When we disrupted Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu’s keynote speech at the Jewish Federations of North America’s annual general meeting last November in New Orleans, we were met with hisses, boos, verbal harassment and even physical attacks from other members of the audience. But criminal charges were never so much as mentioned. Yet, on September 23rd, ten students who interrupted Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren’s speech at UC Irvine in February 2010 were convicted of two misdemeanors for their participation in that protest. Today, October 11, 2011, is a national day of action to protest those unjust convictions. We think it’s a perfect opportunity to look at the similarities and differences in these two actions.
In both protests, each person who stood up to bring attention to crimes committed by the Israeli government acted non-violently, and cooperated fully with security personnel and the police. So what was the difference? Why were we not arrested, charged and tried while the Irvine 11 were? Logically, the opposite should have been true: our target was bigger – the Prime Minister of Israel; our venue was bigger – the largest Jewish event in North America; and our protest came later – inspired in part by the brave actions of the Irvine 11. But there is one more difference, and it proved to be the crucial one: we are Jews and the Irvine 11 are Muslims.
The Irvine 11 inspired us to openly challenge propaganda that whitewashes military occupation and grave violations of human rights and international law. The Irvine 11 pushed us to name these crimes that are all but silenced in mainstream American media and discourse, and to demand that Israel’s representatives address them. The Irvine 11 reminded us of our moral responsibility to protest the Israeli military aggression that led to the deaths of over 1,400 Gazans during Operation Cast Lead in 2008-9, the humiliation and human rights abuses suffered by Palestinians on a daily basis, the illegal wall and settlements that separate Palestinians from their families and their livelihoods, and the second-class citizenship of Palestinian-Israelis.
But now, Orange County’s criminal justice system has sent a message that the Israeli ambassador’s right to speak without interruption is more worthy of protection than the right of American citizens to protest the illegal and unconscionable actions of Israel’s government, a government that is given access to countless forums in the United States – from New York Times op-eds, to CNN, to college campuses, to Congress – to perpetuate propaganda that whitewashes its crimes. Even more disturbing, the fact that the Irvine 11 were charged and tried while we were let off without a mark (as were other non-Muslim protesters in Orange County who later interrupted Dick Cheney and George W. Bush) is testament to the influence of Islamophobia, anti-Arab racism and blind support for Israel on contemporary American society and political discourse.
The day the Irvine 11 were convicted was a shameful day for the American legal system. The principle of free expression is fundamental to democracy, and the Irvine 11’s conviction constitutes a chilling attack on all Americans’ right to free speech. Moreover, this clear targeting of a minority group should set off alarm bells for those who abhor racism and strive for the protection of equal rights for all citizens, regardless of religion or ethnicity. We fear for those whom our justice system would silence in order to protect the powerful.
We join the administration of UC Irvine and the dean of UC Irvine’s law school, along with proponents of free speech and human rights throughout the country, in condemning the targeting of Muslim students by the Orange County District Attorney’s office. We take heart in the bravery of people just like us who are occupying cities across the United States, demanding an end to a system that privileges the voices and values of the powerful over the needs and rights of the many. We stand with the Irvine 11 as they move forward with their appeal, as we stand with all those who refuse to be cowed by state repression in the struggle for social justice. Join us today.
A powerful post. I found this part particularly compelling:
as for why no prosecution of the jvp action in new orleans, the last thing that the israel-firsters wanted was for the jvp’s disruption of the pm’s speech to play out in msm any more than it actually did. indeed, the spectre of knowledgable young jewish students, on trial, informing the public as to the realities of the i/p conflict, had to have (probably still does) given them fits. after the jvp members did their thing at the jewish federation meeting, undoubtedly the federation officials met with law enforcement to discuss what action(s) might be taken to punish the “culprits.” most likely the conversation went something like this –
police representative – “do you want us to prosecute them?”
jewish federation’s spokeperson – “please no, we want the subject of this disturbance to disappear from msm immediately, if not sooner”
“but why?”
“the adverse effect that giving jewish voices for peace a platform to reach out will have on the public perception of who actually speaks for jews”
“so what should the new orleans pd do about today’s disruption?”
“disruption, what disruption?”
thanks for what you did in New Orleans and keeping the spotlight on this issue.
Seems like Camera has convinced CSpans Washington Journal to not touch the Israeli Palestinian conflict, allow guest and host to repeat unsubstantiated claims about Iran and block callers who bring up serious questions about our Reps and US pledge of allegiance to the I lobby and Israel. Another shift taking place on Cspan.
The wall of silence had come down a bit on Cspan…no longer. Allowing the wall to go back up due to pressure from the I lobby
I noticed how bad the Jewish protesters were treated by the fans of Israel, while the Muslims were quickly escorted out.
The Muslims are just irritating, and has to be quickly removed so that Oren can continue his speech? (We can deal with them later. Put them in prison or shoot them in the head or something….)
With the hatred against the traitors of the Jewish tribe and the treatment they received i can understand how it is difficult to be Jewish and protest against the crimes of israel.
Thank you Amirah, Antonia and Emily and for all those in Young Jewish and Proud and Jewish Voices for Peace. Thank you to the Irvine 11 for speaking up for the voiceless.
It is a strange thing when the mainstream Jewish tradition misses the humanity for the idolization of a state.
For other examples of this blatant hypocrisy, discriminatory and misuse use of the law see:
http://israelandpalestinediary.blogspot.com/2011/02/double-standards-on-israel-protest.html