Freedom of Speech?

I will open this post by saying I am very against Israel Apartheid Week (IAW). Not that I support Israel occupation of Palestine, so before you condemn me as a mouthpiece for Israel, know that.

Whether you like it or not, IAW is a racist event. Not that all individuals who organize or participate in the event(s) are racist. It is a very important distinction. However, the type of culture that events like this harbour is quite dangerous, for example:

Two weeks ago, anti-Israel protesters besieged Jewish students in York University's Hillel office after they took part in a press conference held to call for an impeachment of the student government - an issue unrelated to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but which dealt instead with ending a long strike by teachers assistants. An angry mob that included members of Students Against Israeli Apartheid, a main IAW organizer, banged on the glass doors of the Hillel office, shouting anti-Semitic epithets at the Jews inside, including, "Die, Jew, get the hell off campus."

Any event that advocate people think negatively against Israel will undoubtedly make people think negatively against Israelites, whether or not they live in Israel. The problem is no longer political, but personal.

The poster should have been banned, and the SFUO should have immediately supported the administration. I would also ban events such as IAW from my campus unless they change the focus from Anti-Israel to Pro-Palestine. The fact of the matter is, that our Jewish students are feeling threatened on their own campus. I hear the argument a lot: "Yes the SFUO is supposed to represent every student and not one group over the other, so we need to support our right to Freedom of Speech and Expression." de facto supporting IAW. But by banning IAW's Posters and even IAW itself, will the anti-Israel students feel physically threatened? I think not.

We hold many events on our campus throughout the year. How many of them have the potential for causing physical violence? That is what I am advocating, not either side of the debate, but none.