New York Student Pays Tribute To UC Irvine Students

This letter was recently sent to me via the UC Irvine campus group, Anteaters for Israel.  It originates from a New York-based college student who saw a video UCI students made during a meeting with student government officials and felt compelled to write the following letter.  Certainly worth the read.

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Dear UCI Hillel,

I want to thank you for taking a stand against hate speech on college

campuses. The unfortunate events that transpired at your university on

February 8th shook me to the core of my being. It has been my

understanding that the political climate at UCI has not been Israel-

friendly for a while now, but that this was a new level of

intimidation, disrespect and disregard for people’s basic rights and

dignity. Even as far away as NYU (where I am a student), we felt the

impact of that night, and both the action and inaction of the various

parties concerned in the weeks following.

We feared that a terrible precedent had been set, not just that of a

new tactic to lambaste and shut down student-run activities, but that

the infinitesimal reaction on behalf of those who are supposed to

protect UCI students that did take place was encouraging to the

contingent that had invaded another group’s rightful and lawful

activity and stolen their voice away. If this type of activity is not

met with a harsh response, then it spreads; it spreads quickly and

broadly.

I would like to thank each and every one of you for speaking so

eloquently in defense of your rights as students in front of the ASUCI

Legislative Council . Know that not only did you represent yourselves

with dignity, not only that you represented every pro-Israel student

on every college campus in America, as well as every minority group

who is oppressed on every college campus in America, but that there

are those of us who recognize your immense contribution to our

efforts, peace of mind, security, and above all, dignity.

I cannot personally speak for others, but I do not exaggerate when I

say that the world became a more dangerous place for me on the night

of February 8th. I also do not exaggerate when I say that it became

safer and more secure on March 9th. Thank you for returning to me the

feeling of comfort in my right to speak freely, that I need not

anguish over my personal well-being when I take a stand for what I

believe in, and that the right to discussion and dialogue is not

arbitrarily dispensed by whatever the most numerous and intimidating

faction happens to be, but is fundamentally and universally awarded.

Even more than for your courage, I would also like to personally thank

each and every one of you for delivering your important and passionate

message in such a respectful and decent manner to the student

leadership at UCI. As I watched each of you speak on video, I felt a

sense of pride in being a part of the US-Jewish-collegiate community

with you all. The restraint you showed in the manner and content of

your gracefully and impeccably delivered speeches speaks volumes about

you all, both individually and as a community. It gives me hope to see

you not only refusing to participate in the same kind of tactics that

have been used on you by an inconsiderate and unjust crowd, but

responding to it by exemplifying the standards that you call for,

namely dignity and tolerance. You have become ambassadors for the

Jewish people on par with the greatest in our collective memory.

Thank you for speaking up for me, for making me feel safe, and for

filling me with pride. I wish each of you a wonderful and happy

Passover in whatever way you choose to experience it, and to note that

the Jewish holiday of freedom is especially sweet this year thanks to

each of you.

Sincerely,

Joshua Savitt

NYU ’11

Media Stories of Interest to Orange County

There have been quite a few media stories posted this week about the Orange County, CA Community.

For example, late this afternoon, OC Register College Life reporter Gary Robbins wrote that UC Irvine has retained a crisis management expert to help the university through the current debacle.  Alan Hillburg, of Hilburg and Associates has been retained out of Washington D.C. has been named by Robbins as the person that will assist the Anteater administration.

KPCC Radio’s program Airtalk with Larry Mantle covered the recent visit to UCI by Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren events.  You can click here to listen to the show.  Mantle discussed the rights of free speech and how far it should be allowed and he also took sound-bites from the event and used it on the program.  Community members called in and voiced their opinion.

“Jewish Leaders Want U.C. Irvine to React Powerfully” is the title of an article written by JTA’s Ben Harris that you might want to click on and read.  Shalom Elcott, Chief Executive of Jewish Federation Orange County, is quoted in the article as saying “While it’s nice to condemn hate speech in general, we expect a very specific response from the University of California leadership based on what transpired in that room.”

Another article, published by JWeekly.com, a northern California newspaper (which also ran the JTA article listed above) is calling Oren’s visit “The UC Irvine Debacle” This article begins with…. “News outlets around the world reported on the relentless heckling Oren received during a Feb. 8 speech at U.C. Irvine”  — Note to readers, see above — UCI hiring of crisis management expert.  It is sad to see the University trashed like this.

I might suggest you also make at least one more visit, to Inside HigherEd. The site that states on its web site that states it is the online source for news, opinion and jobs for all of higher education. The article states “Most higher education leaders welcome vocal protests outside a speaking venue and quiet protest (leaflets, for example) inside, but draw the line at interrupting speakers.”

Two additional stories you may not have seen…..

The OC Register ran one about disciplinary letters sent to UCI protesters from the university office of judicial affairs.

UC Irvine founding Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky penned a new article for the JewishJournal.com titled The Reality of the University of California, Irvine.  Make no mistake about where he stands.  His opening sentence of the story reads, “The claim that the University of California, Irvine is inhospitable to Jews is so far from reality that one must wonder whether those making the accusation have ever been on the campus or spoken to Jewish students and faculty there.”

There is just not enough room in a blog to mention the hundreds of media stories of interest to Orange County residents.  I wish I were mentioning positive events, quieter times.  For now, we will work through all of the issues together.