Editor’s note: Same old, same old. See the Columbia LionPAC / Hillel email, the furor over Santa Cruz and The Real Axis of Evil.

Reader letters here.

“Resolution Disaproving of Hate Speech on Campus”

Page 1 (PDF; 280 KB) Pages 2 & 3 (PDF; 512 KB)

“Whereas, Norman Finkelstein is associated with the racist ideology known as Holocaust Denial or Holocaust Revisionism, arguiing that the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust and especially the number of Holocaust survivors has been exaggerated by a conspiracy of Jewish leaders for financial and political gain;

Whereas, experts in the field have condemned Norman Finkelstein’s book “The Holocaust Industry.” Holocaust expert Omer Bartov, writing in the New York Times, called it juvenile, arrogant, and stupid, and a “novel variation” of the “Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion.” Finkelstein’s mentor, Professor Peter Novick, called it “thrash.” Historian Daniel Jonah Goldhagen said that “Finkelstein’s work is, from beginning to end, a tendentious serious of inventions;”

…

Be it resolved that USAC disapproves in the strongest possible terms the decision of the Muslim Students Association to invite Norman Finkelstein to UCLA, and implores that these groups reconsider their invitation and replace him with a more appropriate speaker.”

Sponsors:
Michelle Sassounian
Ryan Smeets
Brian Neesby

Reader letters

Dear Ms Sassounian,

While an undergrad at UCLA I had the opportunity to meet people of all races and religions, as I am sure you have. I did not always agree with their world outlook, but if I ever did decide to trash someones point of view or credibility, I would like to think that I would have at least investigated the evidence for myself.

As you so politely asked the Muslim Students Association to reconsider their choice of Dr. Finkelstein, I would simply ask you to investigate all that you have heard about him for yourself. Your letter goes on to tear apart the credibility and besmirch the scholarship of Dr. Finkelstein. Perhaps when midterms are over, you could take a look at the documentary record for yourself.

Incidentally, it was your own University of California that published, after rigorous scrutiny, and the threat of law suit, his latest book “Beyond Chutzpah.”

And finally, as an undergrad I bought the official Zionist line. I wish then, someone would have told me to investigate the history for myself as I am now asking you to do.

Your fellow Bruin,

John Costello