The students all attend UC campuses and are all members of the Muslim Student Union. All the students were suspended for a quarter, but that doesn't seem to be enough for District Atty. Tony Rackauckas. Misdemeanor criminal charges were filed against the students because the students made an "organized attempt to squelch the speaker".
According to the N.Y. Times... "When the ambassador, Michael B. Oren, came to speak last February, several students stood up, one at a time, and interrupted him with shouted complaints about Israel. When the repeated outbursts continued deep into Mr. Oren’s speech, the ambassador huddled with his security aides to decide whether to continue speaking. He did, but by the time the speech was over, 11 Muslim students had been arrested. The group became known as the “Irvine 11,” although three were students from University of California, Riverside."
Somehow, that doesn't sound that scary, or dangerous. I guess they should consider themselves lucky that they weren't charged with "Terrorism"!... But, what's really happening here? We've all seen the news shots of anti-abortion screamers and neo-nazis shouting down speakers who were just trying to give a speech and make a point. Unless you physically assaulted one of them, chances are you didn't get arrested. With the possible exception of the entire eight years of the Bush administration, free speech was still allowed in this country..... What happened to change all that?
Is it the fact that Israel can do no wrong in the white world of America and Europe? Or, is it just down right Christian racism? Are we so threatened by the word "Muslim", that we must shut them down at all costs? The idea of Muslims voicing their right to free speech in this country, seems to spark a knee-jerk reaction that transcends all reasoning. If you're "Muslim"..... you're BAD! If you're Christian,.... you're "GOOD"! If you're Israeli,..... you're "UNQUESTIONABLE".
I'm definitely not... an anti-semite, but Israel has a "get out of jail card" that seems to give them powers the rest of the world can't even comprehend. Besides wreaking havoc throughout the Mid East world, at the slightest provocation, they are daily receiving over $8,000,000 (eight million dollars) from the U.S.. It's no wonder they can be the heaviest hitters in the Mid East whenever they choose.
But, what's all this got to do with eleven Muslim students? I'm glad you asked..... In reality, it hasn't got a damn thing to do with it. But,... what it does have something to do with,... is... every day, "WE" (that would refer to "regular" people, without special agendas) are being systematically oppressed in ways that seem so innocuous, it doesn't even register to our collective consciousness as free people. The "divide and conquer" principle that was prevalent from biblical times, is being played out daily against all of us.
It doesn't matter if you're a Christian, or a Jew, or a Muslim. What matters most is..... that you don't figure it out and get together. Because together, we know the difference between right and wrong. We know that nobody should be able to bulldoze our homes, and take our land. But, if... the ideologies of culture and religion can keep us from seeing these common rights,... not to mention the money,.. then "The Powerful" will keep us at each other's throats while they reap the profits of our inattentiveness.
So,... where did "free speech" go? It went the way of the Dodo. A memory that we used to quell the "Muslim" threat, and protect us from the freedoms that would be our undoing. Fear being the great equalizer...., and,... the great divider.
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