[MidWest]

There is a huge controversy at my school right now. Popular professor from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign Steven Salaita was fired after he made a series of tweets criticizing Israel for what is going on with the conflict in the middle east. A lot of people think its an attack on free speech for firing him and voicing his opinion. At the same time people are crying that his tweets were anti-Semitic.

Here are the tweets.

Quote:

#Israel is a great example of how colonization impairs ethics and compels people to support shameful deeds in the name of atavistic ideals.


“Hamas” is the biggest red herring in American political discourse since Saddam’s “weapons of mass destruction.”


When will the attack on #Gaza end? What is left for #Israel to prove? Who is left for Israel to kill? This is the logic of genocide.


I just got an email condemning my “slander of holy Israel.” I reckon I can accept “slander,” but “holy” seems a bit out of place.”


#Hamas makes us do it!” This logic isn’t new. American settlers used it frequently in slaughtering and displacing Natives.


Forget biting the hand. #Israel just devoured #Obama‘s arm to the shoulder blade.


Pro Tip: when a majority of a state’s prime ministers were born in another country, that state is a settler colony.


Only #Israel can murder around 300 children in the span of a few weeks and insist that it is the victim.

Here's the article

http://www.ibtimes.com/steven-salaita-tw...er-1678854

This is the Chancellor's statement for the firing.

Quote:

Dear Colleagues:

As you may be aware, Vice President Christophe Pierre and I wrote to Prof. Steven Salaita on Aug. 1, informing him of the university’s decision not to recommend further action by the Board of Trustees concerning his potential appointment to the faculty of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Since this decision, many of you have expressed your concern about its potential impact on academic freedom. I want to assure you in the strongest possible terms that all of us – my administration, the university administration and I – absolutely are committed to this bedrock principle. I began my career as a scientist challenging accepted ideas and pre-conceived notions, and I have continued during my career to invite and encourage such debates in all aspects of university life.

A pre-eminent university must always be a home for difficult discussions and for the teaching of diverse ideas. One of our core missions is to welcome and encourage differing perspectives. Robust – and even intense and provocative – debate and disagreement are deeply valued and critical to the success of our university.

As a university community, we also are committed to creating a welcoming environment for faculty and students alike to explore the most difficult, contentious and complex issues facing our society today. Our Inclusive Illinois initiative is based on the premise that education is a process that starts with our collective willingness to search for answers together – learning from each other in a respectful way that supports a diversity of worldviews, histories and cultural knowledge.

The decision regarding Prof. Salaita was not influenced in any way by his positions on the conflict in the Middle East nor his criticism of Israel. Our university is home to a wide diversity of opinions on issues of politics and foreign policy. Some of our faculty are critical of Israel, while others are strong supporters. These debates make us stronger as an institution and force advocates of all viewpoints to confront the arguments and perspectives offered by others. We are a university built on precisely this type of dialogue, discourse and debate.

What we cannot and will not tolerate at the University of Illinois are personal and disrespectful words or actions that demean and abuse either viewpoints themselves or those who express them. We have a particular duty to our students to ensure that they live in a community of scholarship that challenges their assumptions about the world but that also respects their rights as individuals.

As chancellor, it is my responsibility to ensure that all perspectives are welcome and that our discourse, regardless of subject matter or viewpoint, allows new concepts and differing points of view to be discussed in and outside the classroom in a scholarly, civil and productive manner.

A Jewish student, a Palestinian student, or any student of any faith or background must feel confident that personal views can be expressed and that philosophical disagreements with a faculty member can be debated in a civil, thoughtful and mutually respectful manner. Most important, every student must know that every instructor recognizes and values that student as a human being. If we have lost that, we have lost much more than our standing as a world-class institution of higher education.

As a member of the faculty, I firmly believe that a tenured faculty position at the University of Illinois is a tremendous honor and a unique privilege. Tenure also brings with it a heavy responsibility to continue the traditions of scholarship and civility upon which our university is built.

I am committed to working closely with you to identify how the campus administration can support our collective duty to inspire and facilitate thoughtful consideration of diverse opinions and discourse on challenging issues.

Sincerely,

Phyllis M. Wise
Chancellor

Tomorrow there will be marches at the university and no class and many scholars around the world are boycotting the university to try to reinstate this professor. It could get ugly.

[Emancipator]

The most interesting aspect of the Israel vs. Palestine is the fact that both sides have their zealots, and the conflict have so called "liberal social justice" types divided to face against each other.


Conflict becomes very popcorn worthy

[xpatplayer]

Who gives the most money to schools? Zionist Jews. Which ethno-religious group makes up a disproportionate amount of professors and students at good schools? Zionist Jews.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you. I have no negative sentiment towards the Jews or Zionists. But if they kept a professor who kept shitting on the same Zionists who give them donations, some of which likely fund his research, then he's being an idiot. Writing an academic paper that criticizes Israeli policy is fine, tweeting that Israel is an illegitimate state isn't.

Moral - don't talk about politics unless under a pseudonym. You may lose your job and friends.

Edit: He would have been heavily criticized to say the least if he had made similar comments about Arabs.

[Feisbook Control]

Leftists falling upon their own like jackals and getting some of their own medicine for once. What's not to like? Regardless of who "wins" this spat, I take it as a win.

[Phoenix]

I fail to see how the comments are antisemitic, thats like saying criticism of Japans whaling is anti-asian. This is a conflict between nations, not races, especially given that the palestinians are probably more 'semitic' than the israelis. Again - words must have specific meanings, lest we all just be talking shit.

The comments are very aggressive sounding though. They make out Israel is a bloodthirsty monster, rather than a nation engaged in a territorial conflict.

[The Reactionary Tree]

Liberal ivory tower professor falls victim to political correctness. Boohoo. Muh tears.

[LemonDrink]

This dude is a politician in the UK and has been firing anti-Israli sentiments for years without too much bother.

http://www.georgegalloway.net/

[MidWest]

Lots of professors are organizing rallies and are cancelling classes in form of protest. Works for me since I don't get to go to class

[The Reactionary Tree]

Oh how fucking gay. If this were some right-winger who made politically incorrect statements about Muslims, women, blacks, Jews, Mexicans, gays, trannies, etc. then they would be celebrating his burning at the stake. Since he is a leftist, he'll get a pass and the libtards will rally for his "freedom of speech." Yet, whenever right-wingers exercise freedom of speech, it is often called hate speech and is deemed to be the worst crime imaginable.

[Darius]

(09-09-2014 03:59 AM)LemonDrink Wrote:  

This dude is a politician in the UK and has been firing anti-Israli sentiments for years without too much bother.

http://www.georgegalloway.net/

He got his ass kicked recently and there is a petition to have him removed over his comments.

Quote:

http://www.jewishnews.co.uk/petition-george-galloway/

A petition calling for anti-Israel MP George Galloway to be kicked out of parliament has attracted over 1,000 signatures in a matter of days.

George Galloway provoked fury and a police investigation by declaring his constituency Bradford 'an Israel-free zone'.

The online campaign to oust the left-wing representative for Bradford West comes just days after Galloway was beaten up by an Israel supporter in west London.

The grassroots initiative follows inflammatory remarks by Galloway at a public meeting, in which he blasted Israel for its actions in Gaza and urged those present to declare the city an “Israel-free zone”.

Those comments led to a police interview, following allegations that the speech amounted to incitement to racial hatred.

“He is unfit to hold the prestigious office of, and the benefits that accrue from being, a Member of Parliament,” said the petition’s originator Edward Moss, who described Galloway’s comments as “rantings and ravings”.

Moss added:

“He [Galloway] should be removed as a MP immediately for both his unbridled racism towards Jewish people, for wishing to deny his constituents life-saving medical products and for bringing the Houses of Parliament into disrepute.”

In the immediate aftermath of Galloway’s ill-fated declaration that no Israelis were welcome in Bradford, dozens of people – including the Israeli ambassador – headed north, posting photos of themselves holding Israeli flags outside public buildings.

[Seth_Rose]

This is interesting, as from what I know universities have typically been kind, or at least harmless to professors who have anti-Israel tendencies. Think of guys like Norman Finkelstein and Edward Said who taught for many years and garnered a lot of attention.

Why does this guy get fired?

Is there nothing more to the story than a few anti-Israel tweets?

I don't think this is enough to fire the guy, but the tweets are inflammatory and unprofessional for a professor. Instead of firing out a bunch of tweets, he should write a well thought out article instead of bringing up topics like the USS Liberty from decades ago.

As for the PC thought police, does "anti-antisemitism" trump progressive liberal ideologies? This case may prove it does.

[TigerMandingo]

(09-10-2014 05:54 PM)Seth_Rose Wrote:  

This is interesting, as from what I know universities have typically been kind, or at least harmless to professors who have anti-Israel tendencies. Think of guys like Norman Finkelstein and Edward Said who taught for many years and garnered a lot of attention.

Actually, Finkelstein was denied tenure and removed from DePaul University if I remember correctly. The poor bastard wasn't able to get a job anywhere else after that. As for Said, his critique was within establishment limits of what can and cant be said about Israel so he was left alone. Finkelstein came out guns blazing. If youre interested in his case, I highly suggest American Radical, it's available on Youtube.

[Sonsowey]

Criticism of Israel could be something that young professor probably can't afford to think about these days...

http://westhunt.wordpress.com/2014/08/16...bout-that/

[Seth_Rose]

(09-10-2014 06:46 PM)Cunnilinguist Wrote:  

(09-10-2014 05:54 PM)Seth_Rose Wrote:  

This is interesting, as from what I know universities have typically been kind, or at least harmless to professors who have anti-Israel tendencies. Think of guys like Norman Finkelstein and Edward Said who taught for many years and garnered a lot of attention.

Actually, Finkelstein was denied tenure and removed from DePaul University if I remember correctly. The poor bastard wasn't able to get a job anywhere else after that. As for Said, his critique was within establishment limits of what can and cant be said about Israel so he was left alone. Finkelstein came out guns blazing. If youre interested in his case, I highly suggest American Radical, it's available on Youtube.

Thanks for the fact check. I just knew those two big names, I guess I didn't read too much about the end of their careers.

[Tuthmosis]

Here's your problem right here. Female president:

   

[kosko]

(09-10-2014 05:54 PM)Seth_Rose Wrote:  

This is interesting, as from what I know universities have typically been kind, or at least harmless to professors who have anti-Israel tendencies. Think of guys like Norman Finkelstein and Edward Said who taught for many years and garnered a lot of attention.

Why does this guy get fired?

Is there nothing more to the story than a few anti-Israel tweets?

I don't think this is enough to fire the guy, but the tweets are inflammatory and unprofessional for a professor. Instead of firing out a bunch of tweets, he should write a well thought out article instead of bringing up topics like the USS Liberty from decades ago.

As for the PC thought police, does "anti-antisemitism" trump progressive liberal ideologies? This case may prove it does.

This isn't 100% true as Norm Fenkelstien has been denied tenure at posts, most recently at DePaul (2007/2008). Where is he teaching now? No place and all from troll Zionists who have plugged all avenues for him in America. Without tenure your basically a professor with handcuffs on.

Anti Israel views in North America are a third rail type situation where due process is never followed if Zionists don't jive with your open views.

[Foolsgo1d]

What I don't get about all of this anti jewish hate is this.

Without relating to Mossad conspiracy theories or actions, the jewish people haven't changed the landscape of inner cities or torn down entire countries because nobody believed in their god.

They don't just capture palestinian children who are out for a jolly and execute them in cold blood. Everybody seems to forget that this was the reason Israel went all out. I am glad they did.

Now we have supposedly smart professors acting like journalists spouting off about how Israel is this and that and how jews are poison.

No word against Muslims eh? No stampede to remove halal food from supermarkets? Colour me surprised.

People are scared of Muslims, they're not scared of jews.

[iamdegaussed]

People are scared of Muslims for good reason.

[MidWest]

(09-11-2014 10:50 AM)iamdegaussed Wrote:  

People are scared of Muslims for good reason.

Care to explain why?

[The Reactionary Tree]

(09-11-2014 02:15 PM)MidWest Wrote:  

(09-11-2014 10:50 AM)iamdegaussed Wrote:  

People are scared of Muslims for good reason.

Care to explain why?

1400 girls raped in Rotherham







Hmmmm... I dont know why people would be afraid of Muslims and you even ask why on the anniversary of 9/11... C'mon man!

[Krusyos]

Oy vey! It's another shoah!

[Saladin]

(09-11-2014 10:41 AM)Foolsgo1d Wrote:  

What I don't get about all of this anti jewish hate is this.

Without relating to Mossad conspiracy theories or actions, the jewish people haven't changed the landscape of inner cities or torn down entire countries because nobody believed in their god.

They don't just capture palestinian children who are out for a jolly and execute them in cold blood. Everybody seems to forget that this was the reason Israel went all out. I am glad they did.

Now we have supposedly smart professors acting like journalists spouting off about how Israel is this and that and how jews are poison.

No word against Muslims eh? No stampede to remove halal food from supermarkets? Colour me surprised.

People are scared of Muslims, they're not scared of jews.

Anti-Israel is not Anti-Jewish. There are a significant number of Jews who criticize Israel and its policies. Israel is a country, and criticizing Israel doesn't mean you're an anti-Semite. That's ridiculous.

[Sonsowey]

Quote:

the jewish people haven't changed the landscape of inner cities or torn down entire countries because nobody believed in their god.

Yes they have, that's exactly what they're doing in Palestine by demolishing towns, flattening Gaza, taking more and more Palestinian land for themselves, having kicked out Palestinians from their homes...

You described exactly what they have done. And that's why this professor was critical of them, they tear down Palestinian towns, build illegal towns in Palestinian territory, flatten cities with impunity, and act like anyone who criticizes such actions is unreasonable or a terrorist.

People opposing Israel, at least liberals in the west, are doing it from an abuse of power/colonialism standpoint. Certainly these people largely do not support terrorism or radical Islam, and are probably all feminists anyway, thus have no love for Islamic customs. They are simply speaking out against killing of civilians, breaking of international laws, etc.