Omar Barghouti and Judith Butler Don Victim Robes at Brooklyn College

Gary Fouse
fousesquawk
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com

"Barghouti, who began his talk with a call for solidarity with indigenous peoples of the United States, celebrated the “victory” over “bullies” and “racists” that Brooklyn College’s Students for Justice in Palestine had in successfully putting on the talk in the face of calls for censorship. But he also warned that “the war waged on free speech is not over,” and referenced battles waged like what he called the Chuck Hagel “inquisition” and current efforts to tar student activists in California as anti-Semites for their work for Palestinian rights."
-Mondoweiss

Last night, the much-ballyhooed appearance of Omar Barghouti and Judith Butler went off at Brooklyn College. In contrast to Monday night, when Barghouti spoke without fanfare at UC Irvine in front of about 30 people, this time the line to get in was about a block long with metal detectors and everything short of dancing bears and Beyonce. There were protesters outside, but the two speakers delivered their boycott Israel propaganda without a hitch.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/founder-anti-israel-group-calls-critics-brooklyn-college-event-article-1.1258500

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/08/nyregion/at-brooklyn-college-pro-palestine-speakers-attract-protests-outside.html?_r=0

From The Nation (a liberal magazine), here is the text of Butler's self-righteous remarks about free speech.

http://www.thenation.com/article/172752/judith-butlers-remarks-brooklyn-college-bds

Kinda gets ya right here, doesn't it?

How ironic that she speaks of her right to free speech. Would she then condemn the so-called Irvine 11 when they disrupted the speech of Israeli ambassador Michael Oren a couple of years back at UC Irvine?

http://www.change.org/users/2244956

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1. "Judith Butler signed the petition
   
2. about 2 years ago
 

Stop the Prosecution of the 'Irvine 11'

Apparently not. So I conclude that she doesn't care much about the right of the Israeli ambassador to speak.

Barghouti continued to show his fascinating depth of knowledge about America by dredging up a reference to the late Senator Joe McCarthy. To use his own words to me at UCI, I would ask Barghouti, "How is that relevant?" He also made reference to his followers in California. Perhaps, he was referring to their failed efforts to get a turnout at UC Irvine.

So why is it that Barghouti flopped at UCI in terms of turnout and drew so much attention at Brooklyn? One reason might be the much higher percentage of Jewish students at Brooklyn than UCI, which, courtesy of Students for Justice in Palestine and the Muslim Student Union, has a negative reputation for many Jews. Another might be that folks like Alan Dershowitz gave these bozos more attention than they and their movement deserve. Even New York's embattled mayor Michael Bloomberg jumped into the fray defending the appearance. Personally, believing in free speech, I would have concentrated on getting people to attend and engage in the q and a. Of course, Barghouti doesn't like to answer critical questions. He dismisses them as "irrelevant" as his hosts quickly jump in the cut them off.

So does this conclude Barghouti's tour of America? After all, he does need to get back to his classes at Tel Aviv University. I guess they don't take attendance. Hopefully, he will get his degree before he turns 50. (Only one year to go.)