Former IDF soldier is coming to my campus. I'm thinking of organizing a walkout.

[CynicalIdealist]

Suggestions on how to get started? He's clearly campaigning on behalf of Israel.

[gorillafuck]

What do you mean by coming to your campus?

[Iraultzaile Ezkerreko]

Shit, I had a CLASS with a former IDF soldier.

[Tablo]

Depends. What is the IDF soldier coming to talk about? Is this a middle/high school campus he is coming to?

[CynicalIdealist]

He wants to "clear false perceptions of Israel" via a talk. I'm 100% sure that it's part of Israel's broad PR campaign. I'm inspired by the following video, but I'm not sure where to begin. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPDkq2JHfA0&feature=related

[Iraultzaile Ezkerreko]

That looks like an awesome thing to do. What kind of campus is it?

[CynicalIdealist]

Liberal arts. >_<

Now I'm considering organizing an informational picket. Deciding between that and a walkout.

[Iraultzaile Ezkerreko]

Good luck with whatever you do. I think following the walkout trend would be best if possible.

[Magón]

I'd do a simple walk out, include some posters with pictures and names, flyers, and maybe even a big banner or two if you can pull it off in time? Then maybe include like they did in the video, with a little assembly to talk about Israel's war crimes?

[psgchisolm]

I'd do a simple walk out, include some posters with pictures and names, flyers, and maybe even a big banner or two if you can pull it off in time? Then maybe include like they did in the video, with a little assembly to talk about Israel's war crimes?
Isn't service in the IDF mandatory? It would probably be better if you waited until he gave the reason why he's coming. It might have nothing to do with the IDF at all.

[CynicalIdealist]

Isn't service in the IDF mandatory? It would probably be better if you waited until he gave the reason why he's coming. It might have nothing to do with the IDF at all.

He's here on behalf of Stand With Us, which is basically propaganda for the state of Israel. http://www.standwithus.com/

[Magón]

Isn't service in the IDF mandatory? It would probably be better if you waited until he gave the reason why he's coming. It might have nothing to do with the IDF at all.

Maybe, but as CynicalIdealist said, the group/organization, whatever, is basically propaganda for the State of Israel. And what should we do when they try explaining their side? We explain ours, and whether it's IDF or not, the IDF still gets their orders from the Israeli government, and they're just as responsible for the actions taken as the soldiers who go about them are. So either way, protest, picket, etc. ;)

[Sir Comradical]

Sabotage is a good idea. Put up posters all over the place saying the event has been postponed to another day.

[CynicalIdealist]

Sabotage is a good idea. Put up posters all over the place saying the event has been postponed to another day.

Eh, but does that really send any kind of message?

[brigadista]

if you cant walk out stand up and turn your back on him........will work well if a lot of you do this

[Sam_b]

Organise a demo outside where the talk is being held. How far away is it? If you've got a week or so print out flyers, do leacture hits, flyposting, and build something. Invite speakers outside from the Palestinian community. You could even potentially disrupt the meeting.

[pastradamus]

Remember the most important thing here is to spread the message against this IDF propaganda mouthorgan. I think Sam B has some great idea's and If it were me, I'd go along with this plan.

You must let this person know that you wont sheepishly listen to him and accept his word for it. People like him have a perception that you are all just stupid kids and convincing you will be easy - let him know otherwise.

[RED DAVE]

Just remember that such speakers are usually very articulate and well-versed in what they're talking about and used to handling all kinds of opposition from the audience. Come armed with facts; don't lose your cool; stick to the topic.

And don't get diverted into discussions of the Holocaust.

One approach I've found useful is asking what the difference is between the way the Zionists treated the Palestinians (ever before the Holocaust) and the way the Euros treated the Native Americans? But, again, know what you're talking about.

RED DAVE

[freepalestine]

He wants to "clear false perceptions of Israel" via a talk. I'm 100% sure that it's part of Israel's broad PR campaign. I'm inspired by the following video, but I'm not sure where to begin. http://www.soldiersspeakout.com/ VPDkq2JHfA0contact any local palestine solidarity group.
e.g. see here:
http://socialistworker.org/2010/01/14/portland-marches-for-palestine

also when is it.where?

[psgchisolm]

Maybe, but as CynicalIdealist said, the group/organization, whatever, is basically propaganda for the State of Israel. And what should we do when they try explaining their side? We explain ours, and whether it's IDF or not, the IDF still gets their orders from the Israeli government, and they're just as responsible for the actions taken as the soldiers who go about them are. So either way, protest, picket, etc. ;)
Where do the IDF get their soldiers from? Conscription. Not all IDF soldiers are bad, especially if you consider the fact that it's mandatory service and that there's more than just infantry in the IDF. Just sayin'

[Hoplite]

He wants to "clear false perceptions of Israel" via a talk. I'm 100% sure that it's part of Israel's broad PR campaign. I'm inspired by the following video, but I'm not sure where to begin.
That, for me, was an ideal protest. It showed that the people involved had grievances, they aired them without being disruptive, without trampling on the rights of others to speak freely, they did it without turning violent, yet clearly sent the message they wanted to convey.

As for the OP, I'd say try above all else to keep it CIVIL. If people get angry and start yelling, you've lost. If people have grounds to claim you were just a bunch of rowdy, misinformed college kids, they will. But if you calmly and peacefully make your point without resorting to shouting, that will gain a lot more respect and it's harder to dismiss that kind of action as just a bunch of dumb college kids looking for an excuse to miss class.

[Magón]

Where do the IDF get their soldiers from? Conscription. Not all IDF soldiers are bad, especially if you consider the fact that it's mandatory service and that there's more than just infantry in the IDF. Just sayin'

It doesn't matter if they're conscripted or not, and whether the man coming to speak is pro IDF action, or not. He's still coming to the school to speak about Israel, and the good it's doing/done in the Middle East. Whether he agrees to it or not, you're not going to hear him say during the little assembly probably, about whether he personally thinks Israel is good or not. He's going to promote Israel, and the solidarity that the US people and Israeli people should have.

If he was really doesn't agree with Israel's actions, you'd think that instead of joining a pro-Israeli organization, he'd have joined the Israli-Palestinian solidarity groups that are in Israel/Palestinian territory after his time in the service. It's likely he's pro-Israel, and it's obvious he's going to try and promote solidarity between them and the US.

I would suggest a form of protest to any IDF solider or military person that came onto my campus, and tried promoting Israel without giving the facts from the other side. Whether he was pro-Israel or not, it's obvious which side he's on more than the other.

[Broletariat]

That, for me, was an ideal protest. It showed that the people involved had grievances, they aired them without being disruptive, without trampling on the rights of others to speak freely, they did it without turning violent, yet clearly sent the message they wanted to convey.

As for the OP, I'd say try above all else to keep it CIVIL. If people get angry and start yelling, you've lost. If people have grounds to claim you were just a bunch of rowdy, misinformed college kids, they will. But if you calmly and peacefully make your point without resorting to shouting, that will gain a lot more respect and it's harder to dismiss that kind of action as just a bunch of dumb college kids looking for an excuse to miss class.


I don't really see anything wrong with people being angry, at all; unless you just mean like one person throwing a temper tantrum, but if he's got a large group of people all pissed off what's so wrong with it?

And what's with the liberal concept of "rights" being thrown around?

[psgchisolm]

It doesn't matter if they're conscripted or not, and whether the man coming to speak is pro IDF action, or not. He's still coming to the school to speak about Israel, and the good it's doing/done in the Middle East. Whether he agrees to it or not, you're not going to hear him say during the little assembly probably, about whether he personally thinks Israel is good or not. He's going to promote Israel, and the solidarity that the US people and Israeli people should have.

If he was really doesn't agree with Israel's actions, you'd think that instead of joining a pro-Israeli organization, he'd have joined the Israli-Palestinian solidarity groups that are in Israel/Palestinian territory after his time in the service. It's likely he's pro-Israel, and it's obvious he's going to try and promote solidarity between them and the US.

I would suggest a form of protest to any IDF solider or military person that came onto my campus, and tried promoting Israel without giving the facts from the other side. Whether he was pro-Israel or not, it's obvious which side he's on more than the other.
He's coming to the school to talk about the regular IDF soldier. No one says he doesn't agree with Israels actions whether he's pro-israel or not he's and IDF soldier. The first thing people think of is the stigma associated with the IDF. Again he's there probably to address that stigma from firsthand experience of his time in the IDF. It's your perogative and right to protest. Again he's not there to give facts other than what he saw probably not to promote Israel. He's on the side of his comrades that he fought along with. Pro-Israel or Not

[psgchisolm]

they are an isreal state sponsored organisation and also funded by aipac.
you should take alook at the link about themhttp://www.soldiersspeakout.com/ (http://www.anonym.to/?http://www.soldiersspeakout.com/) .with the zionist pm giving his blessing.

main point is-why are foreign soldiers speaking in american schools/colleges or any soldiers-??

http://www.soldiersspeakout.com/ (http://www.soldiersspeakout.com/)
.
I have seen both links and the video. Of course the pm will give his blessing because it shows the IDF in a different light.


Again to address the negative stigma associated with them. There is always two sides to a story. When did it become illegal for foreign soldiers to go to american schools/colleges? Why is it illegal for american schools and colleges only?

[Magón]

He's coming to the school to talk about the regular IDF soldier. No one says he doesn't agree with Israels actions whether he's pro-israel or not he's and IDF soldier. The first thing people think of is the stigma associated with the IDF. Again he's there probably to address that stigma from firsthand experience of his time in the IDF. It's your perogative and right to protest. Again he's not there to give facts other than what he saw probably not to promote Israel. He's on the side of his comrades that he fought along with. Pro-Israel or Not

If you lived back in the 30s or 40s, would you want a German soldier coming to your school campus, and talking about Germany, and how they're doing this or that, and how France or Poland, etc. all needed to be invaded and controlled? Because that's what Israel is, it's a occupying force in Palestine, seen as the "good guys" to the Western world, just because the other side didn't want to go along with them. (along with many other western supporting factors.)

Whether he's pro-Israel or not, he's coming on behalf of Israel to tell the students at CyndicalIdealist's campus the Israeli side of things. Which if you saw the video he was inspired by, was trying to explain the reason why Israel was built right in the middle of Palestine, and how their actions of bombing places that are highly populated by civilians is needed and whatever

[psgchisolm]

If you lived back in the 30s or 40s, would you want a German soldier coming to your school campus, and talking about Germany, and how they're doing this or that, and how France or Poland, etc. all needed to be invaded and controlled? Because that's what Israel is, it's a occupying force in Palestine, seen as the "good guys" to the Western world, just because the other side didn't want to go along with them. (along with many other western supporting factors.)

Whether he's pro-Israel or not, he's coming on behalf of Israel to tell the students at CyndicalIdealist's campus the Israeli side of things. Which if you saw the video he was inspired by, was trying to explain the reason why Israel was built right in the middle of Palestine, and how their actions of bombing places that are highly populated by civilians is needed and whatever
In the 40s relations were thin. The Germans wouldn't have come to America so gl. Yes I would want a German soldier to come to my school/campus. If they would be talking about how w\e countries NEEDED to be invaded, I doubt they would even be accepted in the first place. Again THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO A STORY. He deserves his chance to tell his story just as the Palestineans do. I watched the video, I heard him talk about watching his comrades getting shot in the middle of the street and when they tried to call in CAS they were denied, because they WOULDN'T fire at a school. He's not saying WHY palestine needs to be invaded. He's saying that there's more than meets the eye in war. That they don't TRY and kill civilians. But w\e.

[Hoplite]

I don't really see anything wrong with people being angry, at all; unless you just mean like one person throwing a temper tantrum, but if he's got a large group of people all pissed off what's so wrong with it? Shouting and screaming only get you so far. If you act like an angry mob, you'll be treated like an angry mob and you'll quickly find that people dont really mind when the authority du jure starts cracking heads and it makes you less likely to be listened to.

If your entire goal is to try to change the world, you wont get very far by becoming baton practice in front of an audience that doesn't really care.


And what's with the liberal concept of "rights" being thrown around?
"First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me."
Pastor Martin Niemöller

We should strive to avoid adopting the mentality of the people who run the world we want to change. Otherwise, what makes us different from them? Why should people want to listen or help us when all we offer them is more of what they've been getting?

[freepalestine]

Standing against Israel's propaganda

Mark Clinton




Mark Clinton, a professor of political science at Holyoke Community College, shares an open letter he sent to the interim president of Hampshire College about a recent protest of a speech given by a member of the Israel Defense Force.


# SocialistWorker.org (http://socialistworker.org/2011/02/10/standing-against-israels-propaganda), February 13, 2011


VETERANS OF the Israel Defense Force (IDF) have opened a new front for psychological warfare operations (what Zionists call hasbara) in the U.S., speaking on college campuses in an effort to "humanize" the IDF and deflect attention from its institutional responsibility for war crimes against the Palestinian people.

Last fall, Sgt. Kenny Sachs spoke at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?next_url=http%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DOybpkWlNhgU).
Approximately 50 activists mobilized by the Western Massachusetts Coalition for Palestine (WMCP) disrupted his presentation, using tactics modeled after protests staged earlier in the semester at the University of Michigan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPDkq2JHfA0) and Arizona State University (http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?next_url=http%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DOybpkWlNhgU).

The hasbara offensive in Western Massachusetts opened this spring with a thinly disguised recruitment pitch for the IDF delivered by Sgt. Benjamin Anthony, the self-described founder of Our Soldiers Speak, at Hampshire College on Thursday, February 3.

Sgt. Anthony's talk was sponsored by the David Project, which has a history of circulating Islamophobic propaganda; the Hasbara Fellowships, which is linked to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the international arm of Aish HaTorah, an extremist settler group in Israel that has erected a one-ton model of the "Third Temple" close to the Western Wall in Jerusalem as a warning of "what's to come" for Muslims living in the city; and Stand With Us, a group actively involved in "pink-washing" Israel and whose members recently pepper-sprayed members of Jewish Voice for Peace during a meeting.


Hampshire College Students for Justice in Palestine, supported by the WMCP and other local social justice organizations, mobilized to confront Sgt. Anthony and make clear that apologists for Israeli racism and oppression are not welcome on our campuses or in our communities.
A film representation of our protest inside the auditorium is not available, for reasons explained in the open letter that follows.

The protest at Hampshire underscores the urgency of developing tactical flexibility, studying the tactics and tendencies of hasbara organizations as they emulate the Pentagon in "perception management," and creatively seeking ways to communicate our principled solidarity with the demand of the Palestinian people for self-determination.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


An open letter to Marlene Gerber Fried, interim president of Hampshire College

February 6, 2011
Dear Dr. Gerber Fried,
On Thursday, February 3, I attended the so-called lecture delivered by Sergeant Benjamin Anthony, an Israeli Defense Force (IDF) reservist, at Hampshire College.

I was so shocked--and I do not shock easily--by the role that members of Hampshire's administration appeared to play in facilitating Sgt. Anthony's hate-mongering recruitment pitch for the IDF that my conscience will not let me rest until I register my discontent with you.

If I had any doubts about the need to send you this open letter, they vanished after I read your letter of Friday, February 4, to the Hampshire College community, which a friend shared with me after I had written the first draft of my letter to you.

Your letter, which purports to represent an event you did not attend, is clearly based on "reports" from members of your own administrative team and, perhaps, supporters of Sergeant Anthony who were in attendance.

I hope you will forgive me if I tell you frankly that I was struck by its injudicious absence of the investigatory and critical spirit I would expect from a philosopher.
It is, I think, compelling evidence of the soul-deadening burden of overseeing an administrative apparatus.

At the outset, I must say that if the objective of Hampshire's administration in its "facilitation" of Sergeant Anthony's appearance was that of allowing Hampshire students and community members who attended a small taste of the oppression that Palestinians experience on a daily basis, I believe that you succeeded.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

THE EVENT began late, and one entrance to the auditorium was closed for no apparent reason. When those of us waiting there to enter inquired why we could not use what appeared to be a perfectly functional doorway, we were given no answer.

After waiting what seemed an interminable period in the lobby, people were finally allowed to enter the auditorium in single file while security guards counted us.
I kept nervously fingering my wallet, expecting at any moment to be asked for my identification papers, especially as I have a rather full beard and was wearing a keffiyeh as an expression of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Given what transpired as the event began, I am somewhat surprised in retrospect that I was not refused admission to the auditorium because I was "disrespectfully" attired. Members of Hampshire's administration began the event by enjoining the audience to listen respectfully and warning them sternly that anyone who disrupted or filmed the lecture would be removed from the auditorium.

At the same time we were informed rather peremptorily that Sergeant Anthony's private security team would be filming the event.
I could not help but wonder why Hampshire College was so interested in protecting Sergeant Anthony's privacy as he delivered a public lecture (I recognized him instantly, by the way, since his photograph is widely available on the Internet) while having no discernible interest whatsoever in protecting the privacy of anyone who had a strong enough stomach or a weak enough heart to sit "respectfully" while he spewed his hate-filled bilge over the audience.

To hear Sergeant Anthony tell it, the IDF is the victim of a mainstream media that can only be motivated by anti-Semitism, which apparently was intended to explain why they actually covered the IDF's violently disproportional attacks on Lebanon in 2006, on Gaza in 2008-2009, and on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla last year.

While I wondered how Sergeant Anthony would attempt to explain that same media's overwhelming silence regarding the quotidian violence and oppression of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and how I could manage to hold my peace, a young man whom I happened to be sitting behind rose and in a calm, loud voice observed that Israel's occupation of Palestine de-legitimized Israel.

A member of your administration hurried over to inform the young man that if he did not stop disrupting the event, security would remove him from the auditorium.
As this warning was delivered, supporters of Sergeant Anthony and, presumably, Israeli aggression, shouted invectives at the young man.

I know it probably wasn't respectful, but I could not resist asking the member of your administrative team if he was going to warn these members of the audience that they too would be removed.
I am certain that he heard me since he glared at me with what I could only interpret as contemptuous hostility and then turned on his heel without warning anyone else about their disruptive behavior.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

TO ME, the message was crystal clear: anyone who dared express dissent during Sergeant Anthony's verbal barrage would be charged with disruption and cleared from the room, while it was open season for audience members who vocally supported Sergeant Anthony; they could say anything they pleased to the dissidents.

That Sergeant Anthony's supporters reached roughly the same conclusion would appear to be indicated by the fact that one of them felt empowered to refer to a dissident in the audience as a "faggot" without reproach by any member of your administration.

It took another student rising and informing the homophobe that he too was a "faggot" and that the use of that word to characterize another human being was unacceptable to shame the homophobe sufficiently that he left the auditorium.

For those of us who did leave the auditorium of our own volition--and in the interests of full disclosure, I was one of the people who participated in an organized walkout during the "lecture," walking in front of Sergeant Anthony and showing him the name of a Palestinian child killed during Operation Cast Lead (I guess that was why he needed a private security force--to protect him from exposure to the facts on the ground that disclose the unmistakable evidence of Israeli war crimes and discredit Israel's attempt to maintain its master narrative of the fabled Israeli purity of arms)--Hampshire security announced that no right of return existed.

This rule, apparently created on the spur of the moment, was applied inflexibly, much to the surprise of people who had left for such a perfectly innocent reason as the need to use the restrooms.

The security guard enforcing this rule at the one functional entrance to the auditorium not only refused to give his name when one young man asked for it, he also conspicuously covered his name badge with one hand while engaging in this refusal, keeping it covered for several minutes.
Hampshire's chief of security finally appeared and spoke to the group who had gathered in and around the stairwell adjoining the entrance, addressing us with what I can only describe as contemptuous hostility (I know that the phrase is redundant, but I cannot think of a better one.)

The security chief did finally inform us, "His name is Officer Erickson."
He refused to answer any other questions, however.
In short, your administrative team and security officers did not so much provide neutral facilitation for Sergeant Anthony's "lecture" as protection for a thug who had brought his own bullies with him, creating an atmosphere of intimidation.

I think it is a credit to Hampshire students expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people that they steadfastly displayed the courage of their convictions, and I am proud to be associated with them.
I have spent a great deal of time describing my observations of the fundamental procedural unfairness with which the event was conducted because there is actually nothing to say about the intellectual substance of the so-called lecture.


It was simply, as I observed in my opening paragraph, a hate-mongering recruitment pitch for the IDF, as I am sure you can assure yourself if you ask Sergeant Anthony to provide you with an unedited copy of the filmic record his security team made of the event.
In closing, I do have one question, however.

If Hampshire College does indeed intend to provide its students and members of the Pioneer Valley Community with all "sides" to contested issues of public discourse, when may I expect to receive an invitation to attend a recruitment speech by a member of Hamas that Hampshire's administration will facilitate as subserviently as it did the appearance of Sergeant Anthony?
Sincerely,


Mark Clinton, Ph.D., professor of Political Science, Holyoke Community College (for identification purposes only)



:: Article nr. 74958 sent on 14-feb-2011 07:44 ECT


www.uruknet.info?p=74958 (http://www.uruknet.info/?p=74958)</I>

[Metacomet]

Who knows what the guy is like. Israel is an incredibly diverse place, just like Palestine is. Not all Israelis hate Arabs, not all Israelis are right wing, not all Israelis are ultra nationalist Zionists.

They are.........GASP

People.

[Rusty Shackleford]

IDF soldiers on tour to promote support for israel are more than likely not a nice person.

[Broletariat]

Shouting and screaming only get you so far. If you act like an angry mob, you'll be treated like an angry mob and you'll quickly find that people dont really mind when the authority du jure starts cracking heads and it makes you less likely to be listened to.

If your entire goal is to try to change the world, you wont get very far by becoming baton practice in front of an audience that doesn't really care.

I was working under the assumption that there is no audience and merely the "mob" as you put it, and the police. That the majority are fucking pissed.



"First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me."
Pastor Martin Niemöller

We should strive to avoid adopting the mentality of the people who run the world we want to change. Otherwise, what makes us different from them? Why should people want to listen or help us when all we offer them is more of what they've been getting?

What makes us different than them is that we are actually helping people whereas they are fucking them over. Your quote proves nothing, we would not silent ourselves or ethnic groups.

[Hoplite]

I was working under the assumption that there is no audience and merely the "mob" as you put it, and the police. That the majority are fucking pissed. I'm counting the people who hear of it afterwards and read about it in the news.


What makes us different than them is that we are actually helping people whereas they are fucking them over. Your quote proves nothing, we would not silent ourselves or ethnic groups. I understand that, others do not. When you act like an angry mob, you'll be treated like one and any message you have, even if it's the cure for cancer, will be ignored.

[Broletariat]

I'm counting the people who hear of it afterwards and read about it in the news.

I understand that, others do not. When you act like an angry mob, you'll be treated like one and any message you have, even if it's the cure for cancer, will be ignored.


So how do you feel about Egypt? Do you really think the media is EVER going to portray a revolution as anything but a bunch of angry mobs?

[redSHARP]

I had an former IDF person come to my school. He just talked about his memoirs about the Lebanon incursion in the 80's. He was critical of Israel, and really hammered into Israeli hypocrisy in his book.

I would keep things civil, boycott the event, and find out more about the group he represents and if possible his name. The more info the better.

[Hoplite]

So how do you feel about Egypt? Do you really think the media is EVER going to portray a revolution as anything but a bunch of angry mobs? From what I saw of the news coverage of Egypt, the media seemed fairly friendly to the protesters. Admittedly I watch next to zero mainstream news.