Israel, Stokely Carmichael, and the Athenaeum

While we're on the topic of Israel, let's talk about some of the radical anti-Israel people that have been brought to campus in the past. 

African-American radical activist Kwame Ture, formerly known as Stokely Carmichael, gave a controversial Athenaeum speech on Monday, 1 February 1993, in which he blasted Zionism as the enemy of humanity and Africa and said that he supported the Palestinians unconditionally. "If Arafat needs machine guns and I got them," Ture told his Athenaeum audience, "--go ahead. Do your work." (Kevin Starr, Commerce and Civilization, p. 346)

Naturally, Ture, the advocate of black power, spoke on the day that the school honors Dr. King. 

Just listen to how the Athenaeum's The Fortnightly billed the talk, with characteristic timidity.

The Athenaeum presents Dr. Kwame Ture (formerly known as Stokely Carmichael) as the Martin Luther King Jr. birthday speaker. His more than 20 years of political experience have given him an understanding of the trends, ideas, and progress of democratic and human rights movements across the globe.

Dr. Ture is a political activist, scholar, and traveler of the world. He was a leading organizer in the Civil Rights, Black Power and Pan African movements in the 1960s. Dr.Ture has lectured at universities around the country and throughout Africa and the Middle East, including the University of Liberia and the University of Sudan.

Kwame Ture presents and persuasively argues for a fundamentally different philosophy, objective, and strategy for solving the complex problems affecting African and other oppressed people throughout the world. He is an organizer for the All-African People's Revolutionary Party which has been building across college campuses.

We hope you'll join us for what promises to be a challenging and dynamic talk!

Now I wonder what challenging and dynamic are euphemisms for . . . 

Chuck DeVore Statement on Israel

Lest there be any doubt that Chuck DeVore, a CMC alum running for U.S. Senate, is a friend of Israel, his office has released a statement about how he stands with them as they stop Hamas. I love DeVore's comparison with Israel and the territories and Mexico and the United States. He's right. If we were attacked by Mexico with rocket fire, we'd retaliate.

In fact, when Pancho Villa did a cross border raid at Columbus, New Mexico, President Woodrow Wilson retalliated by sending a 10,000 man force under the command of General Pershing into Mexico for nearly a year!  I suppose by the U.N. and the left's definition of proportionate attacks, we would have been condemned for defending our territory and our citizenry.

We failed to capture Pancho Villa on the raid. At least the Israelis have had more success with their killing of the rather disgusting Nizar Rayyan.

Here's a link to the statement, in case you can't see it. Click here to Donate to Mr. DeVore's campaign.

From the Desk of Chuck DeVore January 3, 2009 Help beat Boxer - Contribute to Chuck's campaign

IN THIS ISSUE: DeVore voices support for Israel

United States Senate candidate California Assemblyman Chuck DeVore supports Israel’s Gaza operation DeVore: “America must support Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorists.” Chuck DeVore, a California legislator and declared candidate for the United States Senate in 2010 against Barbara Boxer, announced his support of the state of Israel’s current military operations in Gaza. “For the last several years I have been amazed at the forbearance and restraint shown by Israel as Hamas terrorists rained down rocket after rocket purposefully targeted at Israeli civilians,” Assemblyman Chuck DeVore said. “Imagine if terrorists in Tijuana regularly shot rockets into San Diego – America wouldn’t stand for it. I support Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks. The terrorist organization Hamas has brought this defensive military operation on itself.” DeVore was in the Israeli city of Sderot two years ago and met Mayor Eli Moyal who expressed his frustration at the constant terror rocket attacks. Sderot is sometimes darkly referred to as “Qassam City” after the name of the most common Hamas terror rocket. In 2006, the year DeVore last visited Israel, an average of three Qassams per day were fired into Israel, mostly into Sderot, a town of 20,000. DeVore has been to Israel four times since 1984 as well as to Lebanon, Egypt, and the West Bank. Chuck DeVore has served in the California State Assembly since 2004. He retired from the U.S. Army as an intelligence officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel. DeVore served as a Reagan White House appointee in the Pentagon from 1986 to 1988 as a Special Assistant for Foreign Affairs and in that capacity he helped to start America’s support of the development of Israel’s Arrow anti-tactical ballistic missile.