Although the visit on Monday to the Irvine, Ca. campus by Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren was sponsored by the Middle East Studies Student Initiative, which includes Muslim and Arab students, his appearance and speech were marred and interrupted repeatedly by hostile and threatening outbursts and raised fists—from Muslim students.
Though University officials implored them to respect the Ambassador’s right to free speech, these requests were ignored.
Here is a published account of the incident:
“Less than two minutes into Ambassador Oren’s address, protesters began to stand up and shout anti-Israel slogans and expletives. The Ambassador continued to speak, but was interrupted time and again by protesters, whose aggressive outbursts escalated. In the face of this unconscionable display of disrespect, Oren left the stage. UCI Chancellor Michael Drake and Professor Mark Petracca (Chair of UCI’s Department of Political Science) admonished the protesters for embarrassing themselves and the University. Though Drake and Petracca implored them to respect the Ambassador’s right to free speech, these requests were ignored. When Oren returned to the lectern some 20 minutes later, asking for a show of hospitality (typical of Middle Eastern culture) he was again interrupted by protesters, who eventually stood up, left the room as a group and continued their noisy demonstration outside the UCI Student Center. Oren told the remaining audience that he wished they had stayed, to hear what he had to say.”
Sources indicate that university police, highly visible at the event due to the historic vitriol and aggression of some campus Muslims, arrested some twelve protestors. They were taken into custody for disturbing the peace. These individuals included the president of the Muslim Student Union and a union board member. Investigative reports on the activities of all twelve students are being submitted to university conduct officers for disciplinary hearings, which could result in probation, suspension or expulsion of the students.
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, a renowned author and scholar, dealt with the disruptions and ominous heckling with both restraint and forbearance. He stepped aside several times to allow campus officials to plead for order, an open dialogue, and a basic respect for the American principle of freedom of speech. Ambassador Oren took questions from audience members, both Jewish and Muslim. He did not quit the event until it was fully completed.
An annual ‘hate-fest’ against Jews and Israel occurs every May on the troubled campus of the University of California-Irvine. In spite of the efforts of the Jewish community-sponsored Rose Project and Olive Tree Initiative (which mingle Jews and Muslims in outreach and tolerance projects), the resident Muslim student population (and known outside agitators) have repeatedly threatened, thwarted, and even physically assaulted Jewish students.
No matter. The campus communities at Irvine and countless other colleges and universities, which are supposed to be the nurturing villages of scholarship and understanding, will not default on the cardinal standards of democracy and mutual respect guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.
Nobody was humiliated or embarrassed Monday evening save for the young people already corrupted and spoiled by the ignominy of global Islamic radicalism. No matter how much hate their people will instill in their children, the Jewish people will continue to choose life.
Image: His Excellency, Michael Oren, Israeli Ambassador to the United States [official photo]
PREVIEW MY PENDING BOOK, NOTHING LIKE SUNSHINE: A Story in the Aftermath of the MLK Assassination
Comments
Good Article Rabbi Kamin. Agree with you 100% on your assessment.
Thanks for writing this article. Like most Americans, I strongly support freedom of speech and the opportunity to express one's opinions in a quorum of mutual respect. Reconciliation will never occur when one party is shouting obscenities at the other. Hats off to Ambassador Oren for his resolve and final statement wishing that the disruptive students in question had stayed so that they could have an open dialogue. It is a shame that these students will be remembered for their rude behavior and not for their ideas.
It is apparent to me, and becoming apparent to more I believe, that these factions within the Muslim community are without brains. Hate, virtriolic speech, condemnation for others who share different values - these they have in spades. But common decency is grossly lacking. Hats off to those students - Arab and Jewish - who stayed to listen. Hats of to those Muslims who are breaking rank and demanding that their voices be heard in mutual respect and towards real, sustainable peace. And hats off to you for writing this.
These students (and outside agitators) obviously do not view themselves as Americans, preferring the aggressive stance of their muslim theofascism. I would suggest the University closely examine why this behaviour is tolerated, with students facing immediate expulsion not only from their attendant colleges and visa revocation as that may apply. Civic intolerance belies a larger issue that we can't afford to be ignorant of in this age of global hatreds and terrorist activities.
What a sadly hateful piece to be composed by someone who calls himself a man of G-d. Your disgust with Muslims is only thinly veiled here.
Can't wait for him to come to UCSD
Dumb article, you racist. What, can't handle it when a few "goys" stand up to the genocical agenda of precious Israel?
The students who showed such disrespect to the ambassador tells us what they have been taught by their parents and their religious leaders, doesn't it?
The video of this "scene of things to come" can be found on you tube with the ending watch?v=7w96UR79TBw.
America needs to wake up; these Muslim fanatics take advantage of the open-ness and freedom of America to destroy America. Israel and Jews are always an easy target, as we have been for centuries. It seems in vogue to be anti-Israel.
Thank you, writer, for pointing this incident out.
If you don't agree with someone, protesting is certainly appropriate but shouting down a speaker and showing the kind of disrespect that was exhibited here only shows what kind of people were really involved here. Take the protest outside and let those who disagree with you have there words as well.
Thank you for sharing this, and also for allowing the revealing discussion that followed.
Just wait and see what Islam has in store for America. America will become a Sharia law compliant and thus people will be silenced either through threats, which is already happening now with reporters and writers and then with physical violence.
Islam was never compatiable with a free soceity and never will be, no matter how much islam tries, because at islam core lies evil. I sincerely hope to see this comment posted.
www.thereligionofpeace.com
The protesting studens should not be blame 4 demostareting their anger to israeli ambassador,if u look at how the govt, he is reprsenting is maletreating their brothers in palastine.
Why do you care about Israel which kills, destroyes the Homes of the palestinians
Wow, Hate-Fest? thats funny, last time I checked, those so called "hate-fests" are merely a protest to the undescribable pain the palestinians face everyday because of Isreal in Isreal.
I think in order to correctly judge anything we should listen to both sides, not just one. everyone should google and read about isreali palastenian relations before judging this. The writer is abviously Prejudice..i.e. one sided
The protestors who engage in hatred and vitriolic attempts to deny freedom of speach should be expelled from the university... Thank you for writing this illuminating article...
Yeah right "hate-fests" indeed while Israel is a Facist state with wholly segregated villages, towns, schools. People are beginning to see through the lies and hypocrisy. Interesting how American/European Jews such as Sarkozy want Europeans to intermarry and integrate their societies with other races but by law a Jew can't marry a Gentile in Israel, and Israel's immigration laws are for Jews almost exclusively.
Although there are many reasons for these muslim students to be angry with the Israeli government, I don't think that's the point. Freedom of speech lets everyone have their opinion, but this show of disrespect was intolerable. If they wanted an argument they could have waited until after he had made his speech. Because by interrupting him like this they've simply shown that it's impossible for them to have any empathy for people who don't have the same state of mind as them.
This whole incident makes me wonder what is really going on in Israel and why they are trying to silence the Palestinians. These are serious allegations: genocide, murder, bombings, war crimes, etc. Oren wants to project one image of Israel and these students were a threat to that image. I thank the 11 students for helping people like me understand that there is another side, who is marginalized and oppressed. All we hear is the Israeli side and I am going to start listening to the Palestinians from now on to see the full picture.
For God's sake Rabbi. How were you able to tell that all of these protestors were arabs and muslims? Believe it or not, there are millions of non muslims and non arabs that are tired of Israel's actions in the middle east. Including many anti zionist jews.
Israel has broken more UN resolutions than all other world countries combined. Americans need to wake up and see who is leading them into wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran. It's all for the benefit of Israel..open your eyes for God's sake..
At what point did voicing your opinion become hate speech. It’s getting ridiculous. Every time someone says something that disagrees with a certain group, it’s hate. This is getting stupid. Hate is a serious thing, and there’s plenty of it to go around, but to call something hate because it’s vociferous, loud, or even obnoxious, doesn’t make it hate. I’m sorry Rabbi, but I don’t buy it. This isn’t hate, it’s frustration, and while it may have been somewhat obnoxious, I have a sense that it’s the one who is slinging the accusation that’s guilty of the crime.
As another rabbi once said: Cast the beam out of your eye before you go after the sliver in someone else’s.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!