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Ben Gurion UniversityBen Gurion University - Isaac (Yanni) Nevo (Dept of Philosophy) - Calls kettle black by mocking mock trial on BGU's "Academia List"
An Exchange on the "Academia List": Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:37:30 +0300 Dear Friends, It is not up to a political group such as BGU-Watch to conduct public trials against academics whose political views they oppose. Such tactics are scare-tactics, aimed at intimidating and silencing academic criticism. But since they seem to have taken the task upon themselves, they should be reminded that in civilized and democratic societies trials are conducted in the presence of two sides, and even "mock-trials" cannot reach a verdict without giving voice to the "defense". The zealotry of BGU-Watch, and the writers they cite, is nowhere more apparent than in the fact that they do not even bother to hear what the "defendant" has to say. And if they shrug the image of a mock-trial, in which they are prosecutors, judges, and executioners, let me rephrase my own point without the image: Criticism is only effective, if it directs itself to the arguments of the opponent, and takes upon itself to present these arguments in their strongest light. Otherwise, it quickly debilitates into a shouting match, or as in this case of one-sidedness, a shouting campaign of name-calling and vilification. BGU-Watch and its parent organizations seem to specialize in this unenlightening genre: they vilify their opponents, they call them names, they attempt to suppress them, but they don't do one simple thing. They don't listen to their arguments, and they don't give counter-arguments. For better or worse, here's the argument: Since the two-state solution appears to be defunct, two options remain. A one-state democracy, inclusive of both peoples, or a continuation of the present, non-democratic, form of government, in which one people enjoy political and civil rights that are denied from the other. Whether or not you call the latter situation "apartheid", this is an argument one should listen to. In fact, mainstream Israeli politicians such as Olmert and Livni (indeed, the present government), seem to be taking notice. They know perfectly well that once the two-state solution is off the table, one form or another of the one- state solution will become inevitable. I am, myself, a life-long supporter of the two-states solution, and this is still my position. I disagree with the premise of the argument above as I think the two state solution has greater viability than granted by its opponents. But I welcome the criticism that BGU-Watch is attempting to silence by its intimidation tactics. It is criticism we should all listen to very carefully. Fortunately, we have in this country free academies and universities in which academic freedom protects unpopular critics of our government and its policies. Ben-Gurion University is one such free academy. It protects academic freedom. Just watch us. There is, I suspect, a reason why the BGU-Watchers don't want to listen. It is the following: A two-states solution, as even Olmert and Livny recognize, is the only buffer to a one-state "condition", democratic or otherwise. But BGU-Watchers prefer a one-state, albeit a non-democratic one. This is so because any two-state solution would have to dismantle the settlements and the occupation, and this, rather than "pro-israel views", is what they are protecting. Isaac (Yanni) Nevo ======= Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:08:04 +0300 Well, Comrade Yanni claims to know what OUR position is for resolving the Arab-Israeli war, except that we do not have one. Comrade Yanni also claims that he is defending the freedom to denounce and criticize Israel and question its motives, but is unwilling to acknowledge any similar right to criticize and denounce the critics of Israel, nor to question THEIR motives. The democratic Yanni insists the entire world must accept HIS exclusive formulation of the choices Israel faces and must make. The fair minded Yanni claims WE are conducting a mock trial, and he does so as the prosecution's opening argument in his mock trial of US at BGUWATCH! He complains about "scare tactics," meaning citing what anti-Israel extremists have actually written and said in their own words, but sees nothing wrong with the abuse of students by Neve Gordon as reported in the eyewitness report earlier cited. What selective moral outrage! How dare BGUWATCH criticize those whom Yanni is unwilling to see criticized! =======
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