Speaking out against anti-Semitism
Mark Aspillera
Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: News
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Anti-Semitism has seen a "spike of incidents" on college campuses in the past few years, said Kenneth Marcus, staff director of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
Marcus spoke to a small audience of faculty and students Wednesday night as part of a public-education campaign about anti-Semitism on college campuses.
The Anti-Defamation League reported that anti-Semitism has increased by 24 percent on college campuses, a jump from 85 reported incidents to 106, as reported to the United States Senate last March.
Marcus said he would "never have thought" a civil rights organization would "have to have a campaign in the 21st century."
"I find it appalling," Marcus said.
Aaron Cohen, a freshman aerospace engineering major and member of the Jewish Student Union said the talk was a "calm, collected account" that avoided polemics.
One audience member, who identified herself as Jewish, said she had seen students disrupt campus events like standing in front to hand out pamphlets and Israeli flags.
Cohen said he would not resort to violence, but agreed that handing out pamphlets in front of events he disagreed with the views of is justified.
"Our goal is to try to react," he said.
Moshe Rosenberg, coordinator for UC Davis' Scholars for Peace Middle East chapter, said he was concerned with anti-Semitic comments being defended as free speech on college campuses.
"I wonder where the line is between free speech and hate speech," he said.
Marcus cited the Brandenburg v. Ohio Supreme Court case, which restricts prior restraints on "inflammatory speech" to comments that would cause "imminent lawless action."
The 1969 decision overturned the conviction of Clarence Brandenburg, an Ohio Ku Klux Klan leader for a televised speech advocating "vengeance" against various groups and plans for a march through Washington D.C., stating that the speech failed to meet three criteria of intent to incite violence, having that violence be "imminent" and likelihood that the incitements will be taken seriously.
Marcus spoke to a small audience of faculty and students Wednesday night as part of a public-education campaign about anti-Semitism on college campuses.
The Anti-Defamation League reported that anti-Semitism has increased by 24 percent on college campuses, a jump from 85 reported incidents to 106, as reported to the United States Senate last March.
Marcus said he would "never have thought" a civil rights organization would "have to have a campaign in the 21st century."
"I find it appalling," Marcus said.
Aaron Cohen, a freshman aerospace engineering major and member of the Jewish Student Union said the talk was a "calm, collected account" that avoided polemics.
One audience member, who identified herself as Jewish, said she had seen students disrupt campus events like standing in front to hand out pamphlets and Israeli flags.
Cohen said he would not resort to violence, but agreed that handing out pamphlets in front of events he disagreed with the views of is justified.
"Our goal is to try to react," he said.
Moshe Rosenberg, coordinator for UC Davis' Scholars for Peace Middle East chapter, said he was concerned with anti-Semitic comments being defended as free speech on college campuses.
"I wonder where the line is between free speech and hate speech," he said.
Marcus cited the Brandenburg v. Ohio Supreme Court case, which restricts prior restraints on "inflammatory speech" to comments that would cause "imminent lawless action."
The 1969 decision overturned the conviction of Clarence Brandenburg, an Ohio Ku Klux Klan leader for a televised speech advocating "vengeance" against various groups and plans for a march through Washington D.C., stating that the speech failed to meet three criteria of intent to incite violence, having that violence be "imminent" and likelihood that the incitements will be taken seriously.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Garret
posted 11/19/07 @ 12:14 PM PST
If this was any other group, all hell would've been loose. What a shame.
Friends, just know that some of us stand 110% behind you. Hang in there. (Continued…)
Jennifer
posted 11/19/07 @ 11:41 PM PST
Garret are you the resident whiner?? You always have something to say. If Anti-Semitism bothers you so much, then do something about it. If not then be quiet. (Continued…)
Garret
posted 11/21/07 @ 8:23 AM PST
Jennifer, with all respect, you might be able to censor your grandma, but you won't censor me. This is not Venezuela.
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