tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post924160868234328132..comments2024-03-03T23:43:31.321-05:00Comments on To Find the Principles: Sound and Fury at Hampshire College as Protesters Disrupt Talk by IDF SoldierJim Waldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03742319601988946767noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-91965072208622776332011-04-15T14:48:38.310-04:002011-04-15T14:48:38.310-04:00Kasha, congratulations on having missed the guidin...Kasha, congratulations on having missed the guiding – shall I say “principle” – of Jim’s post. Rather than target the students themselves, or even – whatever Jim may believe on the subject – the students’ position on Israel-Palestine, he shined a light on how they represent and argue their own beliefs: the character and quality of their advocacy. Missing this principle, you baldly assert these students’ “spirited defense of principles of anti-fascism, anti-colonialism, and international justice” when the very accuracy of those descriptors in this matter is the very point. Of course, you cannot see this, so like those in the audience that evening, you offer much (unattractive) spirit and not much reasoned “defense of principles.” But clearly here a different kind of logic is at work: passionate conviction and rhetorical bombast are substituted for actual argument. All this in your comment was to be anticipated by its introduction, which, given the very low personal attack that immediately followed, has to rank among the more disingenuous and suckering thank yous ever offered.the sad red earthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03274385814146546329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-42859740247823196862011-04-02T13:30:26.099-04:002011-04-02T13:30:26.099-04:00Kasha: Just discovered now what happened to comme...Kasha: Just discovered now what happened to comments you said were deleted. <br /><br />It turned out that they had ended up in the "spam folder," which I check only rarely because the new filtering on Blogger now blocks most automatically generated junkmail comments.<br /><br />For some reason, Google's Blogger software classified your comments as spam.Jim Waldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03742319601988946767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-83518545266135501612011-02-18T03:23:31.307-05:002011-02-18T03:23:31.307-05:00Rowan, just curious exactly which bit was Islamoph...Rowan, just curious exactly which bit was Islamophobic?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10248191652973523638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-81712008874421719712011-02-17T23:46:20.322-05:002011-02-17T23:46:20.322-05:00I'm reposting this because apparently my previ...I'm reposting this because apparently my previous post was deleted. Where is the call for free speech now? <br /><br />Jim, I want to start by thanking you for taking the time to produce such a detailed narrative of the event. Adding to institutional memory is very important, and perhaps more valuably, your words belie your disgraceful attitude towards a pedagogy of freedom, or any pedagogy at all. <br /><br />Your consistent disrespect for your students in their spirited defense of principles of anti-fascism, anti-colonialism, and international justice speaks volumes. The derision and embarrassment that you express in regards to these students organizers, activists, and impassioned protesters at the institution where you teach truly begs the question: why do you remain at Hampshire College? <br /><br />Moreover, given the ways in which you have now made public several times over your lack of respect for students and insulted those who uphold ethics not just academic honesty and resistance towards the legitimization of war crimes, the question remains, why <i>should</i> you continue to be at Hampshire College? <br /><br />Your complete disavowal of respect for students and your support of a war criminal delegitimized any claim to moral superiority. <br />However, your calling into question the validity of the Goldstone Report in support of Israel's state terrorism demonstrates a far greater threat to your legitimacy as a scholar or a teacher: as irrevocably proven by the release of Israeli diplomatic cables per Wikileaks (see citation below), Israel acknowledges that Hamas was not responsible for the Qassam rockets and other pipe bombs fired upon Sderot or anywhere else within the boundaries of the apartheid wall.<br /><br />Entirely to the contrary, Hamas was working to maintain the ceasefire on the Palestinian end tirelessly, and growing in strength, legitimacy and organization. As Israel became aware of the ways in which the ceasefire was actually beneficial for Hamas, Israel unilaterally broke the ceasefire to cause as much damage and "real hooliganism" (per Tzipi Livni's demands) as possible. The break of a ceasefire to invade and inflict violence upon a civilian population is defined in international law as aggression, and is a war crime. In other words, everything committed by the IDF after the unilateral interruption was criminal by definition. For Benjamin Anthony or yourself to dismiss or legitimize these war crimes is truly reprehensible and repeatedly calls into question any place that either he or you should have at Hampshire.<br /><br />Your blog is called "to find the principles."<br />Exactly what principles do you hope to find?<br /><br />(citation: http://www.uruknet.info/index.php/2010/06/12759/?p=m74717&hd&size=1&l=e)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15102932363425309957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-14960843233122042292011-02-17T18:12:42.227-05:002011-02-17T18:12:42.227-05:00Jim, I want to start by thanking you for taking th...Jim, I want to start by thanking you for taking the time to produce such a detailed narrative of the event. Adding to institutional memory is very important.<br />Perhaps more valuably though, your words belie your disgraceful attitude towards a pedagogy of freedom, or any pedagogy at all. <br /><br />Your consistent disrespect for your students in their spirited defense of principles of anti-fascism, anti-colonialism, and international justice speaks volumes. The derision and embarrassment that you express in regards to these students organizers, activists, and impassioned protesters at the institution where you teach truly begs the question: why do you remain at Hampshire College? <br />Moreover, given the ways in which you have now made public several times over your lack of respect for students and insulted those who uphold ethics not just academic honesty and resistance towards the legitimization of war crimes, the question remains, why <i>should</i> you continue to be at Hampshire College? <br /><br />Your complete disavowal of respect for students and your support of a war criminal delegitimized any claim to moral superiority. <br />However, your calling into question the validity of the Goldstone Report in support of Israel's state terrorism demonstrates a far greater threat to your legitimacy as a scholar or a teacher: as irrevocably proven by the release of Israeli diplomatic cables per Wikileaks (see citation below), Israel acknowledges that Hamas was not responsible for the Qassam rockets and other pipe bombs fired upon Sderot or anywhere else within the boundaries of the apartheid wall. Entirely to the contrary, Hamas was working to maintain the ceasefire on the Palestinian end tirelessly, and growing in strength, legitimacy and organization. As Israel became aware of the ways in which the ceasefire was actually beneficial for Hamas, Israel unilaterally broke the ceasefire to cause as much damage and "real hooliganism" (per Tzipi Livni's demands) as possible. The break of a ceasefire to invade and inflict violence upon a civilian population is defined in international law as aggression, and is a war crime. In other words, everything committed by the IDF after the unilateral interruption was criminal by definition. For Benjamin Anthony or yourself to dismiss or legitimize these war crimes is truly reprehensible and repeatedly calls into question any place that either he or you should have at Hampshire.<br /><br />Your blog is called "to find the principles."<br />Exactly what principles do you hope to find?<br /><br />(citation:http://www.uruknet.info/index.php/2010/06/12759/?p=m74717&hd&size=1&l=e)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15102932363425309957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-64433779551768180312011-02-17T17:05:44.114-05:002011-02-17T17:05:44.114-05:00Rowan, you comment on his civility within his exte...Rowan, you comment on his civility within his extended summary yet was he the one displaying a complete lack of accordance with policy at the event by disrupting the speaker? no, not at all. for you to comment on his civil dialogue with in the report (notice that key word) is a tad ridiculous, as 1) it's a report, not a dialogue, and 2) is embedded in the internet, where you can comment till your heart implodes and nobody, not one person, will blow the internet whistle or press the world wide web hiss to disrupt your typing. this is a fantastic report, with accuracy extending as far as it can given the nature of chaos at the event.<br /><br />good job :)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02632373020739034650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-41436876141113962142011-02-15T02:42:56.646-05:002011-02-15T02:42:56.646-05:00O, and before you delete my post (playing nicely i...O, and before you delete my post (playing nicely is in my nature, but I sometimes choose not to) consider how perfectly you reiterate the form of censorship that is inherent in calls for "civil dialogue." It is easy for you, comfortably established as an expert of the west, to determine whose voice is civil and whose isn't. This translates, o civil one, as who's voice you can deride and silence without consequence, and whose you can safely hear while maintaining your privileged seat in the parlors of imperialism.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-34077069918817720372011-02-15T02:31:10.993-05:002011-02-15T02:31:10.993-05:00Nice work. You've republished all of Anthony&#...Nice work. You've republished all of Anthony's disgusting self victimization, republished his Islamaphobia, and his antisemitism.<br /><br />This of course, is no surprise. But what beats me is, why did you even bother lying about how you complied with Anthony's fascist request and "accordingly turned off [your] camera," when its blatantly obvious that you were recording. Its evident enough simply from your consistent and perfect quotation of Anthony's speech and the use of video stills, but my god man, you literally embedded the video you took in there.<br /><br />Perhaps honesty simply isn't in your nature.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-32838900460161629702011-02-13T22:28:22.764-05:002011-02-13T22:28:22.764-05:00Thanks for the detailed account. It's a shame ...Thanks for the detailed account. It's a shame that most of the attendees were disruptive and were there simply to heckle. I would have liked to hear him answer your intelligent questions. <br />I applaud your school for inviting the IDF soldier to speak and would have loved to hear him myself as he sounded quite down to earth, logical and someone who speaks from his heart. <br />Someone must do an objective survey on middle east speaking events. It seems that the ones that I go to that support Israel and are attended by the other side are often disrupted whereas events supporting the Palestinians are rarely disrupted by the pro-Israeli side.Leon Kushnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08017326754675766357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-66847212998382203912011-02-12T15:39:28.985-05:002011-02-12T15:39:28.985-05:00thanks so much for the report (obviously done with...thanks so much for the report (obviously done with the care of someone who understands the importance of details!). <br /><br />The anti-Israel groups such as SJP can't help revealing that their "end the occupation" mantra refers to all of Israel.DrMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06226700783605287653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-13441568136356099202011-02-12T13:15:10.959-05:002011-02-12T13:15:10.959-05:00And what shall we remark of people who write sente...And what shall we remark of people who write sentences such as "Left-wingers and muslims never understand..."? That the writer recognizes a twofer in duncery when conceiving to write it? Obviously, Vandoren was on an interplanetary excursion during the U.S. town hall summer of 2009, when legions of people neither left-wing nor Muslim - one might even say "right wing" and Christian - demonstrated similarly small regard for the expression of ideas different from their own.the sad red earthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03274385814146546329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-75322929110720790902011-02-12T05:51:51.402-05:002011-02-12T05:51:51.402-05:00Thanks for great article.Left-wingers and muslims ...Thanks for great article.Left-wingers and muslims never understand what really means freedom of speech.Vandorenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01428409995016886715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-4340749952503711532011-02-11T20:33:51.862-05:002011-02-11T20:33:51.862-05:00Hard to add much to the previous commenters. Great...Hard to add much to the previous commenters. Great, comprehensive account of the event. <br /><br />Those of us who were once young, and maybe those who still are (oh, those vaudeville grannies!), can recognize how much of this kind of expressive, but uncommunicative protest has to do with not fully formed personalities making a statement of themselves. While some of them, regretfully, will never grow beyond it, others in their full adulthood will feel embarrassed at the memory of their behavior. Some may remember the dignity with which Sgt. Anthony comported himself - and that he knew the names of Palestinian dead, and they only their ignorant rage.the sad red earthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03274385814146546329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-10079468180584110262011-02-11T19:31:46.682-05:002011-02-11T19:31:46.682-05:00Thanks for the report. I agree with Sam; the port...Thanks for the report. I agree with Sam; the portion describing the Parshah was fantastic. I also like your coverage of the Q and A session.<br /><br />What troubled me the most was not merely the aggressive comments or disruption, but the atmosphere it created. Issues such as the Palestine/Israel debate should be handled not with civility per se but with empathy and care. At the risk of turning everything into some Kantian rant, people in this case should especially be treated as ends. Merely posting a name on a board or a piece of paper and saying "it is wrong that [insert name here] died" does not deal with the issue at hand. Rather -- and this is why I particularly appreciated the person who stood up and told his side of the story -- experience is key, and taking the time to listen to others' experiences is really where we should begin when it comes to complex and emotional matters like this. <br /><br />Oh well.Hannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04010125014876377372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-81756642516324347592011-02-11T13:51:29.065-05:002011-02-11T13:51:29.065-05:00Wow, Jim, this is fantastic. Thank you so much fo...Wow, Jim, this is fantastic. Thank you so much for compiling everything, it's great to have such a detailed report. Again, thank you for recording my introductory remarks as well. I particularly enjoyed your description of the Parshat Torah, and the questions you would have asked him. <br />Also, I think Jon is absolutely right; as I decided while writing my thesis, BDS and SJP are more concerned with applauding themselves for their "bravery" in useless, disruptive, symbolic actions than in actually accomplishing anything that would do good for either people.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02216576255464664022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098499919072806665.post-20497251811033996822011-02-11T12:53:42.759-05:002011-02-11T12:53:42.759-05:00Quite a tale. I suspect that the most relevant vi...Quite a tale. I suspect that the most relevant vid regarding why the SJP behaved as they did was the last one showing their celebration of their themselves in the lobby after the event.<br /><br />It is easy to read detailed politial motives into folks like the students and grannies who decided their job was to disrupt the event. But I think the most obvious interpretation is also the correct one: that for the SJP and it's supporters, this event was not about Israel, or the Palestinians, or the IDF or Hampshire College. Rather, it was about themselves, or more specriically, their ability to take part in "gutsy" political action (which basically translates to simple misbehavior in the safest environment imaginable), and then celebrate their "bravery" afterwards.Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17740145761799343210noreply@blogger.com