Saturday, February 16, 2013

LGBT Center of NY Bars Author on Palestine Book from Speaking

""It seems that they hold cliched and stereotyped beliefs about punitive rich Jews who will pull out their Jew-money if anyone criticizes Israel, and it was this misguided prejudice that lead them to defensively ban any criticism of Israel," Schulman, a professor of English at the City University of New York, said. "I know it sounds insane, but I honestly think that that is what happened. A weird kind of anti-semitism combined with a profound lack of intelligence and integrity."
The Center has said that it sought to keep the divisive issue out as part of an effort to maintain a "safe space" for Jews and Arabs alike, and LGBT people on all sides of the conflict. But Schulman argued that queer people ought, in particular, to be incensed by Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. Israel, she said, "pinkwashes" its record by using events like gay pride parades "as signs of modernity." (thanks Nadia)"