The use of that photo at minimum suggests sympathy for the Iranian 1979 revolution. I don't think that specific part of DJH's accusation was much of a stretch.
1) You can have sympathy for the conditions under the Shah that led to 1979 — or at least understand them, and not support the current regime in Iran, want to live under it, sanction instances of their tyrannical repression, etc. Not that this was the case, but even if it were, what exactly is the problem with that?
2) A photo from the revolution — when that's the topic of conversation — doesn't entail support for that revolution. It was a discussion, a panel. Not one person's monologue.
Consider a poster with an image of Nazis burning the books of the Institute For Sexual Research, under the caption: "SEXUAL PERVERSION: What is it? Why should we be against it? A Panel Discussion"
That poster would obvious indicate at least some sympathy for the Nazis' actions against the Institute For Sexual Research.
That’s an weird idea you have for a poster. I would never make a poster like that, but if you really want to make something weird like that I will defend your right to do so.
Imperialism is a term taught in seminars and lectures around the university literally every day. The point of our event, which is obvious to anyone who actually attended or read the full panel prompt, was to problematize this category. Should the Left really be against it? What does it even mean?
So if you would like this to remain unchallenged on campus feel free to cancel us.
What should have been used? What image would be acceptable? Or is any and every image subjected to Manichean interpretation? Really, if we are all supposed to “think” this way then no thinking can actually happen. If everyone and every statement is either for or against the Islamic Republic, then we are only dealing with absurdities and there is no point to maintain any pretense to intellectual activity or critical thinking. People should just watch “Professor” Jiang and rot their brains. Sorry, I have very little tolerance for this obvious sophistry.
I disagree that non bigoted critiques of Israel is something that is benign and dismissive. It’s like a tumour that spreads and gets worse and worse. The hyper focus on Israel and their policies in a war started by Hamas raping and murdering people in Israel (both Jews and non Jews that happened to be in Israel on October 7th) stems from antisemitism and ignorance. The intense and exclusive focus on Israel (which is super small by the way compared to the surrounded Arab nations and Arabised nations) by ‘Pro Palestine’ activists and critics often reflects a glaring double standard especially when compared to the relative silence surrounding real catastrophic human rights crises across the globe. While the international community hyper fixates on a tiny single landmass in the Middle East severe atrocities like the systematic oppression in Iran and Afghanistan, the targeted killing of Christians in Nigeria, and the catastrophic famine in Sudan receive only a fraction of the same outrage or engagement. This disproportionate scrutiny, combined with a disregard for systemic religious persecution elsewhere in Muslim majority nations, strongly suggests that much of this outrage is driven by bias and goes back to the concept of supporting dhimmitude ideologies rather than a consistent commitment to human rights. Condemning Israel the ONLY democracy in the Middle East while ignoring its demographic reality erases the history of the millions of Mizrahim and Sephardim Jews who were forced to flee persecution in Arab and Muslim majority nations like Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Israel is nearly half of the world Jewish population… Israelis reside in the region because they have no other home to return to making the delegitimisation of the world only Jewish country not just historically inaccurate but rooted in underlying antisemitism
The use of that photo at minimum suggests sympathy for the Iranian 1979 revolution. I don't think that specific part of DJH's accusation was much of a stretch.
1) You can have sympathy for the conditions under the Shah that led to 1979 — or at least understand them, and not support the current regime in Iran, want to live under it, sanction instances of their tyrannical repression, etc. Not that this was the case, but even if it were, what exactly is the problem with that?
2) A photo from the revolution — when that's the topic of conversation — doesn't entail support for that revolution. It was a discussion, a panel. Not one person's monologue.
3) Please actually read the article.
Consider a poster with an image of Nazis burning the books of the Institute For Sexual Research, under the caption: "SEXUAL PERVERSION: What is it? Why should we be against it? A Panel Discussion"
That poster would obvious indicate at least some sympathy for the Nazis' actions against the Institute For Sexual Research.
How does one conjure such a nonsensical comparison?
It is a word for word quote of your poster's subtitle.
That’s an weird idea you have for a poster. I would never make a poster like that, but if you really want to make something weird like that I will defend your right to do so.
Imperialism is a term taught in seminars and lectures around the university literally every day. The point of our event, which is obvious to anyone who actually attended or read the full panel prompt, was to problematize this category. Should the Left really be against it? What does it even mean?
So if you would like this to remain unchallenged on campus feel free to cancel us.
What should have been used? What image would be acceptable? Or is any and every image subjected to Manichean interpretation? Really, if we are all supposed to “think” this way then no thinking can actually happen. If everyone and every statement is either for or against the Islamic Republic, then we are only dealing with absurdities and there is no point to maintain any pretense to intellectual activity or critical thinking. People should just watch “Professor” Jiang and rot their brains. Sorry, I have very little tolerance for this obvious sophistry.
https://columbiasundial.substack.com/p/they-came-at-us-for-jew-hatred-there?utm_campaign=comment-list-share-cta&utm_medium=web&comments=true&commentId=246965610
If you cannot handle seeing an image of a major historical event, don’t go on a university campus. This is my advice.
I disagree that non bigoted critiques of Israel is something that is benign and dismissive. It’s like a tumour that spreads and gets worse and worse. The hyper focus on Israel and their policies in a war started by Hamas raping and murdering people in Israel (both Jews and non Jews that happened to be in Israel on October 7th) stems from antisemitism and ignorance. The intense and exclusive focus on Israel (which is super small by the way compared to the surrounded Arab nations and Arabised nations) by ‘Pro Palestine’ activists and critics often reflects a glaring double standard especially when compared to the relative silence surrounding real catastrophic human rights crises across the globe. While the international community hyper fixates on a tiny single landmass in the Middle East severe atrocities like the systematic oppression in Iran and Afghanistan, the targeted killing of Christians in Nigeria, and the catastrophic famine in Sudan receive only a fraction of the same outrage or engagement. This disproportionate scrutiny, combined with a disregard for systemic religious persecution elsewhere in Muslim majority nations, strongly suggests that much of this outrage is driven by bias and goes back to the concept of supporting dhimmitude ideologies rather than a consistent commitment to human rights. Condemning Israel the ONLY democracy in the Middle East while ignoring its demographic reality erases the history of the millions of Mizrahim and Sephardim Jews who were forced to flee persecution in Arab and Muslim majority nations like Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Israel is nearly half of the world Jewish population… Israelis reside in the region because they have no other home to return to making the delegitimisation of the world only Jewish country not just historically inaccurate but rooted in underlying antisemitism