Friday, October 28, 2011

Pro-Israel Activists Counter SJP Anti-Israel Conference at Columbia University

Anti-Israel Conference permitted at Columbia to plot "Israel Apartheid Week 2012 "

October 16, 2011 This was a 3 day conference ( October 14-16)

The 1st National Students for "Justice" in "Palestine" (SJP) Conference 


 From the Jewish Forward:  

Pro-Palestinian Student Activists Plan Push

College Chapters Hope To Unite and Strengthen Protest of Israel


" SJP demonizes and delegitimizes Israel as an “apartheid”, “colonialist”, “oppressor” state and openly advocates and practices boycotts, divestments, sanctions (BDS) against Israel, creating an openly hostile environment for Israel supporters.

Organizers said they expected 300 attendees, all of them members or recent alumni of pro-Palestinian campus groups, and many of them members of campus groups that use the SJP name.

Since the founding of the first SJP at the University of California, Berkeley in 2001, the number of SJP groups has grown to over 75, according to the ADL.

Not all conference attendees will be members of groups that call themselves Students for Justice in Palestine. The Brandeis chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, an activist organization harshly critical of Israel, is sending a Brandeis junior named Morgan Conley as a representative.

“JVP definitely shares the same beliefs and goals that SJP has, so I think representing Brandeis JVP at the conference is an act of solidarity with SJP’s cause,” Conley said. “I think it’s definitely a really good way to start networking between the two groups.

Salahi said that Palestinians and Jews make up the largest national and religious groups on the conference’s steering committee. "


The Anti-Israel Conference, unopposed, was held ON campus at Columbia University.


Of course, the conference isn't the first time these students were fed such a heavy dose of racism.


("Conference organizers wore easily-distinguishable red shirts featuring the organization’s name on the back and an intricate design of a keffiyeh and a dove on the front")



But, we were pleased to see a counter-protest outside the campus gate.

DSCN9108 copy


This was on the third and final day of the Students for Justice in Palestine “teach-in". 


"Some protesters came independently, alerted by e-mails or social media.  Others were members of groups such as Americans for a Safe Israel, Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam,  Amcha-Coalition for Jewish Concerns, National Council on Jewish Affairs, and Liberals for Israel. " **

DSCN9109 copy

A peaceful counter protest meant to expose the lies that will be taught during Israel Apartheid Week 2012.

DSCN9115 copy

The unfettered hatred for Jews and Israel that is encouraged on our college campuses throughout North America by the conference.


DSCN9114 copy

Like the street theatre antics below, it must all be challenged


 "Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Chicago simulated an Israeli checkpoint"


In support of the SJP Conference, I found this blog post that tried to debunk the assertions of anti-Zionism at the 'teach-in. The writer presents a smug critique of an article written by JanSuzanne Krasner, 

He says,

"... neither Krasner or NCJA provide any evidence as to how this conference intimidates pro-Israel Jewish students. The conference is not anti-Israel and, thus, it is not an anti-pro-Israel-Jewish-student conference..." 

Fortunately, the video I made outside the conference (scroll down) quickly exposed his lies.  Many of the students speaking to us were clearly anti-Zionists. BTW- the kids in the red t-shirts were the planners of the conference not just participants... 

DSCN9249 copy
                                        
(Found info and pictures of conference at a blog called "16 minutes to Palestine" )

 

"Attendees and organizers, in red shirts, listen attentively during the SJP Conference’s opening"

I was impressed by how graciously our side reached out and genuinely listened to these kids, even though it must have been difficult to let them drone on spewing school-sanctioned propaganda, but they did. They listened.

DSCN9189 copy


DSCN9078 copy

This anti-Israel, anti-Jewish agitprop is all meant to provoke and we did have a few moments on our side when emotions flared, but that was it. Always a brief moment and then we would recover.

DSCN9168 copy


DSCN9280 copy


 On camera I caught one particular student who was determined to correct our LIES. ( the girl in burgundy)  She was listened to with the most courteous of objections. She calmly left and even returned to continue her assault on the truth and still she was treated with respect. However, at the end, she is one of those leading the hateful genocidal chants "From The River to the Sea" and "Israel is a terrorist State". "Fair and Balanced" was not on the SJP Conference Agenda....


OUR VIDEO:





Observing the counter-protest was CAIR-NY Civil Rights Manager, Cyrus McGoldrick. He happens to be  a convert to Islam; grew up Roman Catholic. After taking a few pictures, he just stood and watched. I spoke to him briefly. He puts on quite a friendly face and he's a Hip Hop / Poet, not just the CAIR- NY mucky-muck.  During our chat he reminded me that he, too, is an American and mentioned he was very uncomfortable with what some of our signs said.


DSCN9063 copy


DSCN9091 copy



DSCN9088 copy


 What is it with these Muslim kids and HIP HOP? It's so aggressive but perhaps that's all we need to know. It appeals to these disaffected youths because it is angry 'music' for angry kids.

 "Revolutionary hip hop artist and activist Immortal Technique blesses us with a new free mixtape filled with amazing features like Cornel West, Dead Prez, Styles P, Vinnie Paz, Joell Ortiz and top notch producers like the legendary J. Dilla and DJ Green Lantern. Support independent hip hop artist who support the people."


I've come nose to nose, literally, with one particularly violent 'fakestinian' female, Nancy. She's so obsessed with Hip Hop that she even manages Hip Hop 'artists' like  IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE (when she isn't on the streets spewing her venom against those....ZIONISTS!)

DSCN9086 copy

Nancy "The Brit". She's a monster of aggression towards the opposition when we photograph their rallies. Always wheres a kuffiya on her lovely face. Points and yells,  "ZIONIST" while she assaults and blocks cameras on a public street. (Kind of silly really, but it's her favorite past-time)

DSCN4648

DSCN4650


And the police just watch. Sometimes not even capable of hiding their scowls towards our Pro-Israel side . After all, they've just heard the buzz word "zionist" and "fascist". Guess all that CAIR Sensitivity Training is finally paying off (sarc intended)




 This is Nancy. Nancy Mansour. She's British. Uses the handle Harrabic Tubman and runs an vile anti-Israel organization  " Existence is Resistance" and she Hates Jews.




Nancy "Harrabic Tubman" is also an active participant in the Apartheid Planning Conference, hosting a Hip Hop Concert evening (of course)



These are some of the disrespectful, anti-Jewish antics of Nancy, nurtured and bred in such training sessions on our college campuses.





Nancy's anti-Semitic vandalism at left. A display she created in the mid-town Garment District.









Lots of Street Theatre when Fakestinians are around so #OWS was on the agenda. The SJP kids went down to the Occupation on Sunday the 16th, after the conference, to show their  support for the "occupation". Probably arranged by Cyrus since he and CAIR  are encouraging a Muslim presence at Zuccotti which continues at #OWS. (mostly on Fridays and Saturday)


"One SJP Conference organizer waits for the rest of the SJP contingency on its way to the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City."

Found this video of Cyrus at the OCW Jummah Prayers Show (on the 21st) Cyrus starts the video and speaks til about 2:25 (he returns at 9:54) It is a very  'pretty ' video of "Jummah Day".  Produced with pretty, pretty music. Lulling us into a peaceful state as we listen to the gentle, peaceful words. Just listen... listen...listen to the music.....

These kids are never going to stray from the 'party-line'





 More pictures in the Slide Show of our counter- protest:

 

UPDATE:

I took these pictures right after the arrest, I didn’t actually see what happened but, Fern Sidman apparently did. Here is a quote from her article that’s linked at the bottom of this post:

“Julian Rappaport, one of the demonstrators engaging with passers-by at the university’s gate, contended that the anti-Israel conference inside was not an expression of free speech, but “to give only one, incorrect side of the picture.Columbia has the responsibility to be more critical of what’s going on.” 

During a heated confrontation with an SJP member, who called for “the complete obliteration of the racist Zionist entity,” Mr. Rappaport was arrested by police for allegedly kicking the student and was charged with disorderly conduct. He was released soon thereafter and returned to the demonstration.”

The young man who made that offensive statement, calling for the ”obliteration of the Zionist entity”, is in the picture right after the handcuffs. He’s in shorts and is talking to the officer.

Next, the  article from Fern Sidman reporting on our Counter Protest  here

DSCN9081 copy

Am Yisrael Chai!

2 comments:

Juniper in the Desert said...

"Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Chicago simulated an Israeli checkpoint"

OK, how about pro-Israel groups simulating a suicide attack! Lets have gallons of blood/red paint and limbs and organs flying!! See how they like that! Or some stone throwing, using large chunks of concrete thrown at the students as they drive on/off campus in their cars!! How about hundreds of dolls with their throats cut to simulate the murders or innnocent children by pal murderers!!I wish I was there!

Red Squirrel (Pamela Hall) said...

Oh, my, Juniper,if only we could pull that off. What sweet PR revenge that would be!