A month ago I blogged about the appalling treatment of Dr David Hirsh by UK student leaders, supported by ‘academics’ at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he teaches.
Goldsmiths has issued this statement.
It’s about as brazenly and unashamedly two-faced as it’s possible to get.
On the one hand the Warden (a luminary in the academic field of Fashion) offers support to Dr Hirsh:
Professor Frances Corner, Warden of Goldsmiths, has also offered public support for Dr David Hirsh, from the Department of Sociology, who was the subject of unjustified comments made on social media earlier this year.
But on the other, not only does Goldsmiths’ Management have the bare-faced unashamed chutzpah (Yiddish word for cheek) to claim that it has adopted the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism – despite elimination of all the ‘case studies’ (they mean the examples), which makes it a meaningless platitude – but it also has adopted the sham ‘Jerusalem Definition’ of antisemitism, a bastard child cooked up by academics who want impunity when they compare Israel Jews to Nazis and declare that ‘Zionism equals racism’.
Here’s David Collier:
Antisemites will use it to shield themselves from accusations of antisemitism. It is in effect, a carefully crafted ‘get away with antisemitism free’ card. It needs to be rejected and shunned everywhere that it surfaces.
Shame on you, Corner, and shame on your ‘Academic Board‘ and Council. You are aiding and abetting antisemitism!
*******************
Please consider donating through my Patreon page. Every penny will go toward Israel advocacy and fighting antisemitism. Or by Paypal.
***************************
Addendum 1
The IHRA Definition stripped of its examples is a meaningless ‘Motherhood and Apple Pie’ Platitude:
Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.
Addendum 2
Goldsmiths’ statement promises an “independent review into antisemitism”.
Who will lead it?
Faites Vos Jeux:
Tony Lerman 3-2
David Feldman 2-1
Hugh Tomlinson 5-2
Stephen Sedley 11-4
Geoffrey Bindman 11-4
Geoffrey Robertson 3-1
Brian Klug 4-1
Jeremy Corbyn 9-2
Anthony Julius 10,000-1
Addendum 3:
David Collier has pointed out to me that – appallingly – the ‘examples’ are NOT EXCLUDED by Goldsmiths from the Islamophobia definition (p56/7 ‘Islamophobia Defined’) – unlike their emasculation of the IHRA definition.
Labour Against Antisemitism picked this up too.
Thus Goldsmiths holds that this is Islamophobic:
Denying Muslim populations the right to self-determination e.g., by claiming that the existence ofan independent Palestine or Kashmir is a terrorist endeavour
But denies that this is antisemitic:
Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.
We Are The 99% of Jews ............ 