From Winds of Change :
The SFSU story is a long way from done. We've had some excellent coverage at FoxNews.com, a proposed Action Plan, and finally the great SFSU Blog Burst.
Since then, there have been some new developments on the ground....
During the Blog Burst, Pejman waded in with a legal analysis of the SFSU incident and some thoughts re: the students' options. My sources tell me that a group of Jewish SFSU students has contacted an attorney who has agreed to represent them. They are considering a civil action, and may be making a formal announcement this week.
A letter has also been sent to the major sponsors of SFSU's Jewish Studies program. Some excerpts follow:
"Despite President Corrigan's strongly worded condemnation... now attempting to downplay the incident, characterizing both the Jewish students and the pro-Palestinian students as equally antagonistic and guilty of hateful speech and actions. This could not be further from the truth. I know because I was there, standing with the students....
"I am writing to you because I believe this dismissal is an attempt, in part, to placate Jewish donors with hopes that if ignored, the ugly mess will all go away. I am aware that you are a generous contributor to the University and to the Jewish studies program in particular." That charge is given support by the following account:
A group of local Muslim leaders recently made an offer to the Jewish students to drop charges against her if they would drop the charges against the Muslim students. Jewish student representatives refused, noting that she is not a member of their organizations and that even if she was, they don't condone her behavior. This response took the leaders and the administration by surprise, suggesting that she was only arrested as a token and a bargaining chip. It does suggest that, strongly. Even more so when one considers the discrepancy between the behaviour she was charged for and the behaviour the Muslim studients were charged for. They're probably shocked that the "hostage" policy wasn't effective... maybe sensible responses like this aren't in the training manuals. And would these perchance be the same "local Muslim leaders" who refused to show up at a local event with area mayors to condemn the recent spate of anti-semitic incidents in the Bay Area?
Back to the letter:
"I am in the process of collecting evidence in the form of correspondence, student reports and student newspaper articles documenting a pervasive and ongoing climate of anti-Jewish hatred at SFSU going back several decades. Furthermore, I recently read the report published in 1995 by the JCRC. Many of the problems identified in that report continue on campus. The University administration appears to be applying the same remedies that have failed in the past. To affect real change, there will need to be some serious changes in personnel and policy rather than yet another "task force." I would appreciate any support you can provide to help affect these changes." Good on them for taking this letter to the university's fundraising sources. I'll repeat what I said on June 3rd:
It's fine for Rabbi Kahn and the San Francisco Jewish community to support Corrigan, but they must refuse to fall for "good cop, bad cop" routines and doggedly keep the pressure on at all levels.... Those of us who are rightly aghast at recent events must not allow ourselves to be lulled to sleep by Corrigan's words, instead of insisting on effective action. Otherwise we - and our kids - will just be setting ourselves up for more violence.
12:56:39 PM 
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