February 17, 2010

Re: Is it anti-semitic to defend Palestinian human rights? By Edward C. Corrigan

Lujean Rogers Oldsmar, Florida

Dear Honorable Edward Corrigan:

I do thank you for the article I just finished reading. It is truly the best I've read on the subject, fair and balanced. My late husband and I were concerned about the threat to freedom of speech on campuses when students were denied having speakers to discuss the Palestine/Israel problems. As a physician who spent years on campus, he said that was the very place to have free and open discussions and that any other subject was openly discussed. The problem seemed to be growing. One example was that the B'nai B'rith students were passing out a booklet that explained how to keep speakers away unless they spoke favorably of Israel no matter what it did. That was in the 90s.

The use of the term anti-Semitism, to me, is improperly used - when used against anyone who speaks about the brutality of the Israeli occupation. After all, the Palestinians are Semites. It seems ignorant to use the term referring to one religion. We met Dr. Lilienthal, a friend of the late Harriett Karchner, in NY and collected his books. And recently some of us watched a video of the fascinating Dr. Sand in Atlanta. And Dr. Normal Finkelstein was at Emory University in Atlanta last year. I was happy that you mentioned former president Jimmy Carter - he has tried hard to be fair and is to be admired for doing so much for peace when he could be just taking it easy. His book was protested, of course. I subscribe to Jewish Voices for Peace and others, and they do a very good job.

I am truly sorry that my late husband is not here to read your article.

Thank you again,