The University of California-Davis: Ground Zero For Anti-Semitism

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27 Nissan 5779

2 May 2019

Special Notice

Take two minutes on this Yom HaShoah and stand for the more than six million who were murdered in the Holocaust. Here is a 2 minute video from StandWithUs documenting what happened this morning on a section of highway in Israel.

The News On The Israeli Street

Palestinian terror in the last 24 hours . . .

On the Gaza border:

As we have been reporting, Palestinian terrorists in Gaza continue firing dozens of explosive balloons into southern Israel at all hours of the day and night. Here is a photo made of a fire that erupted at 1 am this morning near the border:

Yet another fire last night caused by an exploding balloon.

At around 3 am this morning, IDF aircraft hit a “Hamas compound” in Gaza in retaliation for the “balloons.” Of course, Hamas was warned in advance, and no terrorists were killed or wounded.

Just over two hours later, terrorists in Gaza launched two missiles at southern Israel which exploded around Nahal Oz and Kibbutz Alumim:

Where the missiles exploded early this morning.

Fortunately, the missiles exploded in “open areas”, but that didn’t stop thousands of Israelis from being traumatized by the strikes.

In Judea and Samaria:

The following were reported by citizens on the ground to Rescue Without Borders, Rescue Judea and Samaria, hakolhayehudi, and rotter:

Palestinian terrorists attacked Israelis with “rocks” and Molotovs at the Beit Furik Junction, at Huwara (an Israeli man was wounded in the head), Hizma (a school bus was attacked), Beit Anun, at the Mizmoriya Checkpoint near Tekoa, outside of Kiryat Arba, and Al Aruv among other places.

How absurd is this? . . .

It has been years since any Jews were on the Temple Mount at 10 am on the morning of Yom HaShoah. Always, the Muslims had some reason to keep us off.  For the last three years, that reason was a Muslim “memorial day”, the “Ma’araj”–the night in 621 CE that Mohammed supposedly ascended to heaven.

Somehow, unbelievably, Mohammed’s supposed ascent to heaven has taken precedence over remembering the Holocaust.

In any case, the “news’ today is that a few Jews made it to the Temple Mount this morning and stood at attention at 10 am for two minutes along with the police accompanying them.

TODAY’S BLOG:

The University of California-Davis: 

Ground Zero For Anti-Semitism

As regular readers of israelstreet know, your humble servant is currently at his second home in Davis, California. For some time now, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) have been publicizing that this will be “Anti-Zionism Week” at UCD. 

The “week” is actually 4 days, Monday through Thursday. It essentially consists of MSA and SJP “tabling” at the Quad which is beside the Memorial Union in the middle of the campus, and bringing in speakers to attack Israel.

On Tuesday, tabling at the Quad meant “chalking”–writing messages on the concrete courtyard of Memorial Union. Chalking is not supposed to be permitted in this area; however, the UCD Police are powerless to stop it. Here are two pictures that I took of the area so that you could get a sense of what was going on:

Free Palestine, UC Divest was this message.

And another:

Stop detaining and murdering children #Ahed Tamimi. Given the context of the week, what this sign clearly implies is that Israelis (read “Jews”) are killing Palestinian children. Ahed Tamimi is the Pallywood actress who goes out into Judea and Samaria and assaults IDF soldiers.

You might also notice that the area over this sign that read: “From Palestine to Mexico, All The Walls Have Got To Go.” Of course, this was a shout out to the La Raza student group on campus, as well as the anti-Trump group. Other sections supported the Taliban and Black Lives Matter. All of this underlines the masterful way that the MSA and SJP use intersectionality to further their cause which is ostensibly anti-Zionist but at its core egregiously anti-Semitic.

Yesterday, on the Wednesday eve of Yom HaShoah, this was what was on the Quad:

Coffins draped in the Palestinian flag. This display on the UCD Quad is 5 minutes walking distance to the Islamic Center of Davis. In July of 2017, the Center’s imam called for Allah to kill “all the Jews.” Even though that imam never retracted any of his words, he was eventually embraced by the local interfaith community (including the rabbi of the local synagogue)–and still preaches at the Center.

Especially note the banners:

How could this be construed as anything except incitement?

The top one reads:

“Never take those killed in the way of Allah as dead. Rather they are alive with their Lord. . . well-provided.” Surah Ali-Imran, Verse 169.

As we all know, this is one of those verses which are frequently used to motivate and glorify suicide bombers and other terrorists.

The bottom one drives the point home:

“Over 10,000 Palestinian martyrs since 2000.”

Of course, 169 of those supposed “martyrs” were suicide bombers. Thousands of others were terrorists killed in the midst of terror attacks.

Some time later, we brought all of this to the attention of the UCD Police, noting that in the anti-Semitic atmosphere that we all live in now, any wacko could view what was on the Quad as a call to action. However, they pointed out that there was nothing they could do because all of this was being construed by the UCD administration as “free speech.” The police referred our complaint to UCD Student Affairs.

Where it will languish and go nowhere.

In fact, earlier this week, when a friend of mine called attention to the upcoming events of anti-Zionist week to UCD Chancellor Gary May, she received this response from the Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Emily Galindo:

“Chancellor May has shared your letter with me, and asked that I respond to you personally about the event planned by two student groups, Students for Justice in Palestine and the Muslim Student Association.

Several members of our community have written to express similar concerns, all of which are legitimate and completely understandable. UC Davis is committed to supporting a learning environment and community that is inclusive and respectful to people of all backgrounds, and dedicated to the pursuit of deeper understanding through the free and civil exchange of ideas. As such, you have every right to voice your thoughts and feelings about events on campus, to ask questions and to seek answers on very timely issues such as free speech vs. hate speech.

UC Davis has aspirational Principles of Community and affirms its commitment to the highest standards of civility and decency toward all. As a public university, however, we recognize that some speech may be considered to be offensive and uncivil to some people, but that alone is not a lawful basis for limiting speech.

Please be assured that the event you reference is not sponsored by, or endorsed by, the university. The event is sponsored by two student organizations.  As a public university, UC Davis must comply with the First Amendment and remain neutral on political and religious matters. All persons, including student clubs, may exercise their constitutionally protected rights of free expression, speech, and assembly.  Additionally, UC Davis must allow political and religious student organizations to have access to university properties on the same basis as all other registered student organizations. The university’s policy on Freedom of Expression can be found [online].

That being said, let me reiterate that you are not alone in the concerns you have shared, nor should you or any member of our campus community hesitate to express your thoughts and engage in non-violent discussions and dialogue that challenge and condemn racism, hateful speech and hateful actions. It is my understanding that Aggies for Israel will be tabling on Monday and Thursday next week. In addition, staff from Student Affairs will be available to support all of our students. 

We can and must stand united in our support of a learning environment that is as safe, civil and respectful as it is rigorous and provocative, and a campus that is at all times resilient, inclusive and honors our Principles of Community.”

It would be easy to pick this incredibly worthless piece of drivel apart, but let’s end this blog today by referring to just 5 of the above statements:

“A learning environment and community that is inclusive and respectful to people of all backgrounds?”  How in the world can what is transpiring on the UCD Quad be considered inclusive and respectful? 

“Dedicated to the pursuit of deeper understanding through the free and civil exchange of ideas?” How in the world can displaying coffins at UCD and extolling martyrdom be considered civil?

“As a public university, UC Davis must comply with the First Amendment and remain neutral on political and religious matters?” Really? What if the KKK was out on the Quad or some anti-gay group? Would UCD remain neutral?

“A learning environment that is as safe, civil and respectful?” The situation at UCD is not safe, civil, or respectful.

“A campus that is at all times resilient, inclusive and honors our Principles of Community?” Apparently, the only Principle of Community that UCD abides by is that Israeli and Jewish students are open game on the campus.