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Not in Our Voice
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 22, 2007
We, the Progressive Jewish Alliance, repudiate the mission of David Horowitz’s “Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week.” We reject the manner in which he manipulates Jewish grief over the Holocaust and the situation in Israel. As Jews and members of a larger campus coalition community, we speak out as allies of our fellow Muslim students.
Horowitz does not speak for us. Instead, he uses symbols and rhetoric which exploit Jewish communal memory and grief. He uses the fear brought about by the Holocaust as well as by terrorist attacks against our fellow Jews. He juxtaposes images of Nazi propaganda with current Islamic extremists. By associating these images with broad groups haphazardly labeled “Islamo-Fascist,” Horowitz seeks to replace intellectual discussion with panic. Such malevolent tactics are of no service to the Jewish people; rather, they are an attempt to induce Jews into sacrificing their values for a world view of oversimplified fear.
Horowitz claims to support moderate Islam, but does nothing of the sort. Horowitz’s “Student’s Guide” features a petition “appeal” aimed at Muslim Student Associations across the country. This “appeal” is in fact a loyalty oath, in which Muslims are forced to choose between denouncing their entire religion as a danger to humanity and being branded as terrorist sympathizers. Such a narrow-minded approach does not aid moderates, but seeks to strand them between two radical and untenable positions.
Horowitz’s anti-Muslim week of action aims to create a dangerous and false dichotomy between “Judeo-Christian Civilization” and Islam, both on our campuses and in the world. Horowitz points to the atrocities of extremist regimes, which are driven by a range of historical, political, and economic factors, and claims such atrocities embody the essence of Islam. By this logic, geopolitical conflict can only be resolved with the end of Islam. Such a headstrong and stubborn conviction could only result in enflaming tensions, and provoking a New Crusade against Islam.
We refuse to lend our voice to those who attempt to parasitically draw on the support of the Jewish community. We are not fooled by pundits who co-opt progressive activists’ language and protest forms. Instead, we stand as allies with communities of faith and our fellow students. Mr. Horowitz: You will not further your campaign of hate and intolerance in our voice.
Shira Gordon is a senior in Barnard College. Alana Krivo-Kaufman is a junior in Barnard College. Joshua Schwartz is a senior in List College. Shlomo Bolts is a sophomore in Columbia College. The authors are all members of the Progressive Jewish Alliance.
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Nice article. always impressed by the activism of Jewish students - without whom this world would be full of bigots fighting each other and burning us along the way.
"Without Jewish students the world would be full of bigots...burning us along the way?" I mean..I mean...talk about infantile mental gymnastics. How did you ever get into this school? Some kind of affirmative action for overpriviledged imbeciles?
thank you so much for attempting to counterbalance the disgusting and truly hurtful hate on this webpage.
Nice to see the right-wing trolls out in force. I suspect IFAW is more about energizing the Islamophobic, neo-con, and anti-intellectual net roots than Columbia students.
RE "right-wing trolls' comment: Define Islamophobia for me, please.
Webster would probably define it as "an irrational fear of Islam." But is it an irrational fear? Have we nothing to fear from Islam or Islamists?
This would be the equivalent of the term "Germanophobia" or "Nipponophobia" during World War II. It goes without saying that the German and Japanese societies at the time were both culturally and technologically sophisticated. But it would NOT take into account that these societies were dominated and permeated by those who subjugated those societies, like Hitler and Tojo, and effectively controlled all things German and Japanese, nor the twisting of noble cultural mythos, symbology and icons into tools with which to justify murder, mayhem, conquest and the indiscriminate bombing of civilians in Nanking, Warsaw and all over Europe and the Pacific.
Islamophobia is a term used by radical Muslims and their sympathizers, like the JPA, to color all those who speak against the horrors of Islam as being against ALL Islam, when nothing could be further from the truth. It is a means of deflecting blame and responsibility onto the victims, and it is inexcusable knowing what we know is happening within Islam today.
Perhaps "Islamist-phobia" would be a more apropos term. I do, however, believe that Islamofascism is an appropriate description for those who justify those same horrors and thirst for conquest in the name of Islam. Like Catholicism before it, Islam MUST reform itself before its radical adherents bring Armageddon down on our heads, as they have so clearly stated is their goal.
" ...We, the Progressive Jewish Alliance, repudiate the mission of David Horowitz’s “Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week.” We reject the manner in which he manipulates Jewish grief over the Holocaust and the situation in Israel. As Jews and members of a larger campus coalition community, we speak out as allies of our fellow Muslim students. ... "
in an effort to judge you "in the scale of merit",
could you please give *any* examples where your Muslim fellow students
spoke out against atrocities committed by Islamic extremists against Jews ?
i would love to enter into a rationale dialog with you,
with quotes and sources for what you and i say
in the long run,
please remember,
other fellow Jews will help you when you are bodily threatened and/or attacked,
the majority of mainstream media will be 'silent' ,
while your Muslim 'friends' , at best, will not take an active hand in harming you,
but will certainly not condemn those Islamists who may attack you
i beg you,
not to sacrifice yourselves
on the altar of liberalism,
which defends the rights of only 'select' groups,
and not all humanity equally
may we each and all see through whatever blind spots we have ...
exdemexlib
Thanks for engaging this.
Some examples of Moslems condemning extremist atrocities?
Well, for one thing, I remember Iranian students expressing their opposition to Ahmeddinijad when he came to campus. CAIR has opposed secular restrictions on Jewish garments in France. And Ahmeddinijad expressed condolences to America after 9/11.
Ultimately, your claims are a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we assume inhumanity in Moslems, then it follows that they can not hear reason. It in turn follows from this that the only way to end terrorism is to end Islam. Thus, using your logic leaves us no choice but to go on Crusade.
Or, we could begin to break down hostilities.
" ... Some examples of Moslems condemning extremist atrocities?
Well, for one thing, I remember Iranian students expressing their opposition to Ahmeddinijad when he came to campus. CAIR has opposed secular restrictions on Jewish garments in France. And Ahmeddinijad expressed condolences to America after 9/11. ... "
Ahmadinijad expressed condolences, but did not condemn the perpetrators,
CAIR's opposition to garment restrictions was entirely self-serving in that the right to wear the hijab needed to be defended
where are the condemnations of the *atrocities* ?
" ...Ultimately, your claims are a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we assume inhumanity in Moslems, then it follows that they can not hear reason. It in turn follows from this that the only way to end terrorism is to end Islam. Thus, using your logic leaves us no choice but to go on Crusade.
Or, we could begin to break down hostilities. ..."
the cornerstone of any dialog and beginning of breaking down hostilities,
is mutual respect and recognition of the rights of the other
your stance is that any attempt to criticize Muslim gross violations of civil-rights,
is an *attack* on the Religion of Islam
it is not,
it is a desperate outreach effort to those Muslims who claim to live a life of peace and beauty as guided by the *proper* understanding of Islam,
to vehemently condemn atrocities that they claim are *not* within the teachings of Islam,
and to convince the radical element that their violent intolerance,
will not be accepted by mainstream Islam
if the combined effort of all such peaceful Muslims, and understanding liberals such as yourselves, *cannot* prevent radicalization and atrocities,
then yes, i'm afraid you are correct,
the atrocities will have to be fought and prevented,
the innocents have to be protected,
and when peaceful means are 'exhausted'
then 'radical groups' who are avowed on harming the innocent,
will have to be stopped by 'more effective and definitive means'
i take no pleasure in this,
and am willing to try and advocate for all peaceful means first
peaceful means,
does *not* imply
surrender to Islam,
and establishing a system where everyone else's rights are secondary to Muslims'
(clearly set forth repeatedly in Sharia law,
and the expressly stated goal of many Muslims in western countries)
so,
back to trying to establish a dialog
under what circumstances of gross violations of Human Rights by Muslims,
will you consider criticism appropriate
by *your own* liberal standards?
child abuse?
murder?
slavery?
violence against women?
rape?
honor killings?
destruction of houses of worship?
numerous unprovoked murders of Buddhists and Nuns
just because of their religion?
genocide?
how about when things have reached the state that
ALL THE ABOVE
have been committed and continue to be committed?!?
how can you ignore the suffering of all those innocents,
and insist on being silent,
because of some incomprehensible transcendent liberal tenet,
that 'some' groups just"cannot' be criticized,
no matter how many human rights are trampled upon ?!?
exdemexlib
1. A condemnation of atrocities. Here goes...
Quran: "Fight in the path of God those who fight you, but do not aggress. Surely God does not love the aggressors. And fight them where you come upon them"
UCLA: http://www.nationalreview.com/...
On the web: http://www.islamdenouncesterro...
CAIR: http://islam.about.com/cs/curr...
The list goes on and on.
2. "under what circumstances of gross violations of Human Rights by Muslims,
will you consider criticism appropriate
by *your own* liberal standards?"
By the way, just how serious are YOU about human rights? Did you attend this week's Amnesty International meeting? If you did, you'de have seen the "leftists" all sign a petition seeking to end human rights abuses in Morocco. There were also plenty of "leftists" among the 200,000 strong who have attended demonstrations for Darfur over the past three years. In fact, Jewish progressives were largely at the forefront of this effort.
Criticism of human rights abuses is always appropriate, and necessary and laudable--providing the intentions are geniune. But criticising human rights abuses is immoral when it is meant as no more than a national insult. Every time Ahmeddinijad condemns Israeli abuses of Palestinians it makes me nauseous, because he clearly does not care about them. He is just using their suffering to justify his own hatred of Israel. In doing so, he only makes the Israeli-Palstinian conflict more intractable, by strengthening the associations between empathy for Palestinians and antisemitism.
I consider Horowitz and Co. the conservative counterpoint to Ahmeddinijad. Horowitz does not care a whit about human rights. He thinks that Blacks should thank whites for slavery. On his webite, there is not one petition to end unlawful detentions, not one appeal to donate for the woman's school he is founding. All we can find are many condemnations of human rights abuses, mixed in with alternated references to "Islamofascism" and Islam in general. In my opinion, this is immoral because it is not meant to remedy the situation--only to bolster the claim that "Islam has never known a Renaissance, a Reformation, or an Enlightenment." I might add that this causes tremendous damage to human rights groups in Islamic countries, because their rulers now get to associate them with "anti-Islamofascism".
So just as I came out against Ahmeddinijad, I plan to be at the Friday speakout to protest this man.
" ... 1. A condemnation of atrocities. Here goes...
Quran: "Fight in the path of God those who fight you, but do not aggress. Surely God does not love the aggressors. And fight them where you come upon them" ''
here are some other quotes, perhaps someone can reconcile them with the above
Qur'an:8:12 "I shall terrorize the infidels. So wound their bodies and
incapacitate them because they oppose Allah and His Apostle."
Qur'an:8:57 "If you gain mastery over them in battle, inflict such a
defeat as would terrorize them, so that they would learn a lesson and be
warned."
Qur'an:8:67 "It is not fitting for any prophet to have prisoners until he
has made a great slaughter in the land."
Ishaq:326 "If you come upon them, deal so forcibly as to terrify those
who would follow, that they may be warned. Make a severe example of them by
terrorizing Allah's enemies."
Ishaq:326 "Allah said, ‘No Prophet before Muhammad took booty from his enemy nor prisoners for ransom.' Muhammad said, ‘I was made victorious with terror. The earth was made a place for me to clean. I was given the most powerful words. Booty was made lawful for me. I was given the power to intercede. These five privileges were awarded to no prophet before me.'"
Ishaq:327 "Allah said, ‘A prophet must slaughter before collecting captives. A slaughtered enemy is driven from the land. Muhammad, you craved the desires of this world, its goods and the ransom captives would bring. But Allah desires killing them to manifest the religion.'"
Qur'an:7:3 "Little do you remember My warning. How many towns have We destroyed as a raid by night? Our punishment took them suddenly while they slept for their afternoon rest. Our terror came to them; Our punishment overtook them."
Qur'an:33:26 "Allah made the Jews leave their homes by terrorizing them so that you killed some and made many captive. And He made you inherit their lands, their homes, and their wealth. He gave you a country you had not traversed before."
Qur'an:59:2 "It was Allah who drove the [Jewish] People of the Book from their homes and into exile. They refused to believe and imagined that their strongholds would protect them against Allah. But Allah came at them from where they did not suspect, and filled their hearts with terror. Their homes were destroyed. So learn a lesson, O men who have eyes. This is My warning...they shall taste the torment of Fire."
Qur'an:9:5 "Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take
them captive, harass them, lie in wait and ambush them using every stratagem
of war."
Qur'an:9:29 "Fight those who do not believe until they all surrender,
paying the protective tax in submission."
Qur'an:8:39 "Fight them until all opposition ends and all submit to
Allah."
Qur'an:8:39 "So fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief
[non-Muslims]) and all submit to the religion of Allah alone (in the whole
world)."
Ishaq:324 "He said, ‘Fight them so that there is no more rebellion, and
religion, all of it, is for Allah only. Allah must have no rivals.'"
Ishaq:587 "Our onslaught will not be a weak faltering affair. We shall
fight as long as we live. We will fight until you turn to Islam, humbly
seeking refuge. We will fight not caring whom we meet. We will fight whether
we destroy ancient holdings or newly gotten gains. We have mutilated every
opponent. We have driven them violently before us at the command of Allah and
Islam. We will fight until our religion is established. And we will plunder
them, for they must suffer disgrace."
Bukhari:V4B53N386 "Our Prophet, the Messenger of our Lord, ordered us to
fight you till you worship Allah alone or pay us the Jizyah tribute tax in
submission. Our Prophet has informed us that our Lord says: ‘Whoever amongst
us is killed as a martyr shall go to Paradise to lead such a luxurious life as
he has never seen, and whoever survives shall become your master.'"
Tabari IX:69 "Arabs are the most noble people in lineage, the most
prominent, and the best in deeds. We were the first to respond to the call of
the Prophet. We are Allah's helpers and the viziers of His Messenger. We fight
people until they believe in Allah. He who believes in Allah and His Messenger
has protected his life and possessions from us. As for one who disbelieves, we
will fight him forever in the Cause of Allah. Killing him is a small matter to
us."
Qur'an:48:16 "Say (Muhammad) to the wandering desert Arabs who lagged
behind: ‘You shall be invited to fight against a people given to war with
mighty prowess. You shall fight them until they surrender and submit. If you
obey, Allah will grant you a reward, but if you turn back, as you did before,
He will punish you with a grievous torture."
Qur'an:47:4 "When you clash with the unbelieving Infidels in battle
(fighting Jihad in Allah's Cause), smite their necks until you overpower them,
killing and wounding many of them. At length, when you have thoroughly subdued
them, bind them firmly, making (them) captives. Thereafter either generosity
or ransom (them based upon what benefits Islam) until the war lays down its
burdens. Thus are you commanded by Allah to continue carrying out Jihad
against the unbelieving infidels until they submit to Islam."
Tabari IX:25 "By Allah, I did not come to fight for nothing. I wanted a
victory over Ta'if so that I might obtain a slave girl from them and make her
pregnant."
Muslim:C9B1N29 "Command For Fighting Against People So Long As They
Do Not Profess That There Is No Ilah (God) But Allah And Muhammad Is His
Messenger: When the Messenger breathed his last and Bakr was appointed Caliph,
many Arabs chose to become apostates [rejected Islam]. Abu Bakr said: ‘I will
definitely fight against anyone who stops paying the Zakat tax, for it is an
obligation. I will fight against them even to secure the cord used for
hobbling the feet of a camel which they used to pay if they withhold it now.'
Allah had justified fighting against those who refused to pay Zakat."
" ... UCLA: http://www.nationalreview.com/...
i agree,
if you are telling me that your Muslim friends are the likes of
Khaled Abou El Fadl, then i applaud you
(and to speak plainly, i applaud THEM )
i would suspect that 'he' *does* support the IFAW
" ... On the web: http://www.islamdenouncesterro..."
a very hopeful site,
but as with CAIR,
only general platitudes,
they have yet to speak plainly and declare:
"we are against Al-Quaida and will help in any way that will prevent their terrorism"
it is entirely possible that they have good cause to be deathly afraid to speak in this way,
similar to those faced with atrocities of organized crime in civilized countries who are afraid to speak out ...
all the more reason for an armed presence of coalition forces to help them speak out and be freed once and for all from terror
" ... The list goes on and on. "
absolutely,
but the list that supports sanctioned Muslim terror by the highest Muslim religious authorities,
is unfortunately much greater,
and needs to be specifically addressed by mainstream Muslims how it is inaccurate on religious grounds,
so that religious fundamentalists do not become terrorists
" ... By the way, just how serious are YOU about human rights? ..."
serious enough that i could no longer remain a liberal,
when the overwhelming majority of liberal activists *refused*
to hear anything about atrocities of Muslims against Jews, Christians, Buddhists, or even other Muslims
i support the human rights of *all* humanity equally
(and should we actually ever encounter life in space,
then i support the rights of all sentient beings,)
it is because of this, that i wonder how people can turn a blind eye to the selective silence of the liberal agenda
" ... Criticism of human rights abuses is always appropriate, and necessary and laudable--providing the intentions are geniune. But criticising human rights abuses is immoral when it is meant as no more than a national insult. ..."
i hear you,
but do you seriously mean to say that gross violations such as murder, slavery, etc. should not be addressed because of this,
imagine if there were a traffic accident, and someone is morally wounded in the street,
and a despicable person who cares only about making the news, goes to pick up the stretcher,
would you avoid assisting and leave the innocent to die,
just to keep the other person from getting publicity ?
" ... There were also plenty of "leftists" among the 200,000 strong who have attended demonstrations for Darfur ..."
it was a sign of hope,
but i don't remember any of the 'leftists directly criticizing the Arab regimes
(btw, i consider myself a 'centrist' (or at least would like to be a true 'balanced' one,
not allowing the 'left' or 'right' agendas to interfere with Truth) )
" ... So just as I came out against Ahmeddinijad, I plan to be at the Friday speakout to protest this man. "
please remember that Mr.Horowitz has an impressive leftist activist background,
and did not reach his present beliefs without a great deal of reflection and cause,
you might consider asking him how he arrived at his present outlook ...
if you believe in your stance,
then i ask you to use your opportunity when speaking,
to organize a balanced conference about religious Islamic teachings at Columbia,
invite the most authoritative Islamic scholars and historians,
and also invite Robert Spencer, Nonie Darwish, and Khaled Abou El Fadl,
and guarantee each side the equal opportunity to speak without being heckled,
so that they may be heard,
and insist that the speeches be kept to the facts addressed, and not to personal attacks,
and let the Truth prevail ...
btw,
what is your opinion of the following:
http://www.bibleinterp.com/art...
(you can e-mail your response if you consider this off-topic)
exdemexlib
"absolutely,
but the list that supports sanctioned Muslim terror by the highest Muslim religious authorities,
is unfortunately much greater,
and needs to be specifically addressed by mainstream Muslims how it is inaccurate on religious grounds,
so that religious fundamentalists do not become terrorists"
I agree. But how on earth is that cause advanced by Horowitz's anti-Moslem week of action? It only makes it easier for radical fundamentalists to denounce Jihadis as traitors to the faith. It is harder to be introspective when you are being assaulted by so many right-wing pundits at once.
"imagine if there were a traffic accident, and someone is morally wounded in the street,
and a despicable person who cares only about making the news, goes to pick up the stretcher,
would you avoid assisting and leave the innocent to die,
just to keep the other person from getting publicity ?"
Wrong analogy because, as I said before, Horowitz has not actually DONE anything to help human rights in the Islamic world. All he does is talk about how terrible things are. So the correct analogy would be that this despicable person sees the accident, and then blocks well-meaning bystanders from picking up the stretcher so that he can rail against the perpetrators on national TV. If I were in that situation, I would shove that person out of the way so that the rescue could begin.
Bin Laden's remarks on Darfur show what he fears most. He does not fear the hateful militaristic rhetoric of Horowitz and Friends. Such rhetoric only throws power to militant funamentalists as opposed to moderate reformers. On the other hand, Bin Laden DOES fear a grassroots human rights movement that works to help Moslems in good faith. Such a movement lends credence to those on both sides who favor peace over endless battle.
Your suggestion that I protest Bin Laden is blocking the stretcher instead of saving the victim. Sudanese President Umar Bashir has been working to tie the SaveDarfur movement to "Anti-IslamoFascism" for years now, which should tell you how much your protest would help Darfuris.
"absolutely,
but the list that supports sanctioned Muslim terror by the highest Muslim religious authorities,
is unfortunately much greater,
and needs to be specifically addressed by mainstream Muslims how it is inaccurate on religious grounds,
so that religious fundamentalists do not become terrorists"
I agree. But how on earth is that cause advanced by Horowitz's anti-Moslem week of action? It only makes it easier for radical fundamentalists to denounce Jihadis as traitors to the faith. It is harder to be introspective when you are being assaulted by so many right-wing pundits at once.
"imagine if there were a traffic accident, and someone is morally wounded in the street,
and a despicable person who cares only about making the news, goes to pick up the stretcher,
would you avoid assisting and leave the innocent to die,
just to keep the other person from getting publicity ?"
Wrong analogy because, as I said before, Horowitz has not actually DONE anything to help human rights in the Islamic world. All he does is talk about how terrible things are. So the correct analogy would be that this despicable person sees the accident, and then blocks well-meaning bystanders from picking up the stretcher so that he can rail against the perpetrators on national TV. If I were in that situation, I would shove that person out of the way so that the rescue could begin.
Bin Laden's remarks on Darfur show what he fears most. He does not fear the hateful militaristic rhetoric of Horowitz and Friends. Such rhetoric only throws power to militant funamentalists as opposed to moderate reformers. On the other hand, Bin Laden DOES fear a grassroots human rights movement that works to help Moslems in good faith. Such a movement lends credence to those on both sides who favor peace over endless battle.
Your suggestion that I protest Bin Laden is blocking the stretcher instead of saving the victim. Sudanese President Umar Bashir has been working to tie the SaveDarfur movement to "Anti-IslamoFascism" for years now, which should tell you how much your protest would help Darfuris.
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
" ... There were also plenty of "leftists" among the 200,000 strong who have attended demonstrations for Darfur ..."
here is a report on Osama bin Laden's position on this
Bin Laden calls for jihad on Darfur force
here is a chance for people truly concerned about human rights and slavery to directly protest about bin Laden and his supporters,
or at the very least,
insure that the current Islamic government, if it is to remain in power,
will no longer have *ANY* slavery within its borders
it is time to stand up for Truth,
even when the perpetrator enjoys 'liberal protected status'
exdemexlib
It's a jihad stupid!They hate Jews, Christians, Hindu's and all infidels. Killing, dominating and terrorising infidels is Allah's command (and besides it's fun). Islamofascism is an ideology that justifies rape, murder and plunder. It is a supremacist ideology. It is beyond silly to read the delusions of few kids who describe themselves as progressive Jews who think ignoring violence and appologizng for racism is hip.
David Horowitz and the rest in this campaign are not the reason for our miseries as Muslims. Our miseries didn't evolve as a result of the activities of these few individuals. Our miseries were, and continue to be, brought up, progressed and further exasperated by the centuries of tyrannical, despotism and criminality of the regimes of 95% of the Muslim world. Ironically it is the work of organizations, such as CAIR which diabolically conceals its activities behind a burke they call Islamic civil liberties, that enables Muslim tyrants to carry n policies which eventually backfire at Muslims and Islam. CAIR’s activities for example enables despots like a 70 years old Arab king to behave in such a manner that will further perpetuate many of these perceptions that will rightfully be exploited by individuals like David Horowitz.
All of the Arab countries that surround the Persian Gulf engage in the most devastating atrocities against humanity. Dubai which became playground to the rich and famous and the CEOs of the west thrived only because of their exploitation of labor and white slavery. These regimes are a threat not only to Islam and Muslims but to the entire humanity. For example, Dubai was a major hub for Saddam’s oil smuggling operations for 12 years. Dubai just recently donated millions of dollars to CAIR.
The billions of dollars that Dubai had earned while enabling Saddam in strangling Iraqis are being used today, as we speak, to further strangle and destroy Iraq. Dubai is funding many of the terrorists’ activities that are taking place in Iraq.
Morons !
Denial of the truth, utopian pacifism and self inflicted Jewish denigration. It takes a lot of education/ liberal socialization to become so selfdestructively foolish! Jewish Islamophiles must be suffering from some variation of the Stockholm syndrome....identification with the aggressor! Woe to those who call good evil and evil good!
Islam from its own testimony, the Koran, exhalts the destruction of infidels (Christians and Jews). While most Muslims are unaware of their own theology (cultural Muslims), they provide a huge recruiting pool ready to be educated into their relgious obligations and the methods of Mohammed
All I can say is that American lefties are as blind and crazy as those in Europe.
It was supposed to say "...provoking a New Crusade against Islam; we want no part in that crusade, as the last one did not work out to well for the Jewish people...", but I guess someone took that out.
How can you all speak against people who decide to stick up for what they believe in. You fools think that Islam is a religion of violence and terror? Have you ever been to an MSA meeting? Have you ever been to a mosque to actually hear a scholar speak about Islam? You all are making these comments in seeming ignorance, just blinded by the sound bites that people like Horowitz and Pipes give you.
What is truly sickening to this Columbia College and Medical school grad, is that there are young people fighiting and dying to defend the right of these fools. These are Jewish apostates--but as Cynthia Ozick has pointed out, these apostates insist on their Jewishness while embracing the Jew haters who will destroy them.
how dare you accuse us of apostasy. i am a committed, observant, passionate Jew, shomer mitzvot and filled to the brim with ahavat Torah. your words are hurtful, and i am sorry to point out that it is YOU accusing and insulting Jews, namely myself and my friends.
Filled to the brim, surely, but with what?
I have kept the Shabbat and Kashrut since I was in the womb. My mission is to bring the Messiah, who will only come when the prophecy of Isiah is fulfilled and the WHOLE world is repaired.
A Pop Quiz For My Jewish Friends at JPA Columbia:
1. Iranian President Amedinejad stated that Palestine is suffering its own holocaust because the Jews of Israel have become today's Nazis. His solution would be for Europe and America to take in all the Jews in Israel and give Palestine to the Palestinians.
Would such a state, evacuated and freely given, become a model of democracy or a terrorist state, as Hamas-controlled Gaza has become? Would it result in worldwide peace among Muslims and Jews, or would it only embolden Islamic extremists to finish the hated Jews off once and for all?
2. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah stated that "it would be nice if all the Jews came to Israel so that we would not have to hunt them down worldwide." Do you take him (and his followers) at his word? If not, why not?
3. Are you familiar with the radical goals of organizations like the Muslim Students Association? If so, why do you side with them? If not, why not?
4. Is hate and intolerance equal among "extreme minorities" of all religions? If so, please list 10 events comparable in scope and scale to 9/11, the London and Madrid bombings, the Zarqawi beheading videos, the Theo van Gogh assassination, the Danish Embassy attacks and the Rushdie fatwa of death that have been committed by Catholics, Jews, Protestants, Buddhists, etc. Include only those events that have happened within your lifetimes.
5. Iran today is fast becoming the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan of yesterday. Women are beaten and arrested for clothing or hairstyles, female adulterers ONLY are being stoned and hung, and gay men are being murdered only for being who they are. Is this Islamofascism, or merely "cultural differences"? And do you feel comfortable with this apocalyptic Iranian head of state, who has sworn the destruction of Israel and America, acquiring nuclear weapons?
THESE are some of the issues IFAW intends to address. Ignore them at your peril.
Refreshing! As one on the "right" I've got to say I don't remember reading a series of responses to liberal silliness that were so well composed & so obvious in their logic (most of them anyway). I doubt Gordon, Krivo-Kaufman, Schwartz or Bolts are likely to "come around" to the big, bad, ugly truth but we can pray for 'em!
• Mein Kampf:66 "When I came upon the word 'Jew', I felt a slight dislike and could not ward off a disagreeable sensation which seized me whenever they were in my presence. Their external apperance had become human, but they had a strange religion"
• Qur'an 2:64 "But you [Jews] went back on your word and were lost losers. So become apes, despised and hated. We made an example out of you."
• Mein Kampf:75 "The physical uncleanliness of the chosen people(Jews) was as repelling as their moral blemishes."
• Ishaq:240 "The Jews are a nation of liars.... The Jews are a treacherous, lying, and evil people."
• Mein Kampf:76 "Jews are a spiritual pestilence - infected with a disease worse than the Black Plague. They are spiritual and moral poison, the carriers of the worst sort of germs, infecting the minds of the world."
• Qur'an 5:44 "They are fond of listening to falsehood, of devouring anything forbidden; they are greedy for illicit gain!"
• Qur'an 5:64 " they(Jews) strive to make mischief on the earth."
• Mein Kampf:79 "Jews were cursed by Fate. They were hit so hard by Fate they have no understanding.... Their boundless hate for themselves soiled their history and abused their heroes."
• Ishaq :264 "The Jews denied what they knew. They were obstinate. So Allah revealed, 'People of the Book, believe in what we have sent down or We will efface your features, turning your face into your ass, cursing you.'"
• Mein Kampf:81 "It isn't possible to free a Jew from his convictions. I naively tried to make clear to them the madness of their ideas. I talked until my tongue was weary but it only served to strengthen their determination. They refused to understand.... Their glibness of tongue and skill for lying caused me to hate them."
• Ishaq :248 "Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, blinding them so that they will never find guidance. And that is because they have declared you a liar and they do not believe in what has come down from their Lord. For opposing you they will have an awful punishment."
• Mein Kampf:82 "They(Jews) are seducers who condemned truth and denied the word. They are not to be pitied, but to be given their due - to smash the seducer and corrupter against the wall."
• Ishaq :254 "We will not remove a Jew from the punishment. They know the shameful thing that awaits them."
After World War II, Hitler and the Final Solution, I thought that I would never see Jews walk willingly into an oven ever again.
Unfortunately with organizations like the JPA, the lines run around the block at most major universities!
Hey, JPA, do you even KNOW who and what the MSA is? Short answer: today's brownshirts, who drool at the thought of slicing tender Jewish throat and bathing in the blood. How fucking stupid and suicidal can you be?
A lot, from what I see written here. "The MSA has embraced us," you say. Yeah, just like Zarqawi embraced Nick Berg. It wasn't a hug, guys. It was to get a better grip for the knife.
Six million wasn't enough, huh? Guess you gotta find out the hard way again? Knock yourself out!
you, sir, typify everything against which we composed our article.
YOU are the one to desanctify the memory of the holocaust by trotting it and its psychical horror out whenever you want to utter your bigoted rhetoric.
you are simply filled with ignorance, and yet you write with such conviction. have you met the muslim community at columbia? are you even a student at columbia? if you are not, then why aren't you doing something productive with your life as opposed to writing in the comments section of a student newspaper?
i literally just came from a meeting with the MSA at columbia tonight. they are lovely people who care about our community as much as we care about theirs. don't you understand? by closing ourselves off to the muslim community, division and strife will forever be the norm. only by entering into dialogue can we ever build bridges and form compassionate connections.
Progressive Jewish Alliance is a misnomer. A progressive alliance they may be but they are not Jews – no- they are what Rabbi Meir Kahane referred to as "Hebrew Lemmings." Driven mad by some unfathomable guilt, they crave their own death and prostrate themselves before their enemies. One has to wonder what cause they will be supporting (or rather protesting – these people never really support anything) the next time they are herded into the ovens. Whatever it is, as long as it is the “other” doing the herding, I am sure they will have smiles on their faces as they meet their collective demise.
A quote from Kahane himself:
“The Hebrew lemming is a strange animal and it is said that no one understands it. That is not really true. I understand the small Hebrew lemming, the stature of a rodent, who seeks to leap into the sea to die. And if sociologists and psychologists and anthropologists and biologists and students of irrational behavior will gather together, I will describe for you what makes the Hebrew lemmings run - to commit suicide. The issue is not and never was "Lebanon." The issue was never "Occupied territories of 1967." What strikes terror into the hearts of the Hebrew lemmings of the stature of the rodent, is an immense cancer called guilt, that grows inside of them until it gives them no rest.”
A tree will call out, "hey Muslims there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him." A rock will say, "hey Muslims, there a Jew hiding under, come and kill him." It's in the Hadith. The ape pig thing in the Qur'an ain't much of an improvent either.
Islam is a cult of death. The jihadi have Jews in their crosshairs.
And the "Progressive Jewish Alliance" is a collection of fools.
Stupidity never ceases to amaze.
"Stupidity never ceases to amaze."
This "Progressive Jewish Alliance" is unimpressive - both to their "fellow Jews" and to the enemy. I think I can safely say that they do the Jewish community more harm than good. Of course, if they were in an Islamic country - it wouldn't matter anyway. They'd be dead.
My view of Columbia students went way up after reading the comments attached to the drivel written in Not in Our Voice. Up until now the only Columbia alum I had any respect for was DAVID HOROWITZ. The comments show there are a lot more. Make more noise and change the school.
It is unfortunate that so many of the commenters are unable to read an article and derive its actual meaning. Perhaps this is because almost none of them identify themselves as Columbia or Barnard students. It is sad that so many of you enjoy putting down students at a school you do not even attend and therefore know little about.
The article is clearly not defending Islamic terrorists of any nature. The point of the article is that Islamo-Fascist awareness week is NOT what it is in name - it is actually a anti-Islam week. The speakers are not only denouncing the leaders of countries who allow stoning of women and gay people, but also our friends and allies in the Muslim communinty in America. As Jews who have experienced thousands of years of oppression and rhetoric against our religion, we must stand up for others when they are under attack.
It is also disturbing to me that many of you have used examples of graphic violence to warn members of the Progressive Jewish Alliance and the writers of this article what will happen to them for speaking up for tolerance and speaking out against hate. In fact, we have been embraced by the MSA on campus. Perhaps this is because although the MSA is under attack by Horowitz and his cronies, they are NOT Islamo-fascists in the least.
I plan on attending the Horowitz speech to hear his opinions, and I hope what I will hear is a denouncement of violence and terrorism, not the Muslim religion. From what Horowitz has written and said so far, I am not optimistic.
Amazing. Why are there still even a handful of people in this country who just don't want to hear it about what Islam brings with it? Standing in solidarity with Islam is dodging the flat spots in the ground so that you can step on that nail sticking out of the board.
"Progressive Jewish Alliance?" Don't you mean "Regressive Dhimmi Alliance"?
Wake up already.
It's horrifying to see that there are so many lowly haters who support bin Laden and gang. It's also refreshing to see that there are some young people who have been able to rise above the hate and stand up for Horrowitz, Spencer, Emerson, Pipes and the likes.
It's horrifying to see that there are so many lowly haters who support Horrowitz and gang. It's also refreshing to see that there are some young people who have been able to rise above the hate spewed by Horrowitz, Spencer, Emerson, Pipes and the likes.
Not In Our Voice, huh? If it were up to the Muslim extremists you defend, you would not have a voice. It's hard to speak with blood gushing out of a slit throat.
BTW Do ANY of you JPA students go to MSA rallies on campus and listen to what they say about exterminating your race? Make you feel good? Make you want to stand up for them?
"Not In Our Voice." More like "March To The Ovens." IDIOTS!
yes we do go to MSA meetings. in fact, we were one among like 30 groups who attended the MSA's eid ul fitr dinner at the end of ramadan. you're a bigoted fool.
I'm just curious as to what these "open minded college educated" students consider is the right of free expression and open dialogue? Does that only apply to people that you agree with? If it's a madman that thinks Israel should be wiped off the face of history, "OK", if it's the leader of a group of people that think we should have secure borders, no freedom of expression allowed, if it's a group of people concerned by the speech and actions of islamists that, by voice and action, declare their intent to destroy western civilization, no freedom of expression.
Just what are you supposed to be learning at Columbia? How to think for yourself through open minded intelligent discussions between people of differeing opinion? Or forced conformance to a specific ideology?
If my kid was attending Columbia on my dime, I'd demand a refund and send him to the local state college.
The very people that the jewish left is trying to appease,would gladly cut their throats or stone them to death.
The very people that the jewish left was trying to appease in the 1930s,was shoving them into the ovens 10 years later....
The jewish left is always on the wrong side of history,not to speak of their nonexistent spirit of survival.
The jewish people cannot affort another holocaust,and a holocaust they`ll have unless they start fighting the islamo-fascists with everything they have.
the jewish left opposed the nazis and fascism, opposed racism in the 60s and fights for peace in the middle east. which one of those is the wrong side?
YES
Indeed its a shame that this is what you think progressive jewish thought should be. In all the ancient history of survival and perseverence from ancient Egypt, Europe, the inquisition and civil rights movement till today you think that this is the way to move forward from where we are now. Nobody is going to respect your organization standing as allies of a community that so clearly has you in their crosshairs. Reminds me of that architect lady in Shindlers List who was so concerned about her building's foundation she didnt realize she would get a bullet in the head for yapping to a nazi. You guys are yapping. Nobody will be surprised when the same happens to you. Except you. Sad.
Why is it so hard to accept that certain factions of the Islamic faith, by their own words, seek to control their own populations and export that control to other nations and cultures, through a system of archaic religeous laws that can aptly be described as fascistic. Not all Muslims want this. Some do. It is important to raise awareness about this phenomena, because we have already seen the destructive effects of such thinking (i.e waitressses at Windows of the World having to choose between burning to death or falling 1300 feet and hitting the pavement at 32 feet per second squared).
Why is it so hard to accept that certain factions of the Islamic faith, by their own words, seek to control their own populations and export that control to other nations and cultures, through a system of archaic religeous laws that can aptly be described as fascistic. Not all Muslims want this. Some do. It is important to raise awareness about this phenomena, because we have already seen the destructive effects of such thinking (i.e waitressses at Windows of the World having to choose between burning to death or falling 1300 feet and hitting the pavement at 32 feet per second squared).
This stuff is why we don't let children play with matches.
When I can go to a synagogue or a church of any denomination in "Saudi" Arabia without fear of losing my life or limbs - then perhaps I'll take you seriously.
Oh wait, there are no churches or synagogues in Arabia.
There's your dichotomy.
I think this is a good and admirable letter. But it would be more fitting for the Muslim Students Associations to write a letter and denounce the IslamoFascists and their tactics - jihads on writers, riots over cartoons, beheadings, suicide bomb attacks against civilians, attacks on children in schools. Perhaps there just hasn't been media coverage, but there seems to be a lot of silence on IslamoFascism from the MSAs.
You make a very good point, the silence is deafening!
Progressive Jewish Alliance - This must be a classic example of what an oxymoron is. Why are those who would be first on the list of the Islamic-fascist death wish are their strongest admirers? It boggles the mind.
Thirteen percent of American Muslims, from all age groups, believe that suicide bombings are 'sometimes' acceptable 'in defense of Islam'.
Today, in the twenty-first century, from whom and what do they believe such a violent defense is necessary? And what, precisely, are they defending? A religion? A complete way of life? A theocracy?
And just who are the 'enemies of Islam', today, exactly? 'People of the book'? Native Americans? Australian aborigines? Apostates? Agnostics? Gays? Atheists?
What nation has declared war on Islam?
Start asking pointed questions, America. And start demanding straight answers.
Congratulate yourselves for the comments here -- you are taking time out of your day to challenge the authors of this article, to state your refusal to be slandered as bigots for challenging the belief system of Islam with factual debate. I sense a tipping point with Islamo-fascism Awareness Week.
Don't stop with a few comments today -- keep speaking and writing wherever you can find an outlet. And as distasteful and foolish as you may find the op-ed above, remember to focus most of your arguments towards Islam/fascism rather than it's foolish, yet non-violent, apologists.
The Klan and the Nazis are also denouncing Horowitz's AFAW. Look who the Progressive Jewish Alliance is in bed with!
Why do I have to have co-religionists as incredibly intellectually lazy as those that crafted this dribble. when you can express your solidarity with Muslim students while standing in Saudi Arabia - openly, as a Jew - and not get yourself attacked, then you might have something. If you can go do Mecca, openly, as a Jew, and survive, then I will be impressed. Until then, wake up, and remember what our grandparents' generation learned the hard way: there are those who want us dead, no matter the cost.
Actually, the religion of the people who destroyed the World Trade Center, and continue to kill non-believers all over the world, and preclude freedom of religion, is Catholic, not Islamic.
This, your average "Thinking" college student at Columbia, would embrace
with cheers, and quickly, there would be profs up at the blackboard, making
diagrams about the evil Christians....
As one of the most influential progressive figures in modern history has said .... "There are no homosexuals in Iran "
Yes I agree with another comment here - only in today's progressive upside down world would a "Progressive" support the freedom to stone people to death for being gay.
You pretend progressives ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
Imagine that, progressive college kidz supporting an ideology which believes in stoning females for being raped and hanging gays for being gay.
There really is an unholy alliance between the Progressive Left and Islamic-fascist.
Do the Kidz honestly think that Islamic-fascists won't slit the throat of a stupid Progressive Leftist just because they openly declare their undying support of their killers?
The lowest common denominator in American society is a Progressive Leftist who defends 14th century Islamic-fascist barbarism over 21st century common-sense Liberty.
I am a woman who has fought too hard for my freedom to ever accept the return to the stone age. Barnard should be ashamed for producing women who do not know the difference between Liberty and Fascism, between human rights and oppression, between sumbit or die.
The feminsit sisterhood is disgusting for advocating tolerance for those who treat the female as less than human. Sickening.
What exactly do you hope to achieve by defending and appeasing Islamic extremists? Do you think they will put a star by your name (I guess the Star of David would still be out of the question, that could be construed as more of an identifying mark for extermination) and not kill you when they learn you stand against "hate speech and intolerance"? With that in mind, does that mean you support Islamic extremists right to hate speech and intolerance? I'm confused. I thought institutions of higher learning were meant to expand your ability to reason, not shrink it.
Have you fools ever read anything by Horowitz? Robert Spencer? Hugh Fitzgerald? Or have you heard about their writings from a fellow dhimmi? Do you even know what the word "dhimmi" means?
And who is paying for your overpriced education? The taxpayers or your parents? I'm just curious.
I must admit I really like the four kids who wrote this opinion. They remind me of when I was young and stupid!
You make a very good and humane observation... Though these kids are mouthing the same sort of muddled, naive drivel that we have come to expect from the Orwellian-named "Progressives" of the Left, some - perhaps many - of us on the other side today started out - in '68 or '72 or whenever - with some of the same delusions.
We were eventually mugged by reality. Maybe it was the Red Terror in Cambodia, or the onset of the Oslo War, or 9/11... Some of these kids will eventually wake up and begin to replace their soft and comforting platitudes with real thought and reflection. Let's all hope the very real Islamic terrorists of today let them live long enough to get the chance.
Dismissing Horowitz as a campaigner of hate and intolerance is, quite objectively, a smear that any who wish to participate in the discussion should be intellectually strong enough to avoid prior to offering their two cents. Opposition to an ideology does not imply bigotry -- I assume that you, as "progressives," harbor some opposition to the ideology of the Klan. No one would deem call you a bigot for this; that would only be warranted should you claim hatred for the ethnographic of which the Klan draws its members. Horowitz wishes to debate the underpinnings of a belief system, and if you are interested in opposing his views, I suggest you take the intellectual high road and debate the merits of his points rather than smear his name.
He is asking tough questions of the Western community -- you write, "Horowitz points to the atrocities of extremist regimes, which are driven by a range of historical, political, and economic factors, and claims such atrocities embody the essence of Islam." Yet you do not offer any evidence as to why Islam can be dismissed as a root cause of extremism. Why have you made theassumption that Islam must be left blameless? Does this come from a thorough examination of the Koran? Horowitz is challenging your belief in "tolerance" when he suggests that a certain culture is inherently less humane than another, and you seem unwilling to engage this tough challenge with debate rather than dismissal.
Well it is good to see that Horowitz still appeals to the lowest common denominator of American society.
Never fear the truth of facts. LEARN from history
"... Well it is good to see that Horowitz still appeals to the lowest common denominator of American society. ..."
Your statement is oxymoronic. It appears that the 'lowest common denominator' is violently against David Horowitz and his associates.
Question for all of you that are protesting against the Islamo-Facists Awareness Week. What are you afraid of?
If the truth will support your claims and goals you have nothing to fear. You must fear the truth only if it will disprove your claims and ideology.
I can only be thankful that I go to a university that has far more sensible students among its ranks.
Maybe the Columbia students are too young to remember the days when a regular person could walk right onto an airplane without having to go through a mega-billion dollar worldwide screening system. Do I have to explain what happened? As students you might want to hear Horowitz with an open mind. After all, if even only 10% of Muslims worldwide are terrorists or supporters of terrorism, that's more than 100 million who would like to see your University shut down, your female students reduced to second-class citizens, and all of you forced to convert. One would think that the peaceful Muslims on campus would be front row for Horowitz's speech, educating themselves a bit on the nature of this faction that is supposedly "not speaking for the true Islam." Have you students been paying attention to the newspapers? Notice things getting blown up all over the place? Did you read of the giant, ancient Buddha statues in Afghanistan that were dynamited last week? I mean, really...the Buddha? Does this concern you in the slightest? Please, go see Horowitz and judge for yourself based on what he has to say, not in anticipation of what you would like to hear.
Maybe the Columbia students are too young to remember the days when a regular person could walk right onto an airplane without having to go through a mega-billion dollar worldwide screening system. Do I have to explain what happened? As students you might want to hear Horowitz with an open mind. After all, if even only 10% of Muslims worldwide are terrorists or supporters of terrorism, that's more than 100 million who would like to see your University shut down, your female students reduced to second-class citizens, and all of you forced to convert. One would think that the peaceful Muslims on campus would be front row for Horowitz's speech, educating themselves a bit on the nature of this faction that is supposedly "not speaking for the true Islam." Have you students been paying attention to the newspapers? Notice things getting blown up all over the place? Did you read of the giant, ancient Buddha statues in Afghanistan that were dynamited last week? I mean, really...the Buddha? Does this concern you in the slightest? Please, go see Horowitz and judge for yourself based on what he has to say, not in anticipation of what you would like to hear.
How can Jews like yourselves be so goddamn stupid??!
What will it take for people like you to wake up: another attack in the US or Israel being invaded?
What a dumb fuck!
Silly fools. The Islamo-fascists will slit your throats for being American or Jewish or leftist. And you would have people turn a blind eye to it.
The Left is the left, the "Progressive Jewish Alliance" is still the Left. Very few know the left as does David Horowitz. From his early days writing for Ramparts and his association with such entities as the Black Panthers, he has been schooled in the rhetoric and the thinking of the left. According to Horowitz, the left is anti-American and would like America to lose the war against Radical Islam. In addition, Howowitz asserts that the left is guilty of moral equivalency and are apologists for terrorists and any thugs who call themselves "progressives." Students of history are well aware that the far left as well as the far right have had no problem killing people for their respective cause. Horowitz makes the point that today, the left hides behind the banners of "fairness", "equality", "friend of the little guy", "peace", etc. and do not appear dangerous to most folks. Horowitz may well change your mind.
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