Must See Video From Jewish Students at UC Irvine

It is finals week at UC Irvine but that does not mean the Jewish students on campus are taking it easy.  Besides having to worry about grades  and eventually spring break, 35 students representing various campus groups attended a student government meeting last week when they  probably should have been studying.  However, this issue was important.

Let’s briefly review the last 6 weeks or so.  On February 8th, Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren came to the school to address the students and the community.  The Muslim student union, in an organized protest, tried to prevent the Ambassador from giving his speech and as a result,  11 people were arrested.

The Muslims then led protests on campus (see other videos in this blog) and while the University investigates, everyone awaits a decision.  The District attorney is also awaiting the outcome of the University investigation.

That said, ASUCI, the student government at UC Irvine, passed legislation condoning the disrupters behavior and condemned the administration for excessive punishment.  Let’s be clear.  ASUCI, passed a resolution in support of the 11 arrested students without knowing all of the issues.

This resolution was mentioned  in the blog a little over a week ago and if you want to read more, you can click here.  The Jewish students on campus had heard enough and wanted one voice to be present and to ask what the student government was thinking when they passed the resolution in support of the Irvine 11.

The following video, documents this meeting with the student government, where they asked why ASUCI is not speaking for the Jewish students and also asking the student government to defend the free speech of visitors like Ambassador Oren.  The name of the video is UC Irvine Jewish Students Break the Silence

The students are also working to repeal the last legislation.  The following information is from the ASUCI web site. It will most likely be voted on Week 1 or 2 of Spring Quarter.

REQUEST FOR ACTION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

All requests may be typed and submitted to the Executive Vice President no later 5:00 p.m. Thursday in order to be included in the agenda for the following Tuesday. The Executive Vice President reserves the right to delay the Request for Action to a later Council session if the Executive Vice President feels the agenda for the next schedule meeting is full.

Item Number: 100 Legislation Number (B: Bill, R: Resolution): R45-82
Author: Carson Hobart Second: Walter Rodriguez
Synopsis: Resolution Condoning Students Rights To Meet in an Unrestricted Environment
Date of Presentation: 03.09.10

Whereas, on February 8th, 2010 the University of California, Irvine welcomed the Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, to discuss United States – Israel relations,

Whereas, eleven students in the crowd stood up and spoke out against the Ambassador, expressing their political opinion,

Whereas this event, and others like it, have created an unstable atmosphere on campus regarding the rights of students and free speech,

Whereas, the University of California is committed to fostering a safe and open environment for the free exchange of ideas,

Whereas, the University of California appreciates and celebrates diversity,

Whereas, disrupters (of any value, belief, or group) of any campus event poorly represent the values and foundations of the University of California as a whole,

Whereas, Mark G. Yudof (President of University of California) publically admitted that, “Chancellor Drake is responsible for ensuring members of the campus community at the University of California, Irvine [be] allowed to exercise their own speech rights, [and] a university is a special place for the exchange of view and ideas, and it is critical that our policies be conductive to a spirited intellectual life” [1],

Whereas, UCI also serves as an environment for the free expression of ideas on anybody’s behalf through scheduled forum,

Whereas, every student is entitled freedom of speech by the U.S. Constitution,

Whereas, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore announced that, “Free speech in America doesn’t mean you have a right to shout [people] down…It means you can have your own event and protest, but you should do so elsewhere,” emphasizing mutual respect [2],

Whereas one’s freedom of speech is inhibited by another’s expression of freedom of speech in a disorganized fashion,

Whereas, a precedent protecting students and their right to convene uninterrupted should be established to continue to serve the image of UCI’s safe and respectable environment,

Whereas, respect should be an utmost priority for every individual on the University of California,Irvine campus,

Whereas, the desire to foster healthy debate still remains to be a privilege of this campus’ students,

Whereas, Resolution R45-66 presented on 03.04.10 titled, “Resolution condemning academic repercussions for nonviolent protest,” set an unforeseen precedent that no meeting, of any type, and no speaker from any organization, is protected against impediments of opposing viewpoints,

Let it be resolved that a protocol be designed that protects the rights of individuals and groups by providing the opportunity to be heard in a respectful environment.

Furthermore, let it be resolved that from this moment forward this right should be guaranteed to anyone on campus and protected by the administration; this respect may be preserved by punishing those responsible for disrespectful interruptions as seen fit by the University of California, Irvine administration.

[1] President Yudof’s response to those writing him re the UCI Muslim Student Union’s series, Israel: the Politics of Genocide

[2] Article on Southern California Public Radio website discussing the Michael Oren event-

DeVore (quoted) is seeking the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.