When shouting stops, so will violence in Mid-East

As former editor-in-chief of the Daily Bruin, I understand how
heated the campus debate over the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
is.

For every protest we covered or every debate we recapped, a
flood of letters to the editor would ensue, pinpointing every
alleged factual inaccuracy or hint of bias. So, it was no surprise
when Edward Said’s lecture last Thursday turned into a
shouting match.

For years I struggled to find a way for The Bruin to resolve
this conflict on campus, or at least make it resemble a respectful
debate. Still, year after year, little changes. To be honest, I
feel my connection to the Middle East is purely intellectual. I
read about what happens there, and I try to make informed judgments
as best I can, but the situation is rife with propaganda from each
side. It seems that the conflicting ideas on campus reflect the
bloody conflict far away.

Amid UCLA life, I often forget that a life-and-death struggle is
occurring. But for many with family, friends and a history in the
Middle East, the situation is not so remote. It is with this in
mind I understand why neither side will allow an attack of ideas to
go unchallenged. In a balance so fragile, where what we think
affects what our governments do, an idea is a powerful thing.

And yet, amid the yelling is a quiet majority that goes about
its business, put off by each side. This group does not want to
feel threatened for asking questions, so it doesn’t. It is
this group, however, that constitutes the majority view in the
United States. In the end, this group will affect how the country
wields its influence.

Let’s be honest; neither side is going to convince the
other to accept the alleged facts they purport. That doesn’t
mean common ground can’t be achieved, but rather that it
needs to be sought where it exists. It is time for the debate to
move forward. As Said rightly noted, a country ought not to use a
past grievance to justify a current aggression. History can’t
be changed, but it can be agreed upon at this point.

While Israeli and Palestinian supporters argue over who should
stop the violence first, the fact is that the violence must stop.
There is no defense or success in this war; there is only violence
that will continue until one side can summon the strength to turn
the other cheek long enough for a real change to occur. It’s
not a question of who should do it first. Both should do it,
period.

UCLA students should follow suit by respecting each
other’s ideas to let the currently neutral majority decide
their beliefs for themselves.

Free speech is not simply allowing someone to speak; it’s
allowing someone to be heard. Amid all the yelling on Thursday, I
couldn’t hear either side.

Kudo is a former editor-in-chief of the Daily Bruin.