poofter orgs:

ENDORSED BY
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
Ad-Hoc Nepal Solidarity Committee
Al-Awda Los Angeles
Al-Awda NY/NJ
Al-Awda Orange County
Al-Awda San Diego
Al-Bireh Palestine Society - California
Campus Greens at The Ohio State University
Central New Jersey Coalition for Peace and Justice
Citizens for Fair Legislation
Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace
Colorado Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Conscious Roots (San Francisco)
Deir Yassin Society of New York
Ever Reviled Records
Free Palestine Alliance - US
For a Better World
International Socialist Organization
Just Peace: An Action Group for Justice in the Middle East
LAGAI -- Queer Insurrection (SF Bay Area)
The New England Committee to Defend Palestine
Muslim Student Association at the University of Maryland, Baltimore
County
(UMBC)
Muslim Student Association - Sacramento
New Jersey Solidarity - Activists for the Liberation of Palestine
New York Committee to Defend Palestine
New York City Free Mumia Coalition
Palestine Action at Union Square
Palestine Solidarity Group - Chicago
Palestine Solidarity Group - Vancouver B.C. Canada
Palestinian American Congress
The Palestinian Council for Justice and Peace - Ramallah, Palestine
Peace and Justice Alliance (Central Washington University)
Pittsburgh Palestine Solidarity Committee
Progress Academic Group - An-Najah University, Nablus, Palestine
Queers For Peace And Justice
Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism (QUIT!) (SF Bay Area)
Sacred Roots
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights - Concordia
Students for Corporate Responsibility - University of Wisconsin -
Milwaukee
Students for Justice in Palestine -- UC Berkeley
Students for Justice in Palestine -- University of Illinois-Chicago
Students for Social Justice - UIC
Sudanese American Society
UC Berkeley Arab Student Union
Women Against War

12 posted on 09/13/2003 10:38:54 PM PDT by tubavil
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To: Gopher Broke
Awww, terrorist collaborators are so cute when they're angry!

Walk it off, chumps.

13 posted on 09/13/2003 11:43:56 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Palestinia delenda est!)
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To: Gopher Broke
These attacks on the organizers of the Palestine conference and the movement have mirrored the escalating assault on the Palestinian people

Count yourselves lucky, dickweeds.

The "attacks" on pro-Pali terrorist apologia choir could always "mirror" the escalating assault upon the innocent Israeli people.

Then, you'd actually have something to legitimately whine about.

14 posted on 09/14/2003 12:29:35 AM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle ("The Clintons have damaged our country. They have done it together, in unison." -- Peggy Noonan)
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To: tubavil
There's not a single groups there, I'd betcha, that is actually on the record as favoring the Palestinian Israeli peace process (e.g. the "two state solution"). ANSWER systematically excludes any such group, even lefty ones like Tikkun, from it's coalitions. This needs to be trumpeted by the not-so-far leftists and mainstream liberals that might be inclined to lend legitimacy to events like this: ANSWER is opposed to the peace process.
15 posted on 09/14/2003 1:20:15 AM PDT by Stultis
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To: Gopher Broke
Featured participants at the "Israel Inspires" program during the weekend of October 10-12 will include the arch-Zionist Richard Perle and former CIA Director, James Woolsey. They will join the president of the right-wing Hudson Institute, Herbert London, and the publisher & CEO of the Jerusalem Post, Tom Rose.

Hey, this sounds great. Suppose we could C-SPAN onto that?

16 posted on 09/14/2003 1:25:06 AM PDT by Stultis
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To: tubavil
Al-Awda Los Angeles
Al-Awda NY/NJ
Al-Awda Orange County
Al-Awda San Diego
Al-Bireh Palestine Society - California

Aren't they missing
Al-Sharpton - New York City?

17 posted on 09/14/2003 5:59:43 AM PDT by Morgan's Raider
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To: firebrand; hellinahandcart; Doctor Raoul
Ping.
18 posted on 09/14/2003 6:42:54 AM PDT by sauropod ("Oh Brian, Let's go to the stoning")
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To: Gopher Broke
The Department of Homeland Security should photograph and fingerprint everyone who attends.
19 posted on 09/14/2003 8:00:10 AM PDT by reg45
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To: Gopher Broke
In canceling this widely supported conference throughout North America, the university administration has trampled on constitutional rights, muted free speech... It is an attack on our society as a whole and on our right to free expression and assembly.

You know, I think they honestly believe that "right to free speech" means "right to an auditorium and microphone, paid for by others." Like they think free as in "you don't go to jail for saying this" actually means free as in "it doesn't cost you any money."

20 posted on 09/14/2003 8:07:48 AM PDT by wizardoz (Bomb Hollywood!)
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