Phil, Alex and Annie are in Philadelphia for the Penn BDS conference, and while we wait for their first report we thought we'd bring you up to speed on the story to this point. Here was our reporting in the lead up to the conference:
- BDS comes to Penn, 12/25/11
- A personal appeal– PennBDS needs your help, 1/9/12
- Abunimah and Woolsey debate BDS in the ‘Philadelphia Inquirer’, 1/29/12
- Opponents of Penn conference say: BDS bad, war good, 1/30/12
- Anti-Defamation League reprises debunked quote in attempt to discredit Helena Cobban and Penn BDS conference, 2/1/12
- Penn boycott conference is target in viral scare game, 2/2/12
- Penn’s president condemns article likening BDS conference to Nazism as ‘counter to her personal values and civility’, 2/2/12
- When Desmond Tutu got the ‘Penn BDS’ treatment, 2/3/12
- Barghouti: Attacks on the Penn BDS conference reveal panic that Israel is losing hearts and minds, 2/3/12
- Dershowitz justifies war on Iran (and Iraq? again?)– and Mort Zuckerman rides shotgun– in fresh attacks on BDS conference, 2/3/12
- Alumni donor threats and more Nazi analogies as the world awaits Penn BDS conference, 2/3/12
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu endorses PennBDS conference, 2/3/12
- Should Alan Dershowitz refuse to take himself seriously?, 2/4/12
Here is a message Omar Barghouti recorded for the conference that was played earlier today:
Alex Kane is live-tweeting from the conference. Follow him below or at twitter.com/mondoweiss:
Thank you, Phil, Alex and Annie, from all of us for attending and speaking. It is an important cause.
And congrats, Phil, for your ADL ranking and honor! Their values (see Norman Finkelstein for that) are unfortunately recently upside down.
While waiting for these reports (contributors/commentors Ahmed Moor, Phan Nguyen and commentor Pamela Olsen are also on the program), I listened to Ali Abunimah’s speech at the November 2009 BDS conference at Hampshire College, MA.
link to mondoweiss.net
I was headed over and then found out the conference was full with a waiting list of 250. Also talked with some of the organizers and they said that many of the panels will be taped. At the Move over Aipac conference (now Occupy Aipac) last year Noura Erakat knocked my socks off. Brilliant, well spoken, clear on the issues, not afraid to call it like it is. Really wanted to hear her again. Anyway next year. Will be great to hear Phil, Alex and Annie’s reports. Hope to see the video footage also. Nothing like hearing what is said directly and not someone’s interpretation. But trust the Mondo team to do it up right
It’s a pity it’s booked up Kathleen. I think you would add a lot to it.
On the other hand it’s fantastic to think there is so much interest in the topic.
Maybe next year the conference can take place at Carnegie Hall.
I feel ok about it. I was winging it not knowing if I would be free this weekend to attend. Have been to plenty of conferences on the topic in DC, Columbus, Amherst Mass and locally. But would have been great , Next year. One of the most eye opening experiences was when I attended a large Palestinian solidarity march small conference in DC some years back. Had the opportunity to talk with older Palestinians who had been run out of villages, homes etc. Such sad sad chilling stories. Need to learn how to tape and put up on you tube.
Organizers of the Penn BDS said they will be taping so hopefully we will all be able to hear and see for ourselves. Too bad they are not live streaming. 250 person wait list. Good sign
Really like this statement at the BDS conference website “We believe the conference will be an invaluable resource for new activists and a momentum-building opportunity for those already engaged with the fight for Palestinian freedom and equality.”
Lots of support, Ilan Pappe, Tutu, Alice Walker, Cornell West. So great to witness so much movement.
Remember No War on Iran rallies across the US today. Find the one closest to you or sign up and put one together in your community.
Kathleen, very pleased to see Cornell West’s name on the supporters list. He has been a great and passionate voice on Occupy events too. And he drives the village voice on MSNBC bonkers – the few times his voice was even allowed to trickle in. But then they got Melisa Harris (that her name?), Maddow’s favorite, supposedly speaking for the oh-so-acceptable-kind-of-black-kind-of-elite community. That’s all we need to know about where MSNBC and NBC management are.
Cornell been committed to human rights issues for a very long time. Brilliant and compassionate individual!
The retreat action from the Jewish organisations over BDS and what happens to Israel is going to be brutal.
They will resist change until there is no point in resistance. This is their biggest fear for Israel :
link to youtube.com
sometimes I feel so insecure….
Oh yeah Mondo folks last night Chris Matthews (have been begging over there)had Dr Zbig on to talk about the situation with Iran. Also Richard Engel. Engel was more fair than I expected. Engel even said that Israel has nukes. Matthews quickly said “we know that” and of course did not get into the absurdities and double standards. Dr. Zbig was as brilliant and sensible as usual. Addressing the dangerous and potential cost to the US if Israel does this. And how ultimately an attack on Iran by Israel is extremely dangerous for Israel.
When Dr. Zbig talked about what could be done through negotiations he failed to bring up that Iran has the right to enrich uranium under the NPT. Going back to listen again because although Chris Matthews did a fair job on this and celebrate that he had Dr. Zbig on I think he opened the segment by referring to Iran’s
“nuclear weapons program” as if they have a “nuclear weapons program”. Going over to listen again. It is a must listen if folks are interested in how the MSM is opening up a bit on reporting about this issue more accurately.
Now if only Chris Matthews and the rest would have experts Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett on their programs to discuss Iran and help educate the public instead of after an attack.
Thanks kathleen, ill be sure to listen to it.
You know Kathleen, I think I have to agree with you on one thing: Chris Matthews almost never talks about the ME or I/P or Iran, though he has been talking about Iran more lately. I have been watching Hardball religiously ever since the Clinton-Lewisnky scandal. He’s talked alot about Iraq and some about Afghanistan, but he almost never talks about I/P. Though I remember ridiculing your suggestion back on Hardblogger last year, I do now think Chris should invite pundits from both sides to debate the issues on ME, I/P, and Iran more often. I myself would love to see Michael Rubin or Michael Ledeen go head to head with Flynt Leverett, or Juan Cole. Now, THAT would be something far more worth watching than the same old schlock about Gingrich and Romney.
I recently got Dish TV, and with it, the LINK TV channel, which I didn’t have before. I actually find myself watching “Democracy Now” and the like almost as much as I watch the Military and History International channels. It sure beats MSNBC.
I try to watch at least part of Democracy Now every day. Usually on my laptop while I shave, shower and get ready for work. Sometimes I download the podcast and listen to it on my hour-long drive to work. It is the most consistently honest news program in US broadcast history. They are good on the subject of Palestinian rights, for sure.
Another standout for DN is their consistently high-level coverage of union issues. Almost all broadcast media and the entire mainstream seem to report union issues more and more from an anti-union, or at least markedly pro-business standpoint.
Goodman was on Chris Hayes Up this morning. She takes any conversation up to new levels. She is so honest so fact based. Worth the listen….they discussed the Iran/Israel situation
Excellent, Robert. Also try to read the blog lawrenceofcyberia.blogs.com, and go over the historical essays on the left hand side. You will see that the sources are most often Israeli media. Little by little, the Palestinian story will be explained in a convincing way.
Werdine confesses: I have been watching Hardball religiously ever since the Clinton-Lewisnky scandal.
You have my sympathies. I am sorry if I sounded so harsh to some of your comments before, I was completely unaware of your experiences.
I started watching Hardball almost every night about six months before the invasion of Iraq. I was obsessed with listening to every media outlet I could. Watching and listening to the different coverage. While Chris Matthews went further than many of the MSM folks by challenging Bill Kristol, David Frum, Frank Gaffney when they would be on his program repeating the standard WMD lies. But he did not go as far as Talk of the Nation, Diane Rehm (who dipped her toes in the questions) who had Scott Ritter, Dr. Zbig and a few others on who were questioning the validity of the intelligence. Of course Amy Goodman going where others would not go. Thank goodness for the internet in the run up to the invasion as well as the Nation, Mother Jones etc. But Chris did not go far with the challenges.
One thing you would expect is that the MSM do their job when it comes to Iran and not just automatically repeat the unsubstantiated claims. Now of course they could go much further and help educate the public based on facts by having say Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett on.
Did not know Hardball was on back in the Lewinsky/ Clinton mess.
The reason I keep pushing him is during the two face to face conversations with him that I have had I believe there is an opening if we keep pushing him. He has his owners to get around
Phil, Alex, Annie, you guys are the best. You know your doing something right when the ADL “highlights” you on their blog. This is just some of what they had to say about our man Phil:
” Weiss regularly tries to portray Israel as the only antagonist in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including describing much of its history asa “neocolonialist landgrab.” Weiss alleges that Israel abuses the memory of the Holocaust in order to justify the “endless mistreatment of Palestinians” and that Israeli policy toward the Palestinians is a sort of vicarious revenge for the Holocaust, with Palestinians standing in for the Nazis and the “abused becoming the abuser.”
Weiss should be proud to make the ADL’s hit list with Carter, Finkelstein, Tutu, Allsion Weir (If Americans Knew), great place to order literature to hand out where ever you go.
Go guys!
I come fresh from protesting 4 hours in the freezing cold against NATO war and warcrimes. Go all activists, protesters and occupiers!
you go…the hundreth monkey phenomena has been unleashed
I know I could google it, but that’s so impersonal. What’s the hundreth monkey phenomenon? :-)
Phil, Adam, Annie, Kathleen, Alex Thank you. I’m loving every minute I spend with you mondos! What a brilliant site, cheers me up no end. There is still hope for this world with people like you. Wear the ADL badge of honour with pride, Phil.
Hope someone ask at one of the panel discussions about the well constructed resistance to discussions, information, let alone a divestment movement on college campuses over the last several decades. How this academic, institutional and systematic effort to block these discussions, actions on college campuses have been supported by professors, boards, etc on campuses,. How this institutionalized roadblocking is very different from the anti apartheid movement/divestment movement that blossomed on college campuses in the 70′s 80′s. How Campus Watch and other organizations have created hostile environments for Carter, Tutu, Finkelstein and others who have tried to speak about these issues on campuses across the country and have been met with hatred and hostility
Nothing at all up at Huffington Post about the BDS conference. Zero…nada
link to accessadl.blogspot.com
From Access ADL: “In advance of this weekend’s BDS conference at the University of Pennsylvania, we are highlighting five of the most anti-Israel individuals scheduled to speak at the conference.”
Phil is profiled! All the comments are positive so far– let’s do some anti-hasbara!
I just commented there:
Excellent Philip! Your comment is much more persuasive than my own comment, which is immediately above yours.
Thanks.
I want it to be persuasive. The in-your-face part of it I left out. ADL shouldn’t be missing so many important points when it comes to this conference.
Weiss may be one of the prophets Einstein valued so highly.
What could be wrong with that, ADL?
Lenny Bruce said at Carnegie Hall 1961 that there is no right or wrong. There is just need. And Israeli Jews need the standard of living of theirs that is based on the exploitation of the Palestinians. They don’t see their economy as wrong. They just see their needs. Any change to that means they lose money. The ADL will fight this tooth and nail.
Some US newcaster said it is better to be successful when you don’t destroy your prinicples but it has gone way past that for the ADL.
Mondoweiss opened up the blog clog that exist on most so called progressive blogs who would barely touch the I/P issue or moderate so heavily it was insane. Remember on Firedoglake when you could not even write Aipac.
Weiss and team are providing a great service to the discussion that needs to keep taking place and facts that need to get out to the public
DKos banned people for using the word hasbara or mentioning GIYUS
Exactly, I can’t think of another place (forget the Internet, I mean in general) where the alternative view is discussed.
We are indebted to Phil and Adam.
Guess too many DKos moderators take that personally.
Whats this, 100% of comments on the hatchet job on Phil Weiss 9 comments so far link to link to accessadl.blogspot.com all strongly in favour of him and of his integrity and courage.
Yep, I just added my comment.
Only saw one jerko comment on there.
What a contrast there between the manners of the Phil-supporters and the Phil-non supporters. And particularly with the one who addressed you, American.
Just went and looked at that mudder…..weird, the commenter seems to be accusing me of being Phil.
The non supporter comments are silly.
BDS is about racism. Israeli Jewish racism.
51 years ago Lenny Bruce (who was Jewish) was in Carnegie Hall in NYC and one of his themes was the generational difference between anyone over 55 and his generation over the question “would you want one of them to marry your sister ? ” He gave an incredible performance that looked at how ludicrous the racism of the Klan was in 1961.
A white woman or a black woman?
“You are a white. The Imperial Wizard. Now, if you don’t think this is logic you can burn me on the fiery cross. This is the logic: You have the choice of spending fifteen years married to a woman, a black woman or a white woman.”
link to youtube.com
And he nailed it. 51 years ago.
“So you are not concerned with white or black any more are you ?”
What Israeli Jewish brother would have his sister marry a Palestinian woman ?
51 years on Israeli Jews are the updated Klan with their small minded bigotry
Where is the Israeli De Klerk ? Will probably be from Likud.
I wonder who is the Israeli Andrei Sakharov
link to nybooks.com
“Sakharov was a man of civil society, not a party politician. He left us this legacy:
• Patience and fidelity to principle
• Pluralism and willingness to compromise—we must accept that honest disagreements will occur
• Tolerance
• “The better—the better” (exactly unlike Lenin’s “the worse—the better”)
• The patriotism of free peoples: a nation that persecutes another nation cannot itself be free
• Fidelity to historic truth
• Renunciation of violence
I conclude with some words of Leszek Kołakowski that, I am convinced, reflect Andrei Sakharov’s view: “No victory is irreversible, no defeat is definitive. That is what makes life worth living.””
Zionism doesn’t meet any of his principles. What a doomed ideology
Once I was asked “Where is the Palestinian Gandhi?” I ambiguously replied, “His name is Barghouti.” But you have a better question, seafoid: “Where is the Israeli De Klerk?”
I was listening to Azealia Banks 212 thinking about BDS. She’s very vulgar and the song is very aggressive but/and seems to get what Israelis and the Lobby are worried about
link to youtube.com
Ayo (ayo), I heard you’re riding with the same tall, tall tale
Telling them you made some (made some)
Saying you’re grinding but you ain’t going nowhere
Why you procrastinate girl? (-nate girl)
You got a lot, but you just waste all yourself
They’ll forget your name soon (name soon)
And won’t nobody be to blame but yourself,
What you gon’ do when I appear?
W-when-when I premiere?
Israel the end of your lives are near
This land been mine, mine (too) (x2)
The 7 pm EST live stream of Ali Abunimah’s keynote address for PennBDS is here.
It’s after 8 pm and my comment pointing to the live stream is still “awaiting moderation”. The keynote address is over now.
But it was recorded, fortunately.
Note: I’m not in any way criticizing MW’s need to moderate comments or the timeliness of the moderating. Indeed, I think MW needs to moderate comments, and the timeliness depends on volunteer moderators. I thank them.
Falk statement to Penn BDS conference.
So hoping the Penn BDS put up footage of the panels. I talked with some of the organizers and they said they were taping a great deal of the conference. Can not wait to hear from Alex, Phil, Annie etc about what they learned. New material..new efforts