PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Mideast commentator brings protest at CMU
by Sam Friday, Feb. 04, 2005 at 4:23 AM

Ali Abunimah, a writer and commentator on the Middle East and Arab-American affairs and co-founder of the Web site "Electronic Intifada," laid out his opposition to a two-state solution to the Mideast peace process yesterday.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article3597.shtml

Ali Abunimah, a writer and commentator on the Middle East and Arab-American affairs and co-founder of the Web site "Electronic Intifada," laid out his opposition to a two-state solution to the Mideast peace process yesterday.

Abunimah, who lives in Chicago, where he is a graduate student, gave lectures yesterday at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. His appearance at Carnegie Mellon was picketed by about 40 Jewish students, most of whom went in to hear his lecture.

The Middle East peace process is phony, Abunimah said, because what Israel wants to do -- with U.S. complicity -- is to set up independent homelands similar to the apartheid system under white-ruled South Africa.

The Palestinian elections were a farce, he said, because Palestinians living outside of the Gaza and West Bank were not able to participate, and the deck had been stacked in favor of Palestine Liberation Organization leader Mahmoud Abbas. The apartheid system is so far advanced that a two-state solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is no longer possible, he told about 100 students.

What is needed is a unitary state in which Israelis and Palestinians would have equal rights, Abunimah said. "People say this would be like Yugoslavia," he said. "But why couldn't it be like Belgium?"

Jewish students aren't upset that Abunimah was invited to speak at Carnegie Mellon, but are angry that the university officially sponsored him -- and is sponsoring another anti-Israel speaker next month -- without sponsoring anyone to present the opposite point of view, said Rachel Svinkelstin, 22, organizer of the protest.

"We feel that our voice is not being heard at all," she said.

add your comments

they got a point
by ken Friday, Feb. 04, 2005 at 3:04 PM

i think its pretty stupid the colleges aren't sponsoring an opposing viewpoint. why not always show both sides of an argument? when one side tries to silence the other, it makes them look weak and afraid. Also looks like they don't have the truth of the situation on their side. But on the same coin, have these Jewish students tried to bring a speaker for their side yet? If not, then they share the blame for no opposing viewpoint

add your comments

Well, the article didn't really tell the whole story...
by Sam Friday, Feb. 04, 2005 at 5:35 PM

I posted it because it was the only thing published about it in the mainstream media so far.

It's worth noting in the first place that Jack Kelly was probably not the best person to send to cover the event (which may well be exactly why they sent him): he's very much a supporter of the neoconservative agenda, as his various writings in the Post-Gazette illustrate. A trusted source tells me he declared Abunimah's talk "crap" while he was there covering it (I was there too, but nowhere near Kelly).

It's also important to point out that CMU did not, in fact, take the initiative in inviting Abunimah. Rather, students invited him, and requested university funding. It would be extremely easy for any of the hardline Zionist students opposed to his views to do the same.

Indeed, these students frequently do receive university funds to hold events promoting their particular stance. A few weeks ago, they showed a hardline Zionist propaganda film. And in the near future, they're getting a reprentative of the Israeli military to give a talk.

No one ever makes a fuss about the aforementioned events being "balanced" -- and rightly so, for the most part. There's no reason that all events dealing with the conflict should have to take the form of a debate, or include both sides. Would it be wrong of a college to invite Barry Goldwater to talk without also inviting George McGovern? Was it wrong that CMU allowed Kerry to hold a rally on campus without inviting George W. Bush to do the same?

Of seemingly little importance to Kelly is the fact that these students were extremely rude to Mr. Abunimah, constantly interrupting him and slanderously accusing him of being a liar and an advocate of terrorism. Mr. Abunimah invited them to prove either charge, even offering to let them use his notebook computer to look up something on his Web site and show the audience (it was projected onto a screen behind him). Of course, they were incapable of it, and so refused.

From their actions at this event and in reaction to others -- for example, objecting to the showing of (very mild) pro-Palestine films, or protesting a gallery of Palestinian children's art -- the hardliners have demonstrated that what they're interested in is not "balance", but rather silencing any and all viewpoints substantially opposed to their own. Having successfully monopolized discourse in virtually every other forum, they want to silence one of the last few refuges of genuine freedom of thought and expression (vis-a-vis the Palestine issue, at least) left in this country.

All progressives -- no, all believers in the most fundamental principles of liberal democracy -- must steadfastly oppose this campaign of intimidation.

Lastly, I'd like to say that Kelly's characterization of these zealots as "Jewish students" is deceptive, antisemitic and insulting. It is not clear that they all were; and more importantly, many Jews all over the world -- even many who consider themselves Zionists -- oppose Israel's current policies and agree with much of what Abunimah had to say.

add your comments

thank you
by Ken Friday, Feb. 04, 2005 at 7:01 PM

thanks for further clarifying the event and specifying that students brought him and not just CMU. I posted that in the hopes that i would get such a clarification so thanks, although seeing as how i'm a leftist and on your side with the issue, u can spare me the lecture and speech about my statement regarding balance. That was said only when it seemed that it was CMU who brought him, not students requesting for aid. I would have liked to see his speech if only i knew it was happening. I went to a small conservative college and spent 4 years in the heart of Bushland protesting, etc in many forms and took plenty of abuse. So i know exactly what u mean when dealing with the neocons etc. They are pieces of shit no doubt
Anyways thanks again and take care

add your comments

In case you missed it
by Michael Butler Wednesday, Feb. 09, 2005 at 7:54 PM
mdb20@Pitt.edu

Ken mentioned wishing that wished he had seen the talk that Ali Abunimah gave. So for him, and anyone else who wants to hear what was said, Mr Abunimah posted the audio from the talk he gave at Pitt on his website:

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article3602.shtml

The talk is mostly the same, though without protestors.

add your comments