Letters: Berkeley and anti-Semitism

Re “Debating free speech at Berkeley,” Editorial, Oct. 15

Academic freedom and the right to free speech are sacred and deserve protection. At the same time, when anti-Israel activity crosses the line into anti-Semitism and expressions of support for terrorism, it is imperative to urge university officials to issue condemnations.

There is a fundamental difference between criticizing Israel’s government and its policies and “opposing” Israel’s existence. The former may or may not be offensive speech. And while both sentiments may be protected, the latter crosses the line between anti-Israel and anti-Semitic speech and creates a hostile environment for many Jewish students, faculty and staff.

Amanda Susskind

Los Angeles

The writer is director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Pacific Southwest Region.

To be a Jew is an ethnic classification. To be a Zionist is a political choice. To be critical of Jews as a people is racism of the worst sort; to be supportive or critical of Zionism is a discussion of political ideology. Not all Jews are Zionists, and not all Zionists are Jews. And having been at a border crossing into the West Bank, the question is not “Are you Jewish?” but “Are you Israeli?” Being a Jew with only a U.S. passport is not a guarantee of entry.

What concerns the pro-Palestinian protesters at UC Berkeley is not race or religion, but the politics of a nation-state and an occupying power. Such politics are fair game for discussion or guerrilla theater, but the protesters must be careful not to slide into the zone of race or religion.

Kim Stevens

San Pedro

As the child of Holocaust survivors and as a lawyer, I find pro-Palestinian activists stopping passersby to ask them if they are Jewish to cross the line of protected speech. This is anti-Semitic intimidation that should not be tolerated.

But in the spirit of responding to offensive speech with more speech (as your editorial suggests), I propose responding to Israel Apartheid Week with Palestinian Terrorism Week. Pro-Israel students could stage “die ins” and could pretend to set off bombs when stopped at anti-Israel checkpoints on campus. Big photos of bombed city buses and restaurants could also be displayed.

Would Palestinian Terrorism Week be inflammatory? You bet, but no more so than Israel Apartheid Week.

Martin Kimel

Potomac, Md.

University of California officials should be reminded of former system president Clark Kerr’s comment about the purpose of a university: to make students safe for ideas, not ideas safe for students.

Sue Kamm

Los Angeles

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