Boycott Israel (part 2)

I'd like to address one particular defence put forward by supporters of the proposed academic boycott of Israel who I think are ducking the question of why Israel is being singled out and why not apply the same standards toa cademics from otehr countries that engage in human rights violations (including my country of citizenship and the country that employs me).

The argument that the fact that we're not boycotting EVERY country doesn't mean we shouldn't fight injustice perpetrated by ONE of them. I fully recognize the folly of the logic that "if you can't solve EVERY problem, don't bother trying to solve ANY." However, that simply doesn't apply to this situation and is a complete red herring.

There are things that we can do to affect change that are difficult and costly and there are things that we do which are easy and don't cost a thing. The absurdity of the "if not ALL, then why any?" would apply in SOME situations, but not this one. The fact that I can't afford to give a generous donation to support cancer research AND AIDS research AND heart disease research AND diabetes research shouldn't stop me from making a donation to support cancer research. The fact that I don't ahve time to volunteer at the food bank AND the homeless shelter AND the soup kitchen AND the senior's residence isn't an excuse not to volunteer at the food bank.

But the action proposed by CUPE takes no effort and costs nothing. It literally costs nothing because everyone, CIPE included, knows it will never actually be implemented. It is purely symbolic. So if you're going to take a purely symbolic action - and an easy and cost-free one - why not add other countries to the boycott list? What does it really take for CUPE to do this? 2 extra minutes of typing and an extra sheet of paper (sadly the list of human rights violators is a lengthy one). THIS is the reason that people think israel is being treated unfairly and ahve come to question teh motivations of those behind the proposal.

We wouldn't stand for this in other areas. I imagine, for example, that some people of Italian descent steal cars. People of Italian descent are certainly far from the ONLY group that steals cars. An Italian guy stealing a car isn't inherently morally worse than a Swedish guy or Mexican guy or Japanese guy or Dutch guy stealing a car. It doesn't take any extra effort on my part to condemn ALL car thiefs than it does to condemn ITALIAN ones. So, if I were to put out a public statement specifically condemning "Italian car thiefs", would it maybe be reasonable to suggest that I was treating italians unfairly? Could one plausibly suggest that I may harbour some sort of bigotry towards italians?

Sevilla star striker, Kanouté, showed a vest in support of Palestine to celebrate one of the goals in his side's victory against Deportivo in the King's Cup last night. The referee gave him a yellow card for the incident which is prohibited by the Spanish Football Federation.

Anyone know of Canadian exports to Israel?  This should be a logical target for the boycott and divestment (Canadian companies doing business with Israel).

There are also concerns that sales to the United States aren't tracked and that most Canadian-made military goods cross the border without requiring export permits, owing to an agreement between the two countries signed in the 1940s.

"I think there's a huge loophole in the export controls," said [Janice] Stein, of the University of Toronto. "The export licensing requirements for what we sell to the United States are so minimal that it is possible that if some of that equipment moves to third parties, we would never know."

We are a group of teachers and employees at Quebec colleges and universities who stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and with the people of Gaza who have suffered through the Israeli siege as targets of Israel's brutal military attack. It will take more than ceasefires to bring a just and lasting peace in Palestine and Israel. We are acting in response to an appeal for support issued January 2, 2009 by the Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees. In the wake of the Israeli bombing of the Islamic University of Gaza, the Federation of Unions has urged academics around the world to support a boycott of Israeli academic institutions.

We support this call and place it within a wider campaign of boycott, divestment, and sanctions. The struggle against apartheid in South Africa was supported through boycotts, divestment, and sanctions. We support a similar strategy against the Israeli state.

We will undertake actions within our own institutions to promote education on this issue, to support students, faculty, and employees to speak out on this question, and to pressure the institutions in which we work to participate in a boycott, divestment, and sanctions campaign that aims for a just and lasting settlement for the Palestinian people.

We strongly condemn the government of Canada's position on the ongoing conflict in Gaza and for its bilateral trade agreements that help sustain Israeli military actions. The Harper government has condemned Hamas, an elected government, as a terrorist organization. Yet it consistently supports the government of Israel, which has used weapons causing mass destruction on a mainly civilian population, including attacks on children and schools, and has violated International prohibitions against collective punishment through its blockade of the Gaza strip.

We call on the Harper government to re-evaluate its policies and to unequivocally condemn the Israeli siege and assault on Gaza, which constitute serious violations of international and humanitarian law. We further demand that the Israeli government immediately cease its violence.

As well, we urge that all economic relations between Israel and the governments of Canada and Quebec - including trade agreements - be suspended until there is not only a just and lasting peace for the Palestinian people, but that Israel, in compliance with international law, recognizes the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

Brian Aboud, Vanier College
Sajida S. Alvi, McGill University
Rachad Antonius, Université du Québec à Montréal
Sima Aprahamian, Concordia University
David Austin, Concordia University
Gregory Baum, McGill University
Rachel Berger, Concordia University
Martin Blanchard, Université de Montréal
James (Jay) Brophy, McGill University
Peter Button, McGill University
Joel Casseus, Vanier College
Jean Chapman, Concordia University
Dolores Chew, Marianopolis College
Jennifer Chew, McGill University
Aziz Choudry, McGill University
Jocelyne Couture, Université du Québec à Montréal
Mary Ellen Davis, Concordia University
Caroline Desbiens, Université Laval
Martin Duckworth, Concordia University
Maurice Dufour, Marianopolis College
Arwen Fleming, McGill University
Roy Fu, John Abbott College
Monika Kin Gagnon, Concordia University
S. Gourlay, Concordia University
Wael B. Hallaq, McGill University
Jill Hanley, McGill University
Michelle Hartman, McGill University
Sumi Hasegawa, McGill University
Oscar Hernandez, Marianopolis College
Christina Holcroft, McGill University
Homa Hoodfar, Concordia University
Helen Hudson, McGill University
Adrienne Carey Hurley, McGill University
Andrew M. Ivaska, Concordia University
Sandra Jeppesen, Concordia University
Yasmin Jiwani, Concordia University
Steven Jordan, McGill University
Denis Kosseim, Cégep André-Laurendeau
Anna Kruzynski, Concordia University
Marc Lafrance, Concordia University
Thomas LaMarre, McGill University
Diane Lamoureux, Université Laval
Andrée Lévesque, McGill University
Charmain Levy, Université du Québec en Outaouais
Abby Lippman, McGIll University
Margaret Lock, McGill University
Richard Lock, Vanier College
Ehab Lotayef, McGill University
Gada Mahrouse, Concordia University
Chantal Maillé, Concordia University
David Mandel, Université du Québec à Montréal
Rosanna Maule, Concordia University
Mark Patrick McGuire, John Abbott College
Elizabeth Miller, Concordia University
L. Monet, Université de Montréal
Norman Nawrocki, Concordia University
Holly Nazar, McGill University
Devora Neumark, Concordia University
Greg Nielsen, Concordia University
Kai Nielsen, Concordia University
Marielle Nitoslawska, Concordia University
Samuel J Noumoff, McGill University
Marielle Olivier, McGill University
Anthony Paré, McGill University
Andrew Pearce, McGill University
James Pettit, Marianopolis College
Veronica Ponce, Marianopolis College
Najat Rahman, Université de Montréal
Frances Ravensbergen, Concordia University
Trish Salah, Bishop's and Concordia Universities
Daniel Salée, Concordia University
Kim Sawchuk, Concordia University
Gale Seiler, McGill University
Eric Shragge, Concordia University
Lee Soderstrom, McGill University
Martha Stiegman, Concordia University
Miwako Uesaka, McGill University
Indu Vashist, McGill University
Julian Vigo, Université de Montréal
Sarwat Viqar, John Abbott College
Nadia Wardeh, McGill University
Thomas Waugh, Concordia University

Here's the home page of the U.S. Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel.

ETA: What the hell have the web people been doing? My colour tags don't work any more... Is it not possible for them to be a little more transparent and announce changes as they effect them?????

Are you applauding this, unionist?

I find it appalling that a fucking tennis match is not even safe because of the antionality of some players.