UCLA Comedy Performance; end Israeli extremism, too
Several hundred Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims and a few Jewish students attended the opening day “Live Free†for Palestine Awareness Week 2007. Although a few pro-Israel extremists (both sides have them) protested the event, falsely accusing the Palestinian organizers of “demonizing Israel,†what I saw was the exact opposite.
In fact, to put a fine point on how false the charge is, I will quote a comment from the spokesman for Bruins for Israel, which has a lot of good and moderate members, who wrongly charged in the Daily Bruin this morning that the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim organizers displayed anti-Israel hate material.
(From the Daily Bruin): But Leeron Morad, president of Bruins for Israel, took pictures of the poster to document what he said he believed were inaccurate and anti-Semitic sentiments that were included. “It’s worrying. … They aren’t acknowledging Israel at all. This is not a message of peace,†Morad said, referring to some of the political cartoons and a map of the region colored with the red, white, green and black of the Palestinian flag.
That is an OUTRIGHT LIE and Mr. Morad should apologize to the students who did and are doing an excellent program. Will there be SOME views expressed that might be considered extremist? Possibly. Maybe probably. But isn’t that the case with Israeli events, too?
But more specifically to Morad’s lie, the large poster that depicted Palestine IN FACT had the name “ISRAEL†in the pre-1967 border area. Wow. So Murad is a liar? And, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip were defined in a green line labeled only on the side as Palestine.
It’s amazing how extremists on both sides want to distort the reality of what happened. Morad, who I believe owes the organizers a public apology, has done a disservice to the movement for moderation. If he disagrees with the views of some of the individual organizers or even one of the many co-sponsoring organizations, he should be specific and he should be ACCURATE. Because the only hate-talk or demonization that I saw taking place Monday was from Mr. Morad.
I performed comedy Monday night at Ackerman Union Hall’s main banquet room and was introduced by my friend Maysoon Zayid whose comedy lampooning her experiences as a Palestinian woman are hilarious. She also lampoons the fact that she has cerebral palsey, yet despite that she manages to organize a program to raise funds to help Palestinian children and orphans in the refugee Camps. Is that something that is bad? No. In fact, I was proud to donate to her effort.
I was also most impressed by Maysoon’s comment that she is not against the Israeli people, but critical of the Israeli government and Israeli government policy. And you know what. THAT IS NOT EXTREMISM MR. MORARD. That is proper conduct. We have the right to challenge policies on both sides, to criticize governments, to criticize their actions. Stop blaming the Palestinians for everything and start accepting some of your own blame, too.
My friend Mark Gonzales, the spoken word, hip-hop artists who uses powerful lyrics to protest Israeli government policy, also performed. I met Mark at the DIWAN cultural conference hosted recently by the Arab Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
We need to start focusing on the moderate debate and push aside the extremist and strident voices on both sides. Whether they be Palestinian or Israeli. On Monday, all I saw and heard were the sincere voices of individuals who believe in peace. They may not agree with every issue that I support, but they have a right to express their views and they did so respectfully.
Here’s the poster that was displayed ALL DAY MONDAY:
– Ray Hanania
Join the Conversation
Thank you Mr. Hanania for speeking out for truth. Your performance last night was amazing, and I thank you for that. In regards to the Daily Bruin, lies against Muslim, Arab, and other social justice clubs on campus are common. It is a struggle we are in daily, and only mimics the injustes in the greater media against us. This is our real fight. I honestly believe that if the average American KNEW what was happening in Palestine, they would support our cause… but they just don’t know.
Excellent work as usual Ray! You really give us a lot of hope.
Excuse me, Ray, but you have written a very dishonest article because you want us to connect dots that have no right being connected.
He’s talking about the display of some political cartoons and a map that was colored red, white, green and black which upset him because of their rejectionist nature, but which is not the map you put up on this website. The map you put up is completely different than the one being discussed in the article, but you are trying to get us to conclude they are one in the same in order to use it as a basis to defame the guy’s character.
Not good.
The problem I have with what you are doing is that you are making an illicit connection here between the maps, and based upon it, you are now publically denouncing the head of UCLA’s pro-Israel group as a liar and an extremist (with the intention to recruit allies in your opinion); and you are demanding an apology from him even though he says he has a photo of the map in question, which none of us here has yet seen. Personally, I’d like to see the photo he has and whether he is telling the truth or distorting facts like you say. If you’re wrong, Ray, then you owe him an apology for smearing his reputation and resorting to cheap ad hominem attacks, not the other way around dude. If you are telling the truth, why not put up a photo of the correct map?
If there were a map being displayed in the colors of the Palestinian flag that reject Israel’s existence, is it really your position that the leader of the campus’ pro-Israeli organization is being extremist and hateful to speak out against it?
What you’ve done here — using materials that don’t support your point in order to besmirch someone’s reputation — is totally inadmissible.
I’d like to see it, then I’ll be able to comment. A conclusion from one side only will not ever do it for m I’m afraid.
Also: Ray, it might be that (our really inspirational and truly loved) Esra’a compliment you on your postings: to me they seem nothing more than a pushing your view upon ‘us’- since you never ever go into dialogue about the critiques when offered.
So, this will probably be the last time I ever read one more posting here or anywhere of you. The whole idea is to go into discussion. Not just to dump your ideas and walk out.
Tsedek, as far as I know Ray does debate here about his articles, unless the comments are insulting or are full of accusations with no actual critiques of the article in question.
Well I think tsedek has spoken for all of us. I agree with PacefulVanguard and tsedek. Thanks for saying what we’ve all been thinking. This is my last read for Ray to but i still respect you Esra’a.
S.A, your problem with Ray seems to be merely personal. None of your comments are ever a valid refutation of his posts. And what do you mean by “What we have all been thinking”? Who is thinking that other than the 3 of you so far, hmm? And maybe a handful of few others. The number of Israelis who are offended by him and dislike him on this site is very, very small. Most of the Israelis on this site like and respect him, both as a comedian and as a journalist.
Here is a map very similar to the one that was shown…
http://jerusalem-gate.netfirms.com/store/nfoscomm/catalog/images/scan3.jpg
decide for yourself.
Right…
Okay Seeker: You didn’t display a map; you displayed a “key chain.” Are there not Israeli key chains that also show all of Israel without reference to Palestine?
To Tsedek (and SA). I don’t push my view on anyone. I do express myself, based on one principle that applies to everyone, that criticizes both sides …
I’m not here writing for you. You’re free to do what you will. I don’t mind. I’ll keep writing to principle, right and wrong on both sides, while you always seem only to speak out about what is wrong on one side.
The map picture I posted WAS THE ONLY MAP placed in the courtyard in front of the Student Union … and you know what, that map said a LOT about how the Arab, Muslim and Palestinian Students AT LEAST showed that Israel exists. So you this Morad guy who stood a few feet away from everyone staring at everyone claims that there was another picture that showed “anti-Semitism.”
Exactly what was it? Is it not fair for the students to protest the ugly concrete wall? They did. Could they not show an Israeli soldier pointing a gun at Palestinian civilians? Are you saying that never happens? Or are you saying that you hate to see the truth shoved in people’s faces because it makes the rightwing Israelis look bad?
Sorry, friend. I’m just the messenger.
And to “Peaceful Vanguard.” Wow, what a disingenuous name and comment possibly? The map I posted IS the map that was displayed. I was there. Were you? I saw it and was so moved by the fairness of what the students did — that was brushed aside by the hateful comments of a few of the leaders of the Bruins for Israel organization — that I took a picture of the map (to quote again from the article: “referring to some of the political cartoons and a map of the region colored with the red, white, green and black of the Palestinian flag.”) because I just knew that if I said it was there, it wouldn’t mean as much as seeing it.
So, wipe the hate from your eyes. See the truth. Stop being defensive and start criticizing your own side for a change, as I ALSO often and frequently criticize the Palestinians, Arabs and the Muslims.
As for not responding here, when someone asks me a good question, I would be happy to respond here and by public email. But just making ridiculous claims doesn’t move me to want to respond to attacks.
Ray Hanania
Hmm looks to me that there is a simple misunderstanding here….umm which is a common occurrence in family feuds.
Ray, when I read your post I thought you were referring to a map other than the one you posted here too. When you say ” a map of the region colored with the red, white, green and black of the Palestinian flag”, I’m imagining a map that’s actually COLORED with streaks of different colors clearly indicating the colors of the Palestinian flag, but you’re saying the map you posted is actually the only map you were referring to and when I look at it I see the Palestinian territories indicated with a green border, the different towns indicated in red and the words WEST BANK indicated in black on a white background. So my question is, is this what you’re referring to as “COLORED” with the red, white, green and black? Because if that’s the case, you and PV would need to shake hands and start all over. (:
Ray, the comment about the map was addressed to VanGuard, because if there is such a map it’s gotta be shown to be believed. That’s what I meant with my remark.
As for ‘expressing your view’ – that’s great. However it has struck me many times you just want to express your view and who doesn’t agree with you – you won’t answer. Usually discussion is a two-way road. However, if it is only expressing your view that you’re after and not discussing in order to come closer with our standpoints then I stick with refraining from reading your view, because there are a few million views in the world about our conflict and yours, if not meant for dialogue, is non more important than any of those few million. You see this:
we all think we do and yet we differ in opinions, so we either stay stuck in our own little world of selfrighteousness or we are brave and step out and confront whatever differences it are that makes us all believe we do the same yet are of opposite opinions about the other applying this.
take care,
Tse.
Tsedek … first, I apologize as I thought the comment was directed at me. Stiil, do I have to answer everything when some things speak for themselves? When you say you support peace, should I then accuse you of not supporting peace because we disagree and then expect you to answer every time I do that? Chat boards, comment posts and email are NOT good forms of dialogue. They are places where people post comments, not attacks. And when someone does post an attack, why respond at all? Let the attack stand on its own.
Is this a place for discussion? Or is it a place more for sharing and expression and trying to understand each other. Because so far, the few critical comments have not been a discussion, just an attack.
As for the map, I showed the map on my post. It is clear. There was no other map. That was the map and for someone to suggest that it was “anti-Semitic,” evil of whatever is disturbing and criticizing that person on campus was appropriate.
Ray
you’re an idiot.
Ones again, another intelligent response to Ray’s post/comments. You expect him to reply to this kind of crap? Sigh…
Oh for sure: every personal attack should be left unanswered. It’s absolutely no use responding to that. My comment to you not answering (discussing) was not referring to personal attacks, it goes without saying those are not contributing one iota to anything.
However… subjects should be discussed (I think) notwithstanding the ‘language’ used. I’ve come to understand that a perfectly normal way of talking amongst Israeli’s is received by Palestinians as insulting or hurting when spoken to and the other way around it happens exactly the same. This is such a pity because it means discussions are stopped alltogether, while feeling sour at eachother and more convinced in one’s own prejudice because one looks only at the language used instead of at the things one has to say about the subject. I.o.w.: the discussion is kidnapped by language instead of the subject/opinion/dis-or-a-greement, where it is- basically, all about, no?
If this is a place only for expressing one-self and informing others of one’s views and how they’re seen by the poster, then I don’t think the potential this site definitely has got will ever be used. See, everybody has views and can express him/herself, but that won’t ‘connect’ anybody if the reader reads it differently from his/her point of view/perspective and is not able to interact with the poster to CLARIFY thoughts behind what’s written in words in the postings.
Anyway, I’m probably boring you – this is my view