Speaker discusses topic of anti-Semitism at colleges
By Anna Paningbatan
Oct. 14, 2002 9:00 p.m.
A speaker who urged students to demand the university protect
their rights against anti-Semitism visited UCLA a day before
Chancellor Carnesale reiterated his zero-tolerance policy for
hate-motivated behavior.
Bruce L. Bialosky, the Southern California chairman of the
Republican Jewish Coalition, spoke at the forum Thursday, which was
sponsored by the Persian American Jewish Organization and was
attended by over 50 students.
The forum addressed the topic of anti-Semitism on U.S. college
campuses and was co-sponsored by Bruins for Israel and UCLA
Hillel.
“Students need to take care of themselves right now and go
through the process by addressing the chancellor to protect their
interests,” Bialosky said.
In his lecture, Bialosky referred to a statement signed by 300
heads of American colleges and universities that affirmed their
zero-tolerance for anti-Semitic acts on their campuses.
Chancellor Carnesale did not sign the statement, but issued a
message Friday asserting that UCLA maintains a zero-tolerance
policy regarding hate-motivated behavior.
Yoav Sarraf, a fifth-year history student and president of the
Persian American Jewish Organization, said he hoped that the event
would be a beginning of an ongoing series of discussions and
lectures that deal with important issues that face the Jewish
community.
“We hope to provide a venue where faculty and students can
talk about these issues. This is one man’s assessment of the
situation,” he said.
“People should be aware of things that are blatantly
anti-Semitic and distinguish between actions that are hateful or
not,” he added.
The Anti-Defamation League, an organization formed to monitor
and combat anti-Semitism, was affiliated with the lecture as
well.
Last June, it conducted a nationwide survey that claimed that
there has been an increase of anti-Semitic attitudes among
Americans.
The study also stated that college faculty and students are the
least anti-semitic among Americans with only 3 percent of
undergraduates and 5 percent of faculty falling into the most
anti-Semitic category. Â
According to ADL, overall anti-Semitic incidents were up 11.1
percent in the first five months of this year compared to the same
period in 2001.Â
“Anti-semitic attitudes on campus do not present a
considerable increase,” said Marjan Keypour Greenblatt, the
associate director of the Pacific Southwest Region of the
Anti-Defamation League.
“Nevertheless, anti-semitic incidents and anti-Israel
propaganda that cross the line are disconcerting problems which
should be attended to,” she said.
UCLA Hillel will sponsor Laurie Zoloth, the chair of Jewish
Studies at San Francisco State University, to speak about the rise
of anti-Semitism on campuses. The event will be held on Wednesday
at 2 pm in Bunche 10383.
