UC Irvine is in Campbell’s District
The Zionist Organization of America has strongly praised US Congressman John Campbell (R-CA) for condemning the “egregious behavior” of the student group called the Muslim Student Union of the University of California, Irvine (UCI). (UCI is in Cong. Campbell’s district.) Cong. Campbell wrote a letter to UCI Chancellor Michael Drake on February 26, 2010, condemning the Muslim Student Union for a “pattern” of being “involved in violations of free speech, intimidation, and threats of violence on campus.” Campbell also criticized the Muslim Student Union’s rhetoric, “incit[ing] hate and violence against both this country and Jewish-American students on campus.” Campbell cited “letters in my possession from victimized UCI students, bearing testimony to alleged violence and property destruction carried out by Muslim Student Union members in recent years.”
The Congressman added, “It is my opinion that the University has historically demonstrated a greater degree of leeway to the Muslim Student Union than any other group on campus. Undoubtedly, if a certain group believes greater latitude exists in accordance with their actions, no matter the reason, this kind of unacceptable behavior will be repeated and escalated. Neither UCI nor Orange County should become distinguished as places where illegal, discriminatory, or hateful conduct is permitted or condoned. I fear the tactics the Muslim Student Union, unfortunately, chooses to frequently employ on campus, which are reported worldwide, have started taking our community down that path.
“Therefore, I ask for strong disciplinary measures to be immediately carried out administratively against these students, in concurrence with appropriate due process proceedings already ongoing, and that an investigation into the conduct and membership of the Muslim Student Union be initiated without delay by your office [emphasis added].”
The ZOA National President Morton A. Klein; Chairman, Dr. Michael Goldblatt; and Director of the ZOA’s Center for Law and Justice, Susan B. Tuchman, Esq., applauded Congressman John Campbell’s important and powerful letter to UCI Chancellor Michael Drake: “Congressman Campbell has made it crystal clear that the Muslim Student Union has been engaging in behavior that is ‘egregious’ and ‘intolerable,’ inciting hate and violence against the United States and against Jewish students on campus. We applaud U.S. Cong. Campbell for joining the ZOA, B’nai B’rith International and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in condemning the ongoing anti-Semitism at UCI and criticizing the lack of serious steps taken by UCI to address the situation. He’s also made clear that UCI has wrongly enabled this conduct. By failing to condemn the Muslim Student Union’s anti-Semitic and Israel-bashing speakers and programs by name, UCI has emboldened the group to continue inciting hatred of Jews and Israel, and to squelch the expression of pro-Israel views.
“The ZOA agrees with US Cong. Campbell and we once again urge UCI to finally issue its long overdue report on the investigation that UCI pledged to complete by the end of 2009, regarding the Muslim Student Union’s event last May, featuring Israel-bashing British politician George Galloway. There is evidence that Galloway and members of the Muslim Student Union may have solicited funds for Hamas in violation of federal law and university policies.
“Congressman Campbell has done the right thing in calling on UCI to investigate the Muslim Student Union and take disciplinary action against the group and its members for their misconduct. Otherwise, as Congressman Campbell fears, UCI’s and the community’s reputation will become further blackened as places that tolerate and even condone hateful, discriminatory and illegal conduct.”
