It is always sad to see when two groups of equally stupid idiots descend on an educational institution:
Controversy had grown over the past week at the Midwood college, where nearly a fifth of the undergraduate population is Jewish, over the event organized by a student group, Students for Justice in Palestine. The college’s political science department agreed to co-sponsor the speakers along with more than two dozen other groups.
Jewish leaders on and off campus had criticized the college and its president, Karen L. Gould, for sponsoring the talk, which they said helped legitimize the B.D.S. movement, which refers to Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions. Its goal is to pressure Israel to restore disputed territories and grant equal rights to Palestinians.
The unfortunately named BDS movement (are these folks trying to make themselves look ridiculous on purpose?) is, of course, a group of idjets who are incapable of producing even a marginally interesting, insightful analysis of anything. All they can do is try to attract attention to their vaguely worded cause by promoting a series of ahistorical and unintelligent comparisons of things that cannot be compared. I would only go to one of their events if my insomnia got too severe for me to handle in any other manner.
At the same time, people who think it is up to them to decide what other folks should or should not discuss are also idjets. They would be better served taking this intense need to control away from the BDS and straight to the BDSM movement. At least, there they would do their thing in a consensual and civilized way. Their stupid and hysterical actions have lent credibility and respectability to a movement that would have had none otherwise. Smart move, turning a bunch of boring fools into martyrs for the cause of academic freedom.
Just consider how smarter it would have been to issue a statement saying, “We support and respect the right of the BDS to hold their meetings and discussions.” No, they had to go and provide such amazing PR for this traveling circus instead.
Clarissa's Blog 
What is it with people who make Palestine their pet issue anyway? Have they ever been there? Apart from Islamic chic, or slightly transgressive cool, would they like to embrace the culture? So many dilettantes in this world.
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Musteryou, twenty five years ago:
“What is it with people who make South Africa and apartheid their pet issue anyway? Have they ever been there? Apart from African chic, or slightly transgressive cool, would they like to embrace the culture? So many dilettantes in this world.”
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Yes, exactly. It’s all very chic and fine to be anticolonial, but almost all the anticolonials that opposed apartheid were and are dilettantes. I know a few who aren’t, but they have paid something to be opposed to the regime. One of my friends was born there and drafted into the South African army. His father was an opposer of apartheid, so they had to escape the country suddenly, to Germany. This guy’s grandfather had fought on the Nazi side in the German army.
Having such a mottled background can make you very messed up.
But people like him know what the cost is to accept or oppose any regime.
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Note that you have not answered any of these questions. 🙂 🙂
This is precisely why I say that the BDS movement is an effort of lazy minds. They seem so bored with their own cause that all they can do is substitute “Israel” for “apartheid” and sit there looking triumphant and self-important. They seem to believe that their battle has already been fought for them by South Africans and now nothing remains to be done but keep invoking the South African history.
It’s a little like if I would keep repeating, “Norwegian feminists! Norwegian feminists!” all the time.
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Or when the struggle for the independence of Ukraine was going on, we could just go, “India! Bolivia! Ecuador!”
The Indians, the Bolivians and the Ecuadorans all fought and found their own way. So did Ukrainians. And so will Palestinians, of course. But they will not be helped by the lazy folks who seem bored with the entire thing before it even began.
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Of course, the supporters of Israel are fucking things up even worse, which has been their way of going about it.
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Musteryou, on the wrong side of history, every fucking time.
“What is it with people who make Issue X their pet issue anyway? Are they of X ethnicity, have they ever been to X? So many dilettantes in this world. Tut tut.”
“Speaking out against issues?? I’m too cool for that!”
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Who is on the wrong side of history? Did you understand what I wrote? My friend certainly was, although he struggled, and still is struggling to be on the right side. My point is that this has a huge psychological toll. But I don’t think you understood what I said. You just want to point out that someone is on the wrong side of history and you disapprove.
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What are you thinking BDS might stand for? I’m not seeing anything especially unfortunate in this list: http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/BDS
Were you thinking of BVDs?
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I say it later in the post: BDSM. 🙂
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In theory, the BDS Movement promotes human rights, international justice, and peace. In practice, it advances the delegitimization of the State of Israel by undermining – whether explicitly or implicitly – its right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state.
…
It is very probable that many, and maybe even most, BDS supporters do not consider themselves to be delegitimizers, and genuinely aim to criticize Israeli policies. Their association with the Movement results from a purposeful effort advanced by the BDS Movement catalysts to depict it as apolitical and akin to progressive human rights movements, in order to harness the liberal European and North American elite and enlist wide public support.
However, in this document we seek to demonstrate how the BDS Movement Catalysts are clear delegitimizers, in many cases stated outright, and in others demonstrated by their: consistent singling out of Israel, efforts to undermine Israeli-Palestinian cooperation, promotion of the right of return, and comparison between Israel and apartheid. In addition, as far as BDS Movement catalysts are concerned, even selective or partial boycotts serve the overall goal of delegitimization.
http://reut-institute.org/en/Publication.aspx?PublicationId=3868
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I especially “liked” the part of the PDF named:
The BDS Movement seeks to undermine Israeli-Palestinian
cooperation
By encouraging full boycotts of, and severing ties with, Israel, the BDS Movement explicitly aims to undermine Israeli-Palestinian cooperation. This tactic both damages current projects and prevents the development of new cooperative frameworks. Often such policies are implemented in contradiction to actual Palestinian interests.
For many years, the Israeli Histadrut and its Palestinian counterpart, the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), had conducted close relations. Until last year, the heads of Palestinian trade unions had opposed boycotting the Histadrut. However, following a meeting with the British Trade Union Friends of Israel (TUFI), the head of the PGFTU Shahar Saed and the Mayor of Nablus Adel Yaish were pressured by the British BDS Movement to withdraw their traditional position and publicly call for a boycott of the Histadrut. (Global BDS Movement Web site, 11/25/09).
More examples in the PDF.
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Sadly, I have had a hard time following this kerfuffle simply because of the abbreviation.
My typical approach is to let obnoxious opinions be expressed, at one event, and then countered in a moderated setting, with limited time allowed. The uni. can say that it has not censored the students, the students can see and judge for themselves, and the “banned in Boston” mystique is taken from the controversial group.
Take it from one living in a town that has been targeted by Fred (“God Hates Fags”) Phelps several times. Fred is so repellent that he is a walking gay rights recruiter.
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“The uni. can say that it has not censored the students, the students can see and judge for themselves, and the “banned in Boston” mystique is taken from the controversial group.”
– That’s exactly what I think, too.
“Take it from one living in a town that has been targeted by Fred (“God Hates Fags”) Phelps several times. Fred is so repellent that he is a walking gay rights recruiter.”
– Is that in STL? Oy.
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