For anyone interested, here’s my live tweets from the Antisemitism Panel at the New School. As best I know, the world did not end. The genuine (as opposed to bogus) hoopla leading up the event was that the panelists were not equipped to deal with a complex and multi-faceted phenomenon, but I will say that Leo Ferguson was genuinely thoughtful and Lina Morales had an interesting moment where she voiced criticism of “the movement.” But there was little to be learned about antisemitism at a panel hosted by a university. About that the critics were right, but no damage done. Whatever you already thought you would have left still thinking. The greatest problem with the event was that all questions from the audience were written on index cards and pre-screened. While i understood the perceived need to control the crazies, so much for open discussion. As it was, there was only one disruption, and this from a man complaining about the silencing of the direct audience voice I tried to keep my commentary to a minimum. The live tweets below start from the bottom.
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The genuine hoopla about the Antisemitism panel was that the panel was not going to be able to address a phenomenon that is complex, and multi-faceted. This turned out to be the case.
@TheNewSchool opened the conversation, but did not hit the mark -
okay, that New University Antisemitism Panel was pretty awful
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Leo Ferguson back to talking about antisemitism at New University Antisemitism Panel
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Lina Morales talking about white backlash in the U.S. at New University Antisemitism Panel
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Claire Potter says “a disruptor got up and started yelling that the panel won’t let anyone else talk, which is true: you can send an index card up with a question, but you can’t actually ask a question” at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Lina Morales does not understand that a third or half of German Jews knew what was happening and got the hell out of Dodge by immigrating to… Palestine —at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Rebecca Vilkomerson now backing up the claim that antisemitism is not institutionally structural in the U.S. today at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Linda Sarsour now addressing the statement she made that “antisemitism is not systemic.” (i.e. not written into law today like other forms of racism today) (institutionalized in 2017).
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Linda Sarsour set no litmus test on Zionism when raising money for desecrating cemeteries at New School Antisemitism Panel
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at the New School Antisemitism Panel
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Linda Sarsour says she opposed antisemitism in her community and Jews need to do the same re: Islamophobia
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Linda Sarsour brings it back to herself at the New School Antisemitism Panel
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Linda Sarsour says not everyone in the movement needs to agree with each other at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Sarsour thinks that progressive Zionists want to impose Zionism on the movement, that they are new to the movement and don’t know how to play the game. Lecturing the Jewish community.
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Sarsour returns to Palestinian narrative on Zionism, as her right. Is unable to know what people want her to think about Zionism at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Amy Goodman wants to know if Sarsour can work w/ progressive Zionists for justice in Palestine at New School Antisemitism Panel. Can you work for Palestine without supporting BDS? Sarsour says, don’t interfere with her right to support BDS. Sarsour conflates Zionism w Holocaust
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recognizes this is a genuine problem with JVP
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at the New School Antisemitism Panel
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Lina Morales trying to bring nuance to her anti Zionism at New School Antisemitism Panel not because she is “above” Jewishness but from within a position of Jewishness. Takes some in JVP to task on this score
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Panelists are finished. Discussion time for the panelists at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Linda Sarsous says she’ll show up to do antisemitism work, even if people don’t like her at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Linda Sarsour says Jews should just show up to do social justice work without imposing one’s own personal litmus tests, just like she does at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Linda Sarsour has always been an ally of jews at New School Antisemitism Panel. Her Jewish friends are not Zionist.
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Linda Sarsour wants to know why only experts on antisemitism should be on a panel on antisemitism at a university at New School Antisemitism Panel. Back to talking about Linda Sarsour, not antisemitism
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Linda Sarsour has always been talking about intersectionality before it was cool. She’s going to tell us what intersectionality is (as intersected oppressions)
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Linda Sarsour talking about herself at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Rebecca Vilkomerson arguing that anti-Zionism is not antisemitism, but the real problem is The Institutional Jewish Community. It’s only JVP that’s going to do the social justice work.
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Rebecca Vilkomerson now railing against ADL and others at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Rebecca Vilkomerson trying to figure out how to talk about real antisemitism and its political abuse at the same time at the New School Antisemitism Panel. She’s “angry” at Jewish community hypocrisy. Now into a deep anti-Israel rant
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(Rebecca)
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Rachel Vilkomerson quickly pivots to fighting Israel apartheid at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Rebecca Vilkomerson talking about the visibility of antisemitism in the Age of Trump at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Lina Morales, Zionism as tool of western imperialism and antisemitism
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Look, none of these people at the New School Antisemitism Panel are so far bringing any scholarly expertise. Sweeping generalizations about history
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Lina Morales now talking about Zionism and colonialism at New School Antisemitism Panel and genocide of mizrachi jewish cultures
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Lina Morales talking about antisemitism as tool of capitalism and imperialism at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Lina Morales talks about antisemitism as tool of western society used to obfuscate at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Lina Morales talking about antisemitism and jews of color and against the idea that POC are disproportionately antisemitic, Zionism, anti-imperialism
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Leo Ferguson did not mention Israel and Palestine at New School Antisemitism Panel
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Leo Fergusion talking about friends and allies in the Age of Trump, deep and trusting partnerships between Jews and others. He’s still skating around the Israel and BDS question which muddies the water (his term). Keeping focus on anti-Sem versus false charges
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Back to talking about abuse of antisemitism at New School Antisemitism Panel, i.e. false accusations, etc
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and scapegoating jews
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Leo Fergusion talking about capitalism and antisemitism
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Within 2 minutes, Leo Ferguson pivots from antisemitism to the manipulation of antisemitism at the New School Antisemitism Panel
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Leo Ferguson introducing a short history Antisemitism at New School Antisemitism Panel
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the comments at Jacobin FB page for the New School Antisemitism Panel is bat shit crazy
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Zachary Braiterman Retweeted jacob
It’s not a Sarsour event. She’s one panelist on a panel organized by JVP, Jews for Economic and Racial Justice, and Jacobin Magazine
Zachary Braiterman added,
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Amy Goodman New School Antisemitism Panel talking about Charlottesville
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Alisa Wise at New School Antisemitism Panel sets up the dichotomy between those who support JVP and pro-occupation Islamophobic right supporters of oppressive agendas
panels are generally a terrible format, too many voices too little time/space for dealing with complexity, one of many academic formats in need of reform that seem to go without notice/fixing.