cxpj_200904.pdf

Media

Part of Counter Point Journal Issue 1 (April 2009)

extracted text

Counter Point Joarn

Issue 1 -

April 2009

•

In this premiere issue:
Guns
Palestine/Israel
V
• •
.1-.eminism
... an d more.'

FREE

This is not the Cooper Point Journal - God, no
l,y the CxPJ Collutwe

The Evergreen State College is a concrete jungle. Student Activities is like Fallujah, only more privileged. That's wliy Campus
Police need AR-15s. lt's the next bestthing to Blackwater. See pages 4 and 6 for stories about guns and cops at Evergreen.

How to lie and libel for the CPJ

trator and be done with it instead
of speaking to students and staff
"There is no such thing as a neutral educato track down important elements
tion process. Education eitherJunctions
that could change the whole course
as an instrument which is used to faciliof the story.
tate the integration ofgenerations into
2. Maintaining a regular publithe logic of the present system and bring
cation is a tremendous amount of
about conformity to it, or it becomes the
work.
'practice offreedom: the means by which
3. Soliciting articles is not nearly
men and women deal critically with realso easy as just making the medium
ity and discover how to participate in the
available.
transformation of their world."
4. Probably most important, find-Paulo Freire
ing relevant and interesting stories
About four weeks ago, a few of us requires a lot of investment and crecame together with the intent to be- ativity.
Be that as it may, having an issue
gin a monthly newspaper directed
towards the Evergreen State College. be particularly difficult doesn't reTo some, this might sound bizarre lieve our responsibility to it. Media
given the existence of a fully funded remains a major source of education
weekly newspaper at the college, but about the events that affect our lives,
and on these terms our current melet us explain our reasoning.
All of us have contributed to the dia is lacking.
At best, we could stress the limitaCooper Point Journal in some form
previously, but we felt that there are tions that lead CPJ journalists along
major problems with the newspaper the easy path of neatly wrapped stothat could not be resolved by merely ries from Art Constantino, Andrea
submitting regularly ourselves. We Seabert and Ed Sorger among many
had to ask ourselves, what does me- other administrators whose job it is
to confine the realm of debate and
dia do and who is it for?
We're probably not alone in our facilitate the regular development
general feeling of "blah" towards of what has become the "business of
the CPJ, at least when it doesn't education.''
At worst, there's been an intenmake us bloodcurdlingly angry.
And while it's easy to hammer other tional project of selecting 'safe'
people's work, in the process of cre- writing while making it difficult
ating this paper we've definitely for critical journalism to appear.
developed greater appreciation fo r The CPJ has rejected important,
the work involved in media and for well-written articles about issues
what one can only suspect are some that obviously interest students
of the issues CPJ staff face on a regu- (see Phan's article below). Its method
of administrative reporting, parlar basis. For instance:
roting campus professionals, falls
1. When pursuing a story, it's
much easier to just get the informa- short and does not do justice to the
tion from a professional adminis► EDITORS continues on page 6

Why did the Cooper Point Journal knowingly publish afa~e quote by Martin Luther King?Why will it not publish acorrection to its reference
to a nonexistent anti-Semitic Jordanian law? Why does it allow personal attacks against individuals and not allow the attacked to respond?
These questions must be posed in light ofthe CPJ's mishandling ofa"controversial" subject.
l,y Phan Nguyen

Censorship for the sake of
"inclusion"?
In the April 9 issue of the CPJ, Editor-In-Chief Jason Slotkin stated
that the CPJ would "not be accepting opinion articles about the Israel/
Palestine conflict for the remaindering [sic] of the quarter." Slotkin provided a vague and peculiar rationale:
"[T]his decision is in the interest of
productive and inclusive discourse
intheCPJ."
Thus the CPJ was claiming to promote inclusive discourse by excluding articles on a particular subject.
Moreover, Slotkin was not rejecting
the subject because of its irrelevance
to the campus community. Slotkin
noted that "[t]he Israel/Palestinian
conflict is something many students feel passionately about. Many
students have strong personal and
cultural ties to this region and its
citizens." The CPJ was banning
opinion pieces on Palestine-Israel
precisely because the editorial staff
believed "students feel passionately
about" it.
To understand how the CPJ
reached this decision requires an
accounting of events that transpired in the last weeks of the Winter 2009 quarter. From this, we can
see how the CPJ staff exercised poor
judgment, made contradictory interpretations of their policies, and
attempted to deal with their errors
not by correcting the errors but by
sweeping them under the rug.
The background
On Feb. 26, the CPJ published an article written by me entitled "Introducing Evergreen's Own Little 'Israel Lobby.'" In the article, I reported
that a new campus student group,
SIIA Shalom, had received outside
funding to disseminate pro-Israel

propaganda as part of a multi-million dollar campaign to dominate
discourse on the Palestine-Israel
conflict on college campuses.
The following week, two members of SHA Shalom, Noah Milstein
and Russel Katz, responded in the
CPJ with their own articles. Milstein
compared my article to anti-Semitic "blood libel" and "The Protocols
of Zion.'' Milstein falsely claimed
that I was referring to a "Jewish cabal" and a "Zionist conspiracy." Although his article was headlined a
"response" to my article, it made no
direct references to my article other
than claiming that a Hebrew/English dictionary would not equate
the word "hasbara" with "propaganda" (I have identified at least
four dictionaries that do).
I prepared a response for the CPJ,
pointing out a number of deliberate
falsehoods in the Milstein and Katz
articles. Besides noting that I had
never mentioned a "Jewish cabal" or
a "Zionist conspiracy," I pointed out
that Milstein was wrong in claiming that "in Jordan it is illegal for a
Jew to hold citizenship." There has
never been any such law in Jordan. I
also pointed out that SHA Shalom's
website was full of such falsehoods,
even reciting fake quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr.
Editor-In-Chief Jason Slotkin
asked me to revise my article, stating that it was "a very direct rebuttal
to Noah [Milstein]'s article," which
would supposedly violate the CP]'s
policy of not publishing letters
that "do not advance a discussion or
argument but serve to generate or
feed a squabble."
I revised my article to indicate
that Katz and Milstein's arguments
were representative of common proIsrael arguments. Slotkin replied by
email stating that the article would
need further revision, claiming that

it "seems to point more at the validity of Katz and Milistein [sic] for having their beliefs and their motives
as opposed to facts the behind their
beliefs." Slotkin stated that he was
not asking for a "change of content
or argument, but who the argument
is directed at."
I responded by email, asking Slotkin how I could adhere to CPJ policies and still "make the following
points:

-The idea that "in Jordan it is illegal
for aJew to hold citizenship" is absolutely false.
- The idea that Israel invented leaflet
drops to warn people to flee or die is
absolutely false.
- Martin Luther King never made the
statements that he is quoted as saying
on the SIIA Shalom website.
- You can't justify Israeli military actions in the name offeminism or queer
solidarity.
Please let me know.
Thanks.
-Phan
Slotkin never replied. The CPJ didn't
publish my article for its March 12
issue but instead published a second
letter by Russel Katz that employed
one of the fake quotes by Martin
Luther King. That is, rather than
printing an article that revealed
that SIIA Shalom was propagating
fake quotes from Martin Luther
King, the CPJ instead printed one of
the fake quotes from Martin Luther
King as truth. (see page sfor details)
Moreover, Katz's article made a
personal attack against Anna-Marie
Murano, coordinator of the Mideast
Solidarity Project (MSP, formerly
SESAME). In the CPJ, Katz claimed
that Murano's proposal for a HateFree Campus (which Katz incorrectly

called a "hate free zone") meant that:

material judged to be offensive would
be officially censored. These are strong
statements from an individual who
refuses to meet with SIIA Shalom and
won't engage in any kind of conversation on the matter.

with Editor-in-Chief Jason Slotkin
and detailed the factual errors and
personal attacks in the three articles
written by Milstein and Katz. Slotkin acknowledged that he should
have verified some of the claims in
the articles. However, when asked if
he would allow a response to be published, he answered no. When asked
if he would at least print corrections
to the errors and falsehoods, he answered no. His explanation made
no sense: If the CPJ were to publish
a correction, then the other side,
meaning Milstein and Katz, would
demand a response of their own.
That is, a commitment to factual
accuracy would merit complaints,
which would somehow obligate the
CPJ to allow a response from Milstein and Katz.

Katz made two serious misrepresentations: 1) The text of the Hate-Free
Campus makes no references to censorship and in fact expresses a commitment to honoring free speech.
2) Even though no member of SIIA
Shalom has ever approached Murano, she had previously informed
a friend of SIIA Shalom coordinator
Noah Milstein that she wanted to
meet with Milstein.
Additionally, Katz suggested
that Murano spoke of a "Jewish
conspiracy" (placing the term in
Inconsistencies in CPJ policies
quotes) at the March 4 Geoduck
Student Union meeting, which was The table below lays out what the
blatantly false. There was never any- CPJ judged as acceptable to print
thing remotely referencing a "Jew- and what was unacceptable. It clearish conspiracy" at the March 4 GSU ly illustrates that with the CPJ, it is
meeting.
easier to print lies than it is to correct lies. It is easier to make straw arFeelings trump facts
guments than it is to make reasoned
On March 13, Murano and I met
► CPJ continues on page 2
Cooper Point Journal-Quality Control Department
Flt to print

Not fit to print

Fake quotes from Martin Luther King
(3/12/09)

Correction to fake quotes from Martin
Luther King

Reference to a fake anti-Semitic Jordanian
law (3/5/09)

Correction to the fake anti-Semitic Jordanian law

Responding to a prior article by utilizing Responding to a prior article by quoting
straw man arguments, misattributions, directly from the article and proving that
name-calling, and false claims of anti- the claims are wrong.
Semitism (3/5/09, (3/12/09)
Personal attacks based on false claims
(3/5/09, 3/12/09)

Correction to the personal attacks by the
person who was attacked

Opinion articles such as "Stop Bitching, Opinion articles on Palestine-Israel
Bitches" (1/29/09), "Fuck You, Chicken
McNuggets" (3/12/09), and "Why Can't I
Blow My Dog?" (6/5/08)

2-Counter Point Journal

Apri12009

Protecting patriarchy: a symptom of internalized sexism
by Anna-Marie Murano

subjected to.
Hayes thinks that Greener femiOn April 6 , 2 009 the CPJ chose to run nists should expect to be called
an opinion piece by Erica Hayes, a self- cunts and degraded as long as they
proclaimed "feminist," called "Dear Ev- don't act nice. She continues her
ergreen Feminists." The opinion piece rant by blaming feminists for their
was published in response to "Women own oppression, focusing on Chew,
Targeted during Political Actions" by and says they are "stupid," "raving
myself and featured the story ofShelbi lunatic[s)," "immature," and "irChew. Both Chew and Iwanted an op- rational." All these words reaffirm
portunity to respond to Hayes' article, stereotypes about women.
but because the Cooper Point JourAnother story from "Women Tarnal editorial policy doesn't allow for di- geted for Political Actions" occurred
rearesponses, clarifications, correaions, in November 2007 following the
or fact checking, the below article would Olympia Port Protest's Women's Acnot have been published by the CPJ.
tion, in which female inmates were
stripped in front of male guards. In
The article "Women Targeted dur- Hayes' response, she assumes the
ing Political Actions" (Cooper Point women are guilty of a crime, withJournal, March 12, 2009) revealed the out trial or jury, and deserve having
stories of women harassed on the their breasts exposed in front of
Evergreen campus and in the Olym- male guards. No acknowledgement
pia community. The article specified is made that the City of Olympia
three incidents where women were violated its own procedures when
being targeted: while participating they fo rced the women to strip.
in the Gaza solidarity die in, hand- The law clearly states that inmates
ing out pamphlets about the rifles are allowed to wear one layer and
on campus, and incarcerated fol- undergarments, but some of the like men. Claims of women whin- to stand up for your fellow feminists,
lowing the Women's Action at the women arrested for the Women's ing reaffirm the patriarchal values despite what your male-bodied
Port of Olympia in Nov. 2007. The Action during the Port Protests in of blaming the victim, silencing friends will think about you - even
women spoke out without shame November of 2007 were forced to of women, genderqueer, trans and if he was a 'feminist' who then deabout the harassment and abuse wear transparent undershirts which intersexed people when they com- cided he preferred his privilege and
they have endured for being politi- exposed their breasts. In the same plain about abuse and harassment, power to being held accountable.
In her article, Hayes distances
cally involved.
way she blames Chew for her ha- and supporting a male-centered
This kind of public witness can be rassment, the author disassociates normative culture. It is Hayes' ex- herself from other feminists beupsetting, as it was to the author of herself from victims of the criminal pectation that women should act cause she is embarrassed by their
the opinion piece "Dear Evergreen justice system by assuming that macho when faced with oppression, behavior. For Hayes, their behavior
Feminists" (CPJ, April 9, 2009) pub- she would never be arrested for her but when people take up the space gives feminists on campus a bad
lished in response to the article.
convictions or a crime she did not normally occupied by men, they name. The assumption is that there
are punished for it. Once again the is only one kind of feminism. But
In "Dear Evergreen Feminists" commit.
survivor
is blamed for speaking out sexism and patriarchy oppresses all
the author, Erica Hayes, de- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - against patriarchy's manifesta- people who are not male identified
cides to take the side of her
tion in their lives. "Feminine" and male-bodied, such as gender"mild mannered" male-bodied
queer, intersexed, trans, and womfriend who called one of the
en. Feminisms take many different
women handing out pamphlets
entoactlikerealfeministswho forms where oppression intersects
for Alive! an "anarchist idiot
can take the shit shoveled on - such as race, sexual identity, and
cunt;' instead of supporting
class - and some forms of feminism
them.
the women who come forward
also challenge the concept of gender
Are
we
to
believe
that
women
with their stories of sexualdeserve what they get, whether and hierarchy. But what happens to
ized harassment. Shelbi Chew,
it is being stripped in front of a person when they internalize the
the woman who was verbally
Whether man or woman, gender- male guards in jail or called a cunt oppression they face instead of reattacked by the "mild mannered"
friend, was talking with a group queer, trans of intersexed, people for supposedly talking too much? By sist it?
When women internalize sexof three other men who were inter- do not deserve the abuse that oc- repeating this myth, Hayes is able
rupting and talking over her before curs within the prison industrial to blame the victim for their own ism, the oppression from the outHayes' friend approached. He had complex. When target genders or victimhood and distance herself side world is turned inward. They
no context for what was happening non-gendered people are impris- from the realities of what it means can blame themselves for their own
before he approached Chew, told her, oned, they suffer greater incidents to be a woman in this society. Being subjugation, and blame others for
"Shut up! You're talking way too of sexualized assault, harassment a target means you are vulnerable to their victimhood and survival. Shelmuch," and called her by the sexist and abuse at the hands of guards, sexual harassment and attack, that bi Chew, Erica Hayes, and myself all
slur, "anarchist idiot cunt," which including the abuse that occurred at language is frequently used to sexu- experience sexism in our lives based
defined Chew by her anatomy in the the City of Olympia Jail. Currently, ally degrade you, and the decisions on our gender. How we choose to
most degrading terms. His hands the Washington State Department you make are inevitably influenced respond to patriarchy - the rule of
were clenched; he was shaking and of Corrections is dealing with rape by your lack of power in the society. men over other genders and nonbehaved in a physically intimidat- and assault of women in epidemic It also means that when you survive gendered people - is to either fight
ing manner by leaning into Chew proportions at three prisons - the this reality- instead of denying it it, build community, and stand by
as he screamed at her. How can this Washington State Corrections Cen- - and turn to your community for our fellow survivors - or benefit by
protecting patriarchy.
ter for Women in Purdy, Pine Lodge support, you become stronger.
not be considered silencing?
In
the
article,
Hayes
also
states
For women who go through the
Incidents such as these are consid- Prison, and Mission Creek Prison.
that
it
is
the
self-assumed
job
of
a
process
of internalizing the sexIn "Dear Evergreen Feminists"
ered bias incidents. The Evergreen
State College defines a bias incident Hayes claims that women who feminist to appeal to men's sensi- ism they face in their lives, it is not
as "conduct, speech or expression bring up abuse and harassment are bilities. But a feminist's job is not driven by some deep-seated hatred
that is motivated by bias based on "whining." Rather, it is courageous to make equality soft and cozy for of other women. It comes from a
perceived race, color, religion, eth- to come forward despite the risk of those who oppress them. Men with recognizable denial and realitynic/national origin, gender expres- being subjected to further trauma, power never gave up oppressing be- based fear of gender-based violence
sion, sex, age, disability or sexual as are rape survivors when their sto- cause we were well behaved. Nice- perpetrated by men and perpetuorientation identities." The college ries are not believed or when they ness didn't end slavery, give us the ated by those who justify blaming
states it has "zero tolerance" for bias are told they deserve what they get right to vote, or pass sexual harass- the victim.
incidents such as the one Chew was and need to toughen up and act ment laws. The job of a feminist is

what?

CxPJ
"This is the least annoying thing that I've seen
at Evergreen."
-Sabrina Wilbert
The CxPJ is a collective of Evergreen
community members who decided
to form a monthly alternative press
for marginalized voices.
We are always accepting submissions of articles with an emphasis
on timely, relevant, and local issues, specifically those that are well
researched or include interviews or
comments from those who are involved or affected by the issue being
discussed. We also accept photography, poetry, art, and other creative
works.
To submit origina l work, send it
to tesc.counter.point@gmail.com. The
deadline for submissions to be
considered for the May issue is
Mays.
The editorial collective reserves
the right to question, edit, or not
publish any content it receives. The
collective will make every attempt to
consult the author(s) in regards to
any changes proposed.

Men with power never gave up
oppressing because we were well ;~~~~;~ :i~~a;~::~~~C:behaved. Niceness didn't end
slavery, give us the right to vote,
or pass sexual harassment laws.

►

CPJ continued from page 1

arguments. It is easier to make per- reply that I did not believe in a "Jew- while my arguments were too mired
sonal attacks than it is to respond ish cabal" or a "Zionist conspiracy," in age-old facts. What would cause
to personal attacks. And it is easier and that it is not illegal for Jews to Slotkin to advance such illogical
to write about fellating a Chicken be Jordanian citizens, Slotkin stated interpretations of policy? His only
McNugget than it is to write about that my article could not be printed response, which was similar to his
an Evergreen student, Rachel Corrie, because it was "a very direct rebut- Apr 9 CPJ announcement, was that
tal" and thus would not "advance the Palestine-Israel conflict was an
who was killed by Israel.
Let's apply these findings to the a discussion or argument." Slotkin issue that many people felt strongly
incident just mentioned: Noah Mil- claimed that I was inappropriately about and to which many people
stein's Mar. s article was headlined addressing the "validity of Katz and had personal connections. That fs,
a "RESPONSE" to my Feb. 26 article. Milstein for having their beliefs and what mattered more than the facts
Yet it consisted of straw man argu- their motives as opposed to facts the were people's feelings. If I were allowed to report the facts, then Slotments, while falsely suggesting that [sic] behind their beliefs."
The argument is peculiar. When kin would have to endure the comI had written about a "Jewish cabal"
and a "Zionist conspiracy," and that I wrote that it is not "illegal for a plaints of Milstein and Katz.
my arguments were comparable to Jew to hold citizenship," I was statThus, Slotkin, as the CPJ's editoranti-Semitic "blood libel" and "The ing a fact, which refuted a falsehood in-chief, had discovered a truth that
Protocols of Zion." This was permis- published in the CPJ. Whether Mil- editors in the greater mainstream
sible by CPJ standards because these stein was honest in his beliefs and media have already discovered: the
accusations did not respond to any- whether his motives were pure do intensity of complaints takes precething I actually wrote. The claim not change the fact that it is not"il- dence over the veracity of complaints.
When it comes to reporting on Palthat "in Jordan it is illegal for a Jew legal for a Jew to hold citizenship."
By this interpretation, Milstein estine/Israel, how people feel about
to hold citizenship," was also permissible, despite being a blatant lie. was "advanc[ing] discussion or argu- the message matters more than the
Meanwhile, when I attempted to ment" by inventing new falsehoodi, truth of the mmage.

And just like the greater main- ployed legal assistance, making it
stream, Slotkin's response was to difficult to uncover exactly how and
damn journalistic integrity and cop why the CPJ catered to SHA Shalom.
out. For the CPJ, copping out meant
We only know the outcome. The
publishing no more opinion pieces CPJ left behind a trail of printed
on Palestine-Israel. Compared to falsehoods and personal attacks,
broaching the subject of Palestine- and now prefers to stay silent on
Israel, publishing a trivial piece such Palestine-Israel than live up to baas "Fuck You, Chicken McNuggets" sic journalistic standards by printconstituted a feel-good human in- ing corrections and apologies and
terest story that required no active honoring a commitment to report
engagement by the editors, and that the truth.
was what the editors wanted.
Such is the impetus for an alterSlotkin disingenuously claimed native paper like this, the Counter
that the CPJ editors "spent hours PointJournal (or CxPJ). However, the
working with contributors on both CxP]'s existence does not abrogate
sides of the issue." If so, the "hours" the responsibility of the CPJ. Hopewould have been with Milstein and fully this paper's existence will
Katz, as they did not spend hours serve to prod and remind the CPJ of
with myself, Murano, or Lamise Sha- its purported duties. We remain in
wahin, who had written a personal wait for corrections and apologies
reflection about Palestine. A public from the Cooper PointJournal.
records request for correspondence
between the CPJ and SHA Shalom
was hampered when the CPJ em-

April2009

Counter PointJournal-3

Building a student movement:
Perspective from an Alive! .organizer

Kate Savkovich (right) and KTeeO plotthe revolution over a cup of tea. (Photo by Anna-Marie Murano)

"The biggest issue with this is the difference between having 'community-oriented' policing and simply having a community- not policing themselves, but escorting themselves, protecting themselves, performing all of these functions the police in this'community oriented model' say they're here to do- is that they have this power that was never
democratically given to them; the people of Evergreen did not say they want these police." -Kate Savkovich
by C. V. Rotondo

The group of students that was to become Alive! was initially organized
by "word of mouth," according to
student organizer Kate Savkovich.
The first three meetings were composed of student group representatives from the Women's Resource
Center (WRC), Mideast Solidarity
Project (MSP, formerly SESAME), the
Geoduck Student Union (GSU), and
Men Can Stop Rape, among others.
Those initial meetings were organized, advertised, and facilitated by
women of the WRC, which, according to Savkovich, "was significant
because female-bodied and/or woman-identified people felt fear for the
ramifications of this proposal [the
police services proposal to purchase
AR-15 assault rifles, helmets, and
body armor]. They started organizing around it, because they knew it
could have direct effects on them."
Since those initial meetings, the
group has grown to include students outside of registered student
organizations (Rsos), including "a
lot of male allies," though women
continue to lead the group's work.
The most recent meeting, in which
a banner was painted (to later hang
from the clock tower throughout
week one) was attended.solely by
women.
Women's leadership coupled with
widening participation in Alive! has
given rise to the stance that "regardless of whether the majority of the
campus are for or against [the proposal], this is not the most important factor. People of color, femalebodied and/or woman-identified
people, and queer people on campus,
due to systemic, institutional forces,
will be the most affected and their
voices should be given more weight."
Internal discussion of quantitative
versus qualitative analysis of the rifle proposal and its potential affects
upon the campus community continues within the group and serves
to guide their organizing.
Framed within this evolving analysis, Alive! organizers seek to "unite
everyone on campus who's against
(the proposal),'' drawing upon the
diverse array of students within the
group itself for inspiration. "We
demonstrate the potential, as RS0
representatives, for student groups
to unify based around an issue that

can bring together people of color,
women, really everyone on campus,"
says Savkovich. The organizers hope
to bring everyone on campus together around distinct goals: oppose the
current police services proposal to
acquire rifles, helmets, body armor
and training, pursue the demilitarization of campus, and democratize
campus decision-making.
To these points Savkovich adds
that "creating alternatives is a big
part of the project." Given the
group's awareness of the prevalence
and limitations of"anti-campaigns,"
they support proactive alternatives
to the rifle proposal and policing in
general, such as a student-run escort service and more funding and
accessibility at campus health and
counseling centers. Promoting such
alternatives is one way in which the
group problematizes the role of
campus police.
"Ideally, we don't want [the police]
to be the ones dealing with [sexual
assault] either... the framework in
which this has come up makes it
seem as if we want them here, if
we're not careful ..." says Savkovich.
"In the alternatives that we've been
promoting, none of them have been
giving more money to the police so
that they can prevent sexual violence; they have all been student or
Evergreen services that aren't the
police, providing more support to
students."
While there are members of the
group that support eliminating
campus police entirely and replacing them with student-run alternatives, the group did not make it an
organizing tenet of this campaign.
As Savkovich explains, "I think the
reason we decided to not explicitly do that now is so that we could
bring together a broader range of
people on campus, like people who
are opposed to the rifles but might
not be in favor of complete abolition of police. We're going to take it
issue by issue."
Savkovich was nonetheless critical of the role of campus police forces and skeptical of the idea that their
"community-oriented" approach and
unique position make them less repressive than their counterparts in
the Olympia or Thurston County
Police Departments. "Just because
you know them on a first name basis,
doesn't mean that they're not going

to profile your friends."
She continues, "Where there are
large swaths of the community that
do not feel safe with cops on campus,
that vision statement (of community-oriented policing) is not possible."
According to Savkovich, the group
is critical both of the "communityoriented" style of policing espoused
by Evergreen Police Services as well
as the accountability model represented by the Police Services Community Review Board (PSCRB).
Regarding the PSCRB's ability to
hold campus police accountable and
represent student voices, Savkovich
believes "...it comes down to who's
calling the shots within the PSCRB.
Just because there's this makeup of
students, faculty and staff within
the PSCRB doesn't mean that all of
these voices are being heard and
equally valued. Voices are being
pushed aside and some of those are
students."
In Savkovich's view, "a lot of what
we [Alive!] do is making groups
accountable on campus." These
groups have included police services,
the members of the PSCRB, students,
and administrators. The lack of a
collective statement regarding the
proposal from campus staff made
them less central to Alivel's strategy.
Yet Savkovich was clear that
"bridging the dichotomy" between
students and staff is a focal point
for the group's energies. "It doesn't
make me happy to know that there
are people on campus who are unhappy with the thought that we
don't want guns." With staff communications in the works, the major
focus of Alivel's organizing has been
amongst students, administrators
and police.
When asked abou t how people
were receiving the group's message
and work, Savkovich responded,
"The administration has dodged it.
We've heard support from individuals in the faculty union, though the
Union has yet to release their official
statement." In order to build unity
among the differing groups and individuals questioning, critical of, or
opposing the proposal, Alive! combines it's support for alternatives
with a dynamic critique of the prevailing discourse. "I've heard about
this 'silent majority' but we have
been at all of the forums and meetings and until these people show up

or make a banner saying 'vote yes'
we haven't seen much organized
opposition." Reframing discussion
and critiquing arguments such as
the "silent majority" have become
the pillars and most challenging elements of the group's campaign.
"We're simultaneously trying to
come up with alternatives to active
shooter protocol and reframe the issue," says Savkovich, "We're trying
to use sexual assault prevention, or
anything that students say is an issue, to direct action. It was the police
that put the active shooter on the
table as the number one issue...it's
not a non-issue, but it's a fear-based
tactic to get this proposal passed."
Associations with members of
Alive! with certain positions or actions, as well as the nature of their
work, has brought them into relationship with the argument of
being unnecessarily "anti-cop," or
perpetuating an "us versus them"
dichotomy.
About both, Savkovich had this
to say: "No one has come to us and
directly said that [we're anti-cop]. I
think that the 'us versus them' dichotomy is inherent, it exists, and
we're not trying to downplay that."
To address that "inherent dichotomy," Alive! is not only opposing
the current proposal for rifles, or
even just demanding more police
accountability, but has the broader,
more holistic goal in mind of extending direct democracy.
"The part of our mission statement about democratizing decision making on campus, the part
I'm most interested in, is figuring
out how the people that attend this
campus and work on this campus
have say over what goes on because
we're the ones that are going to be
affected by it."
The group considers the dual issues of the rifle proposal and the
current economic depression with
subsequent budget cuts within this
broader framework. "We definitely
think that it's ridiculous that this is
even being considered in the time
of a budget crunch and are aware of
the way that this issue is distracting
from the greater budget as a whole"
Part of this democratizing strategy is Savkovich's criticism of how
democracy operates in the context
of the Police Services Community
Review Board. "At the last PSCRB

meeting I was at they were talking
about all of the people that they are
accountable to and they really make
a big deal out of being accountable to
many more people than just the students, such as the Board of Trustees
and the State and on and on, but all
of these people are not involved in
the direct democracy of our campus."
The criticism is rooted in an
analysis of the power dynamics on
the Board. "On top of this to me is
Art Costantino, who's going to have
the final say on it and is also (a nonvoting member) of the PSCRB, so he
definitely gets to push his agenda."
Police Chief Ed Sorger is also a nonvoting member of the PSCRB. These
considerations and critiques of
power dynamics extend throughout
campus, with a particular need to
address the accountability of campus media.
When asked about the role of the
Cooper Point Journal in the contestations over rifles on campus, Savkovich replied, "It's been reporting
on the Forums and definitely has
not represented the students. Even
in regards to getting to all sides,
most articles I read have only gotten
one side; it's typically the administration, or a representativefrom the
PSCRB who's not a student. I can't
remember a time that I've read a
quote from a student about the rifle
proposal..."
Futhermore, she says, "There's
never been a reporter that's come
to an Alive! meeting. Generally, CPJ
reporters mimic the opinions of the
administration and the police's side
has definitely been better represented in the CPJ." Savkovich considers
the ramifications of these concerns
on the work of a group like Alive!.
"The effect has been a campus, as far
as the student newspaper goes, that
hasn't been well-informed on the
rifle issue and I think that's why we
have been organizing on our own,
because we can't rely on them."
She concluded with the role of
student media in Alivel's work. "I
think having a newspaper that
would represent our voice would be
a great way to get our message out
to the general campus and since we
haven't had that, it's been easy for
there to be misrepresentation of the
stance against the rifle proposal."

4-Counter Pointfoumal

April2009

Active-shooter response plan
and campus history: A brief
history of Evergreen police.

a naked youth trippi
0

by Andrew Sernatinger

and anti-arming signs were posted around
the campus. Shortly after th e first forums,
•~ .. all great world-historic facts and personages Community Action Group at Evergreen
appear, so to speak, twice.... the first time as a (CAGE) fo rmed to oppose the proposal.
tragedy, the second time as afarce."
CAGE gathered a 1200 signature petition
condemning the arming, and soon after
The 2008-2009 school year h as created organized a sizable protest on Red Square.
yet another legitimation crisis for the EvIn winter of 1996, Art Constantino subergreen Police. Announced around the mitted his own formal recommendation
same time as the school's budget cuts, the to arm Public Safety, which was followed
Active-Shooter Response Plan, or the Rifle soon after by a recommendation to the
Proposal as it's come to be known, pur- Board of Trustees by then-Evergren Presiports to protect the college from the threat dent Jane Jervis. During the spring quarter,
of an armed shooter intending to attack the Board of Trustees sponsored yet anEvergreen students, staff and faculty. The other set of community forums and then
proposal recommends purchasing high- voted to recommend a limited arming of
powered AR-15 assault rifles, body armor public safety; "limited" at the time meant
and helmets, a sum total of $10,000, and that campus officers would only carry pistraining Police Services in active-shooter tols in lock boxes stored in their cars, to be
tactics at a recurring cost of $2000.
carried on their persons between 6pm and
Seemingly missing from this debate is Sam or while a significant distance away
a sense of the h istory of how Police Ser- from their vehicles. Students returning in
vices came to be at the college and their fall quarter of 1996-1997 were disappointrelationship to the students, staff and fac- ed to meet our modern Evergreen Police
ulty. Regardless of a person's position on Services.
the matter, the best solution cannot arise
The years following the arming of Public
without understanding the history of and Safety, transforming them into Police Serconnections between the rifle proposal and vices, illustrate some alarming trends. That
a proposal created nearly fifteen years ago first year of Police Services (1996-1997),
to arm what was then Public Safety.
with their limited arming, powers of citaThe rifle proposal was first introduced to tion and arrest, also came with allegations
the public when Police Services Communi- of sexual harassment. Secretaries working
ty Review Board (PSCRB) faculty members for police services issued complaints that,
Michael Vavrus and Terry Setter deliv- to our knowledge, were never resolved.
ered it to the Geoduck Student Union in
During the 1998-1999 school year, one
December (the week before winter break), officer was forced to resign after jokingly
along with the message that Vice President drawing his pistol on a female custodian
of Student Affairs Art Constantino expect- and on a male student employee. On Oced a resolution from the GSU in January.
tober 22nd, 2002, as many may already
Following the announcement, fo rmer know, police conducted raids on smallLacey and current Evergreen Chief of Po- time student marijuana dealers in T and K
lice, Ed Sorger, along with Evergreen Of- dorms in h ousing. Officers Perez and Adficer Tim Marron and a Thurston County kins served search warrants to students in
Officer, gave presentations to both the their housing apartments, pistols drawn,
Faculty Meeting and th e Geoduck Student with the authorization of Art Constantino
Union. Since then there have been regu- and then-Police Services Chief Steve Huntlar invitations to various professionals in sberry. A student-informer was said to be
order to convince the campus community essential in the operation.
of the necessity of further arming campus
Days after the event, a drunk student atpolice.
tempted to flee from an officer after throwAs of now, neither Constantino, Police
ing a bottle. The officer proceeded to mace
Services nor the PSCRB as a whole have in- the student and leave him untreated for
vited any experts to speak in favor of alter- half an hour as he writhed in pain. A comnatives to the existing rifle proposal, and munity forum was organized to discuss
the multiple community forums spon- the raids, macing, and general police pressored by the college have given preference ence at Evergreen.
to Police Services over other agencies who
2002- 2003 is also the year that a recomhave significant information for the best mendation was made to arm police with
decision to be made.
their pistols 24/7, in place of the limited
Some critiques of the Rifle Proposal in- arming. Vicky Peltzer, chief of police for
clude Constantino's pressure on the Gsu the University of Washington, was invited
to come to a decision without satisfactory to Evergreen as a consultant for another
campus input, unequal attention to a low- community forum on the issue. Peltzer recpriority threat (active shooters) while what ommended 24/7 arming of campus police.
is widely regarded as a major threat (sexu- The PSCRB then voted to recommnd fullal violence) remains unaccounted for, the time arming, and in May, Evergreen Presiabsence of any student representatives to dent Les Purce made a decision to rewrite
the PSCRB until February, confusion over police procedure for full-time arming.
where money for the proposal will come
For those who have not been present the
from, and hostility to the notion of inflat- past two years, these issues are reminising the Police Budget as the campus is cent of recent experiences. Last year, in the
2007-2008 session, a drunk student was
forced to cut 12.5% of its services.
Despite historical and statistical analyses, tased as he attempted to run away from
such as one published in the CPJby Billie an officer; an officer" tased a naked youth
Burlock, Police Services insists that active- tripping on LSD; students of color issued
shooters are a major threat, and if acquired a public complaint that they were being
rifles will remain secured at police services racially profiled in connection to the case
and in patrol cars. Further, Sorger and of the "Anarchist Tagger". Probably the
others have assured the campus that the greatest police controversy in Evergreen
proposal is a one-time affair and will not history arose after a dead prez show. (That
change the relationship between students subject has been taxed, but readers should
and officers, which for Police Services' part watch the Hip Hop Congress's investigais committed to their statement of "com- tion of the matter: http://www.youtube.com/
munity policing".
watch?V=].-74VEfgsXA)
This story sounds a lot like another.
Many striking connections appear in the
In fall of 1995, Thurston County Under- relationship between arming police and
sherriff, Neil Mcclanahan, acting as Inter- violence enacted upon students and staff.
im Director for what was then Evergreen It would, of course, be foolish to make
Public Safety, submitted a formal proposal the claim that there is direct causation beto arm Public Safety with pistols. In his tween the events described, but it would
patent attempt to create community dia- be more foolish to dismiss any relationallog, Art Constantino organized multiple ity whatsoever. Community members are
forums to discuss the proposal, all the repeatedly reassured that these issues are
while insisting that there could be serious one-time affairs, yet it appears that 1995
legal ramifications if the proposal was not was the tragedy and we're witnessing the
adopted.
farce.
Campus reaction to this proposal was
widely negative. Many attended forums Special thanks to Chris Dixon for information
to voice their disapproval of the proposal on this article.

Students of c

lain of racial profiling as
e of the ~AnarchistTagger"
cm,1:11/' dethatthere
I

nannounce
that they have been commissioned to review a
sl:litts replaced by police with swAT-st.yl~uniforms High-Powered Rifle proposal, all~ge<lly as part of
aodpatrol cars, ·. . .
•
an ''Active-Shooter~§ponse Plan"; no Students are
r~ardinguse ofexctlSsive force on the PSCR8 at trMtime. first tirne students have
ofofficers' sexual harassment ' lleardofthis.
Nothing istesoN~i
V'avrus and 'Setterihform the asu thatt~yWould
like a decision on the.proposal by January.
lffS-1999
A female custodian goes public witllthe allega-

~!id

tj~pY~1,at a .inafe P~!keSE!Nlces officer
Jokingly
J>rlt!ed a gun onm:ft\'lhile~ewasworkingolle nigh~. ,
later, a malestudl!ntemployeefrom PatkingSeivic- .,
es accuses the .same officer gfjokinglyUrawing his
pi$tdl llth!m.•Qffi<:erls forced to tesign~}a result.
,,
~00:2-200;1

Yavrus states he is unc◊mfortablewith a rushed !le1:ision, and so
Jong~r GSU
deliberation,~ cam
/ot.1 i>5cRs
vote.

csu hotdsforum atttcc.
'
former l.acey and auieot Evergreen Chief of Police
rTim Matron and a Thur1;\~f P~~,
uggestere ,.sem1•au matic
ith

April 2009

Counter Pointjoumal-5

The "other" Martin Luther l(ing:
Anatomy ofa hoax perpetuated by the CPJ
after April 23, 1967, and certainly not sions ofLipset's article:
"[s]hortly before he was assassinated"
1. Original version as printed in
Martin Luther King was falsely quot- in 1968.
Encounter magazine (Dec. 1969)
2. Same as original version, but
ed on page 11 of the March 12 Cooper
some false accusations against
Point Journal. In an article ironically There are no actual transcripts to
Chomsky are gone (early 1970)
titled "Zionism Threatened by Mis- con.firm King's words
3. Same as #2, but entire reference
conceptions," Russel Katz of the proIsrael student group SHA Shalom Not only does Lipset fail to provide to Martin Luther King, including
wrotesthe following:
the exact date and location where the King quote, is gone (later 1970
King supposedly uttered the words, and1988)
Responding to a question at Harvard
there are no known transcripts or
University in 1968, Martin Luther
audio-visual material that docuKing said, "When people criticize Ziments the alleged King quote. Thus
onists they mean Jews, you are talking
the only source for the King quote is
anti-Semitism."
Lipset's recollection. Is it reliable?
The implication is that it is anti-Semitic to criticize the actions of the Lipset is an unreliable reporter
state of Israel because Martin Luther King says so. Katz did not cite Lipset's essay in Encounter was ena source for this information. Dis- titled "The Socialism of Fools: The
proving this quote requires proving Left, the Jews & Israel." Although
a negative, which is inherently more Lipset was a renowned political sodifficult than it is to make an unsub- ciologist, the essay employed little
scientific or academic analysis, relystantiated claim, as Katz does.
Although the CPfs editor-in-chief ing instead on conjecture, generalclaims that the quote's veracity is izations, and deliberate misinformamerely "inconclusive" (which still tion, in order to serve Lipset's strong
wouldn't explain why he allowed it pro-Israel bias. One example is Lipto be printed as simple fact), I will set's depiction of Noam Chomsky.
demonstrate that the quote is highLipset's Encounter article claimed
ly unlikely or- as it is described by that Chomsky "was a long time
Katz and others - virtually impos- member of'Hashomair Hatzair,' the
The third version, which removes
left-wing Zionist youth movement, the references to Martin Luther King,
sible to have been made.
which prided itself on its Marxism- is the version used in both the secThe date and location do not check out Leninism, and its loyalty to Commu- ond (1970) and third (1988) revised
nist ideals." Lipset also daimed that editions of Lipset's anthology, RevoKatz claims that King made this Chomsky and journalist I. F. Stone lution and Counterrevolution. There is
statement "at Harvard University "are today committed supporters no explanation why the King quote
in 1968." Since King was killed on of the international revolutionary was removed.
Howeve1, it should be noted that
April 4, i968, that leaves only three left, a commitment which currently
possible months in which the quote involves defining the Al Fatah ter- skepticism of the King quote ocmight have been made. A thorough rorists as 'left-wing guerrillas,' and curred from the start. In early 1970
research of newspaper archives and Israel as 'a collaborator with imperi- Chomsky himself called the King
King biographies reveals no appear- alism,' if not worse."
quote an "absurdity'' and expressed
Chomsky responded by stating, skepticism, noting that Lipset mereance at Harvard or in Cambridge,
Massachusetts in 1968. King did ac- "All of this is complete fabrication." ly "claims to have heard" the quote.
cept an invitation to speak at Har- In several writings, Chomsky said,
vard's "Class Day" ceremony for June "The alleged quotations do not ex- King's recorded views toward Israel
ist.... Neither Stone nor I have ever differ greatly from the quote
1968, but he was killed before then.
Moreover, an article in the Harvard written anything expressing the
Crimson published soon after King's commitment Lipset attributes to us Finally, we must compare this aldeath reveals that "King was last in (without reference), though it is easy leged statement by King to other
Cambridge almost exactly a year ago - enough to find explicit refutations statements he made. Despite thouApril 23, 1967." (Emphasis added)
of these views."
sands of documented speeches and
The original source of the alleged
Regarding ChomskY's alleged in- writings, King made very few public
King quote is an essay by Seymour volvement with Hashomer Hatzair: references to the Arab-Israeli conflict
Martin Lipset, first published in "I was never a member of Has homer in his lifetime. The earliest recorded
the Dec. 1969 issue of the British Hatzair, precisely because I was op- statement that I know occurred after
journal, Encounter. Lipset claims he posed to its various Stalinist and the Suez Crisis of 1956-57.
heard King say these words in Cam- Trotskyist tendencies. But, as Lipset
In 1956, Israel, Britain, and France
bridge "(s]hortly before he was as- knows, a little red-baiting is always had hatched a plot to militarily
helpful in a pinch."
sassinated."
seize control of the Suez Canal from
Lipset sets the scene as "a dinner
In subsequent printings of Lip- Egypt. Although the plan worked,
which was given for [King] in Cam- set's article, Lipset revised his attack world sentiment and pressure from
bridge," with "Negro students at on Chomsky. He removed the false the Eisenhower administration
Harvard and other parts of the Bos- claim of ChomskY's membership in forced the three aggressor parties to
ton area," and which lasted "well Hashomer Hatzair. And instead of withdraw. In this context, King deover an hour-and-a half." King was attributing the references of "left- livered a sermon on April 7, 1957 ensupposedly in the area for a "fund- wing" Fatah and "imperialist col- titled "The Birth of a New Nation,"
raising mission" in Boston.
laborator" Israel directly to Chom- that was clearly critical of western
If indeed Lipset was referring to sky and Stone, Lipset reworded the imperialism and Israel:
King's appearance at Cambridge, claim:
[British Prime Minister Anthony
April 23, 1967, then it was not
[Chomsky and Stone] are today comEden] decided to rise up and march
"[s]hortly before he was assassinatmitted supporters of the international
his armies with the forces of Israel
ed." Moreover King had not come to
revolutionary left. And that left curand France into Egypt. And there they
"Boston on a fund-raising mission."
rently defines the Al Fatah terrorists as
confronted their doom, because they
He had arrived in the area for two
«"left-wing guerrillas," and Israel as "a
were revolting against world opinion.
separate engagements. At 2:45 pm
Egypt, a little country. Egypt, a councollaborator with imperialism," if not
that day, King gave a press conferworse.
try with no military power. They could
ence at Christ Church Parish House
have easily defeated Egypt. But they
in Cambridge, to kick off the "Viet- Thus, the quoted phrases remained,
did not realize that they were fighting
nam Summer'' anti-war campaign but instead of attributing the terms
more than Egypt. They were attacking
with Benjamin Spock and Robert directly to Chomsky and Stone, Lipworld opinion, they were fighting the
Scheer of Ramparts magazine. After- set resorted to guilt by association,
who"/eAsian-African bloc, which is the
wards, King held a private meeting whereby Chomsky and Stone were
bloc that now thinks and moves and
with "two dozen top strategists of members of an inscrutable "internadetermines the course of the history of
the New Left," (which would cer- tional revolutionary left," which was
the world.
tainly not include Lipset), where he collectively responsible for the quoted
was encouraged to run for president. phrases.
This statement thus corroborates
At 7:30 pm, King gave a speech, entiUnfortunately (or conveniently) the authenticity of a letter sent from
tled "The Other America," in Boston Martin Luther King was not alive to King to his friend and former classat Ford Hall Forum.
refute any misquotations that Lipset mate, James Beshai in Egypt. In the
Following that trip, King did attributed to him. Nevertheless, the letter, dated Jan. 7, 1957, and availmake at least three more trips to King quote eventually disappeared able on the internet at http://qumsiyeh.
org/martinlutherking, King wrote:
Boston in 1967: in early August to in later versions of the article.
be with his hospitalized father, and
I have been keeping up with the situaon Oct. 19 and 27 to help organize Later reprintings of the article omit
tion in Egypt, and as you know this is
and appear in a scLc concert with the King quote
one ofthe most important issues in the
Harry Belafonte and Aretha Frankworld today. It will detennine"whether
lin. However, there are no known re- Ignoring minor stylistic changes,
we will live in peace or whether we will
cords of engagements in Cambridge there are at least three different ver-

A sidebar to the story on page i

die in war. Naturally my sympathies erenced in an article of questionable
are with Egypt, rather than with the veracity, while not referenced in latWestern Colonial and imperial powers. er editions of that same article.
King remained largely quiet on the
Arab-Israel conflict until the later
1960s. Jewish American support for
Israel rose during and after the time
of the June 1967 War, while AfricanAmerican activist groups such as the
SNCC and the Black Panther Party

King ha.s long been misrepresented
and misquoted by pro-Israel parties
The quote cited by Russel Katz in the
CPJ is just one of many questionable
King quotes propagated by pro-Israel parties on the internet. One of the
most ridiculous passages comes from
an essay entitled "Letter to an AntiZionist Friend," supposedly written
by King. In it, "King'' proclaims:

•~-- I say, let the truth ringforthfrom the
high mountain tops, let it echo through
the valleys of God's green earth: When
people criticize Zionism, they mean
Jews- this is God's own truth."
This is clearly a parody of King's
oratorical flourishes. According to
internet legend, "Letter to an AntiZionist Friend" was first published
in the Saturday Review in August 1967
and later reprinted in the King anthology, This I Believe: Selections from

the Writings of Dr. Martin Luther King.
However, no such anthology exists,
.
d
• and the article appears nowhere in
were t aki ng a more rad1ca1stan on
.
· - · h
d
•
.da .
the four weekly issues of Saturday
c1v11ng ts an expressmg so11 nty R . fr
A
·h
•
•al
ld
evtew
om ugust 1967.
wit anti-co10111 strugg1es wor J
I
Ii p ·
1
wide, at times taking a stand against
. n_ anuar~ 2 6' 200 5, srae nme
. ·
Ki. "
d hi
If"
d Mm1ster Ariel Sharon even quoted
Z10111sm.
ng 1oun
· z·1, . . mse
~.,, ,orce
f d" fcom the f'~'·
d.Ae "Letter to an An tl1
O
d
h
to enounce t e • mi itan._y
ra l- onist Friend" before the Knesset.
cal Black nationalism. In order to
Excerpts from the fake "Letter to
maintain good relations with mainan Anti-Zionist Friend" also appear
stream Jewish American groups
on the website of Evergreen's prothat had supported him, King was
Israel group, SHA Shalom.
expected to make public statements
supporting Israel and denouncing
alleged anti-Semitism in African- The hoax was known to all parties
American communities.
Russel Katz of SHA Shalom first
Space prohibits me from detailing
presented the false quotes on the
King's statements around this issue.
student group's website, where he
However, in examining King's stateattributes his source to the website
ments in this period, we can make
of Pamela Geller. Geller, a right-wing
some important observations:
Ann Coulter wannabe, promotes
1. King would only make public
conspiracy theories on her webstatements about Israel when pressite, such as the idea that President
sured to do so by major Jewish orObama is secretly an Arab Muslim
ganizations or prominent Jewish
with "not a genetic drop of" genuAmericans.
ine African blood, and who heads an
2. Although King was asked sev"antisemitic administration." That
eral times to condemn criticism of
alone makes the content of her webIsrael as anti-Semitism, King never
site suspect.
made an explicit statement of such.
Interestingly, Geller's blog entry
He was willing to condemn antion Martin Luther King is amended
semitism, and he was willing to
to clarify that the quotes from Marstate his support for "Israel's right
tin Luther King are a "hoax." Geller's
to exist." However, he never drew a
website quotes another right-wing
direct connection between the two
source as follows:
concepts, even when prompted to.
3. King's support for Israel was al"I looked more carefully at this and
made some changes, stand corrected....
ways tempered by a call for security
for both Israel and the Arabs.
it would seem that the letter indeed
was a hoax But [sic] the most impor4. King was also very explicit in
tant parts attributed to King were acdistinguishing African-American
curate. Below are afew quotes by King
criticism of Jews (or Zionism) from
traditional anti-Semitism.
on this topic"
Within these parameters, King
Katz copied and pasted the stateexpressed his public support for
ment onto his own blog entry on
Israel's "right to exist." However,
SHA Shalom, beginning with the
he did not interpret this support
words "Below are a few quotes by
as siding with Israel. After signing
King on this topic," while intentionhis name to a June 4, 1967 New York
ally omitting references to the hoax
Times ad to support "Israel's right
in the sentence that preceded it.
of passage through the Straits of
CPJ editor-in-chief Jason Slotkin
Tiran," King privately complained
was aware of the problematic King
that "the Times played it up as a total
quotes two days before publishing
endorsement of Israel," according to
Katz's article with the fake King
FBI wiretaps. Following Israel's vicquote. Slotkin claimed the accuracy
tory in the June 1967 War, King comof the quote was "inconclusive,"
plained to his advisers that "now Iseven though the only suggestion
rael faces the danger of being smug
to truth is that one person claims to
and unyielding." FBI wiretaps also
have heard King say it, but couldn't
picked up King complaining that
specify when or where he heard it
US public support for Israel during
and couldn't get other quotes corand after the June war "has given
rect. Rather than being "inconcluJohnson the little respite he wanted
sive," the quote is hearsay at best,
from Vietnam."
and more likely plain false. Slotkin
These sentiments hardly support
could have prefaced the quote with,
the claim that King equated criti"According to Seymour Martin Lipcism of Israel with anti-Semitism.
set," which he didn't do. Since then,
It is peculiar, therefore, that King
Slotkin has refused to run a correcwould make the denunciation that
tion out of fear that he would reLipset - and only Lipset - claims to
ceive complaints from SHA Shalom,
have heard, at an undisclosed (or
the very instigators of the Martin
inaccurate) time and place, and refLuther King hoax at Evergreen.

April2009

6-Counter Point Journal

GUNS, STUDENTS, A SURVEY AND A BOARD
The Police Services Community Review Board in perspective
byC.V.Rotondo

One of the more tangible contributions of the Geoduck Student Union
(Gsu) this year has been appointing
student representatives to the Police
Services Community Review Board
(PSCRB). Sky Cohen, Tasha Glen and
Aaron Lee all went through the process of interview and approval by the
Union in order to become the students' voting representatives, alongside faculty and staff, on the Board.
Since arriving on the Board, the
students, in tandem with non-student members have focused their
attention on the issue of Evergreen
Police Services (BPS) proposal to
acquire AR-15 assault rifles, body
armor, helmets and training. Cohen and Glen were eager to share
their insight and experiences with
the larger campus community; we
began with what the PSCRB is designed to do.
"The literature says a system of
checks and balances in conversation
with what BPS is doing on campus,
especially regarding the proposal.
It also says it's designed to give
students, faculty, and staff a say regarding potential infractions and
power dynamics. But it only has the
power to recommend," says Glen.
"It presents the illusion of checks •
and balances; a semblance of power,"
elaborated Cohen. Expanding upon
the potentia1 of the PSCRB Glen explains that "the PSCRB doesn't have
to wait for a proposal ftom EPS, it
can bring its own proposals forward.
The police don't necessarily control
the dialogue." In light of these assessments, Cohen and Glen went
on to consider their role as student
representatives.
According to Cohen, the adequacy of student representation is not
solely dependent upon numbers.
"We have to have some sort of balance. Art and others may disregard
student voices, but it wouldn't
change with more students." Glen
expands, "Just with the case of

l

numbers, it's adequate. But they
don't stick to the consensus model
they supposedly have; student
proposals are often disregarded or
brought to a majority vote." When
asked about this comment, voting
PSCRB member Andrea Seabert replied, "We've only had a couple of
votes: whether to have comments or
not on the rifle survey, two or three
questions on that survey and next
meeting times."
Cohen elaborated on the issue of
representation and equity on the
Board saying, "On occasion they, especially Tim Markus and Michael
Vavrus, listen to students." Tim
Markus is the PSCRB chair and Michael Vavrus is a voting faculty representative.
Glen was more specific in her
criticisms of the Board's internal dynamics. "It's more non-voting members, by which I mean Art Costantino and Ed Sorger, who undermine
student opinion." Art Costantino is
the vice president of student affairs
at Evergreen and Ed Sorger is the
chief of EPS. Regarding the students'
criticisms, Seabert concluded, "I'm
grateful for the feedback so I can be
more attentive in future meetings.
I don't want to disregard their experiences; it wasn't my perception,
but I don't sit in their shoes." The
students had further observations
on the non-voting membership of
the board, including Sorger and police officer Tim Marron.
According to Cohen, Sorger is often fingering his walkie-talkie during meetings and looks "physically
uncomfortable" during discussions
of the rifles. Glen noted that Marron winks across the table. Beyond
these observations, the students offered insights int-0 the evolution of
the Board's response to the proposal
to acquire rifles. "Delay tactics got
students on the Board in the past,"
says Glen, and that to forego a recommendation on the proposal has
been a strategy since its release. Regarding the current campus-wide

survey however, the students don't
agree on the benefit of delay.
"Two weeks [before releasing
survey results] is a delay tactic, and
it has been voiced multiple times,"
they both agree. Glen added, "When
students voiced concern [with the
delay], it was disregarded." They
went on to say that they have the results of the survey and will release it
in the face of "excessive censorship."
Glen also said that she was glad
for the public records request recently filed to acquire the survey
results and added that Seabert had
suggested censoring the results.
Seabert explains her perspective
on the survey by saying, "My goal
had been for the Board to look at
the information first and to make a
determination of when and how to
release it." She added that she "always assumed it would go out," and
doesn't "think there are any secrets
in it." The discussion of the survey
brought up a piece of historical information that had recently been
revealed to the students by another
PSCRB member.
According to Glen and Cohen,
when the rifle proposal first came to
the PSCRB in late spring oflast school
year (according to Tracey Johnson,
who takes notes for the Board, Ed
Sorger first gave background and
reason for the request at their October.27th meeting), at a time when
there were no students on the Board,
member Andrea Seabert proposed
passing it "then and there," and following up with public forums to inform the campus of the decision.
It was intentional delaying and
regular reassertion of the issue on
the part of certain Board members
that managed to get the decision
out to the public and hold forums
to generate input ftom the campus.
Regarding this, Seabert replied, "I
don't think I ever made that proposal," stressing that it was difficult
to recall exactly when and at what
meeting this occurred. She added
that she has been uncertain of her

role on the Board - either representing herself or as representing
the staff on campus and that she
has been "all over the place" on a
"variety of information" regarding
the proposal. She concluded, "I've
always been in a place of wanting as
much information as possible so we
can make the best recommendation
to Art."
The conversation with Glen and
Cohen was concluded with a discussion of student media on campus
and what they desire of a productive, student-oriented paper. For
Glen, a student paper should get
"alternative voices heard and present a variety of voices rather than
one voice, and should approach the
people directly involved."
Cohen had specific critiques of
the practices of the Cooper Point
Journal (CPI) to add to the discussion. "The CPJ has refused to print
more articles on the issue of IsraelPalestinc. The CPJ gained credibility
this past quarter by publishing both
sides; articles in defense of Israel's
actions and those combating proIsrael statist propaganda.
It's unfortunate that the CPJ editors became uncomfortable with the
subject and reverted back to publishing overly simplistic, apolitical
articles and made the CPJ an invalid
means of student dissent."
According to Glen, students need
"an effective tool for cultivating a
dialogue, not censoring one perspective and not overly fostering
another. Even if it is submission
based, reporters should be sent to
cover alternative viewpoints."
Cohen wanted to explicitly state
that students should contact him
with questions or comments; to let
him know if their voice is not being represented by the students on
the Board. He stressed that, "Even
though we have our perspectives,
we are student representatives and I
hope to represent that entirely, even
views not my own." Sky can be contacted at sky.cohen@gmail.com.

Out of Gaza invasion, TESC Divest emerges
by Nidlolas Debning

The tactics of boycott and divestment have been around for a long
time, but using these tactics against
an entire country has its roots in
Apartheid South Africa. In November 1962, the UN called for imposing economic and other sanctions on
South Africa in Resolution 1761. It
was non-binding, of course, and the
special committee agairut apartheid
it created was itself boycotted by all
western nations. In 1977, students
at universities began to push hard
for complete divestment ftom South
Africa and companies with major
interests there. The first college to
successfully divest was Hampshire
College in Massachusetts. Then, in
1986, Congress overrode a veto laid
down by Ronald Reagan and passed
the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid
Act. This act banned new US investment in South Africa, sales to their
police or military, and providing
bank loans. It also prohibited specific trade including agriculture,
steel, textiles, iron, uranium, and
the products of state-owned corporations.
Now there is a movement to dismantle Israeli apartheid using that
same tactic. In 2005, over 170 Palestinian civil organizations issued a
call to boycott Israel until it abides
by international law. On February 7th, 2009, Hampshire College
proved that history repeats itself by
becoming the first US University to
divest from Israel.
Here at Evergreen, some refuse to
be mute on this issue. TESC Divest
is and comprised of Evergreen students, staff, alumni, and community members, are working to make
Evergreen uphold its commitment

to social responsibility by divesting list of investments fully transparent
ftom Israel. Two campaigns are ac- and remove their investments in Istive right now.
rael or companies that benefit ftom
The first is a campaign for Ever- Israel's violations of human rights
green to become a "CAT-free zone" and international law.
by boycotting Caterpillar on camBoth of these campaigns are
pus for their involvement in know- part of the broader boycott, divest,
ingly selling specially armored 09 sanctions(BDS)movementthathas
and 010 bulldozers to the Israeli already begun to yield tangible remilitary for destroying Palestinian sults. The Jerusalem Post, in a report
homes and clearing land for the il- sandwiched between ads for boulegal Israeli separation wall. For tique rentals in Tel Aviv and Shurat
those who recall, it was one of these HaDin - a weeklong "pilgrimage"
Caterpillar bulldozers that crushed billed as the "Ultimate Mission to
Evergreen student and Olympia Israel" and featuring "trials of real
peace activist Rachel Corrie in Rafah, Hamas militants" and briefings by
Palestine on March 16, 2003 as she commanders of the Shin Bet-found
stood in front of a Palestinian home that, "21 percent of local exporters
attempting to prevent its demoli- report that they are facing problems
tion. A petition circulating around in selling Israeli goods because of
campus calling for Evergreen to an anti-Israel boycott." In addition
publicly boycott Caterpillar already to this, the Hang Up on Motorola
campaign organized by the US
has hundreds of signatures.
The second campaign demands Campaign to End the Occupation
the Evergreen Foundation make its recently declared a victory when

Motorola met one of the campaign's
demands. Motorola Israel Ltd., entirely owned by Motorola USA, sold
its Government Electronics Department to Aeronautics Defense Systems, an Israeli military contractor.
This means that Motorola will no
longer be providing bomb fuses to
the Israeli military.
On a less optimistic note, President Obama is expected to ask for
$2.775 billion in weapons aid for
Israel to be included in the 2010
budget. That choice works out, on
average, to $17.75 that every American citizen will pay in tax dollars
to help keep the apartheid state of
Israel armed to the teeth and Gaza
and the West Bank occupied.
If you want to get involved on
campus, the Mideast Solidarity Project's meetings at 2pm every Wednesday in CAB 320 or e-mail Nicholas at
dehnic26@evergreen.edu.

►

EDITORS continued from page 1

multiplicity of perspectives, much
less organized dissent.
But honestly, the Cooper Point
Journal is a distraction.
It's with this understanding that
we've decided that rather than complain (though our complaints are
certainly valid) we'd like to just do
our own thing. As such, the Counter Point aims to provide a space for
those who are participating in and
are most affected by events to speak
for themselves.
We mean to engage and report
on students, staff, and faculty who
give life to the campus through
social movements, organizations,
committees, boards and other channels. We seek to bring the work being done in our community to the
attention of all community members, stressing research and interview-based reporting. This creates
the kind of media we would most
like to sec.
Counter Point is simultaneously
for us - we who have seen our perspectives misrepresented, marginalized, or silenced completely by
present media outlets - as well as
for those whom we interview, those
we challenge, and those who read.
Our intent is entirely constructive,
while the critical elements serve as
a jump-off point to begin our discussion.
Additionally, we believe a main
purpose of the media is to act as a
check against the powers that be,
whether it's a pervasive and hostile
state regime or the administrators
of The Evergreen State College.
When the press fails in tl!is aspect,
it transforms from an instrument
of liberation and social change to
a mouthpiece of oppression and
status quo.
A wholly free, democraticallyrun and easily accessible press fosters the growth of grassroots social
movements and helps those with
the least institutional power use •
their voice. This view helps fuel our
commitment to getting this paper
off the ground and break-up the
de facto monopoly that the Cooper
PointJournal holds on local press. If
nothing else can be said, competing
press can only raise the standard of
journalism.
The scope of our first issue is
limited and the interviews and research that we've done our best to
gather is not completely comprehensive, but it is certainly a step in
the right direction. That is to say,
we took the time to pursue investigative journalism, to tell our stories and have had the patience and
good will to try and present them
in a manner that is productive and
lends itself to further the cause of
justice and student power.
We came with an ambition to
cover the stories currently lacking
ftom our public discourse and have
arrived at a significant watermark
with the publication you're currently reading. We are pleased to
present the first issue of the Counter
Point]oumall
-The Counter Point Editorial

Collective

Caterpillar products come in many flavors. From a generator in a shed in the Mods at Evergreen (left) ... to a weapon sold for death and destruction in Palestine.

Counter Point lournal -7

April2009

A justification for the
humanities during
inhulllane tillles
more than a souped-up reimagining of ye olde aristocratic practice
of sending rich kids away t0 be
properly socialized for successful
drawing-room discussions." This
critique stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of what
we mean by useless. Stanley Fish,
the tacitly conservative, eminent
literary scholar who trashes the
legitimacy of his own field in a really roundabout way, defines it as
such:

by Nicky Tiso

Pro se defendants and attorneys of the Oly 26 at the Thurston County Courthouse, April 10. (Photo by Lamise Shawahin)

Court proceedings continue for Oly 26
by uimise Shawabin

The "Oly 26," arrested at the Port
of Olympia for nonviolent anti-war
protests on Nov.13, 2007, received notification for charges being brought
against them for alleged misdemeanors in Nov. 2008, only after
the Olympian website posted a news
flash that the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney had filed charges
against the 26 activists. The Olympian
proceeded to print their names and
ages well before any of the activists
knew they there were charges being

brought against them.
Many of those involved in the
protests are current or former members of the Evergreen community;
all but one of the 26 being charged
are women.
On the night of Nov. 13, 2007
those involved in the actions were
subjected to harsh sexist, homophobic, and racist remarks that
continued in the comments section
on the Olympian's website. Hiding
behind internet personas, commenters made remarks against the
Oly 26 as well as the Evergreen com-

munity, and which devolved from
threats to get some of the women
fired from their jobs into outright
death threats. The Olympian has
since removed all comments and
now requires online viewers to register before leaving any comments
on any of the articles.
The latest hearing for the Oly 26
was on April 10; a motion brought
by the defense to dismiss the case
was denied. The next hearing will
be on Friday, April 17 at 2pm in the
Thurston County Courthouse.

A friend's recent rant, of the more
eloquent sort, called into question
the purpose of teaching humanities (literature, arts, philosophy)
in an institutionalized, academic
setting (i.e. Evergreen) and generally implicated the value of college
itself in his hostility. Understandable, given he's a Plato/Nietzsche
junkie as fit to graduate as he is to
be unemployed. Long have I heard
my passion for writing could lead
To the question 'of what use are the
to three things: teaching, journalhumanities?', the only honest answer
ism, or, with talent and luck, a cais none whatsoever. And it is an anreer built on my art (though never
swer that brings honor to its subject.
have I been encouraged by more
Justijication, after all, confers value
worldly and weigh ted adults to
on an activity fro m a perspective
bank on this.) Lucky for me, these
outside its performance. An activity
all sound like pretty good options,
that cannot be justified is an activbut I can imagine the despair upon
ity that refuses to regard itself as inseeing your literary niche, in the
strumental to some larger good. The
real world (aside from the aforehumanities are their own good. There
mentioned roles if they don't strike
is nothing more to say, and anything
your fancy) translate to a barista at
that is said... diminishes the object of
Borders or a librarian. Hence his
its supposed praise.
attack that the four-years of liberal
conditioning he just received were Here we need to make an integral
good for only one thing: helping distinction between uselessness,
him "understand his own useless- in the eyes of American empire
(and comfortable apathetics like
ness."
This disjunction, between what Fish), and uselessness as a radical
we find so valuable (the study of category and oppositional space
death, for example, or an analy- to act within. Fish, as a defendant
sis of Henry James' - -- -- - - -- - of the reclusive nause of windows in So long as the huture of academics,
What Maisie Knew )
uses uselessness to
11
and its inability to manitieS are USecleave a separation
pay the rent (if only
,f;
between college and
landlords accepted eSS, t ey re Sale
society, making for
monthly anagram- firom being co-opt ed an apolitical notion
matic poems!) would
.
of learning that is
be the "uselessness aS an lnStrument
quite simply rightof our use" he's referwing. Contrarily,
ringto.I'minterested OraC
CeSSOrJto a
I'm advocating an
in putting my useofexploita- active and mobile
lessness to good use, 'J
kind of uselessness; uselessness as
with an inherent re- tion and injustice
a strategy, as a form
spect for the negative (.
of opposition that
role I've chosen, that
SO are We.)
thrives on invisibilpoetic ability to move
amongst society without partiality, ity rather than typical modes of
understanding the enslavement confrontation.
Since the State is abstract (power
that comes with definition.
The elusive spontaneity our dis- is produced through culture, no
placement provokes strikes me as one is accountable) there's no point
its justification; that our forms fighting cops or protesting, aside
of exchange and relation exist in from releasing stress; the infiniextra-capital terms. The irony be- tesimal incarnations of power in
ing that often, at the college level, the form of authority figures are
the ability to take this view de- not the problem, they are merely
pends on parental/governmental "doing their job," which is to say
financial leverage to elevate oneself their intent is not to oppress us
above issues of rent to metaphysi- fo r the sheer pleasure of it (while
cal concerns. Bu t let's not burden that may be part of it) but to make
ourselves with middle-class guilt a living like the rest of us. They are
here, suffice to say privilege itself is the "emptyheaded shit-for-brains
not bad; wasting it is. To question who've inherited the keys to all
privilege is to already be privileged the armories and prisons," not the
enough to wonder if such privilege masterminds of tyranny.
Far from hopeless, this abstracis worth it. And does this question
not already, paradoxically, comi- tion points to our advantage, as
theorist Hakim Bey explains: becally, answer itself?
The humanities teach us the cause the State "takes its abstracmost important thing we can learn: tions for realities" it creates a "marwhat it means to be a human being. gin of error" within which we can
This is not something that can be come into existence as free beings
numerically quantified or applied that "the State cannot recognize
merrily to a culture built around because History has no definition
outsourced labor, Overseas Contin- of [us]." It is within these "cracks
gency Operations, and spectacles and vacancies" in-between the tolike the OctoMom, hence its "use- talizing grid of society that we, the
lessness," but that's what makes it poets, humanitarians, free-thinkan essential resource to keep us as ers and unemployed intellects may
ethical, self-conscious beings and band together and form our own
not TV-cronies who think because space of unmediated creativity.
To be a philosopher is to be a
Blackwater changed its name to Xe
it's no longer murderous. So long rebel, forcing oneself to the clanas the humanities are "useless," destine, wandering, inexplicable.
they're safe from being co-opted As Bey concludes, in the vein of Nias an instrument or accessory to a etzsche, "as power disappears, the
system of exploitation and injus- will to power must be disappearance." To be useless/invisible/untice (and so are we.)
I agree with my friend's infer- employed/cast-out, in this way, is
ence, though, that the humanities not a catastrophe but a liberation.
should have a willingness to en- Baristas today, bootleggers tomorgage other departments and the row?
world and not be. as he szys, "little

I "h ,

sustem
lan

DAM to play benefit concert in Olympia
by uimise Shawabm

Palestinian rap group DAM (Da
Arabian MCs) will be stopping in
Olympia on their us tour on Tuesday, April 21st. DAM is the first and
the most well known hip hop group
to emerge from Palestine. They are
composed of Tamer Nafar, 27, his
younger brother Suhell, 23, and
Mahmoud Jreri, 2.4. The group has
been performing together since the
late 90s.
Their music is a combination of
Arabic rhythms, Middle Eastern
melodies and African-American influenced Hip Hop. DAM's lyrics focus on the continued occupation of
Palestine and the realities ofliving
under such conditions. Their lyrics
have been discussed in various programs at The Evergreen State College and are taught in many schools
in Palestine. DAM is one of the Palestinian Hip Hop groups that were
featured in Jackie Reem Salloum's
recent documentary Slingshot Hip
Hop that premiered at the Sundance

film festival last year and was shown biggest in the world that deals with
during the 6th Annual Middle East the occupation of Palestine. The
Rachel Corrie Foundation's webFilm Festival at Evergreen.
DAM's appearance will mark the site reports, "the mural project is
second Palestinian Hip Hop show a recognition of the relationships
this year in Olympia. In January, that exist between the people of
Mohammed Al Farra from the Pal- Olympia, Washington, the people
estinian Hip Hop group PR and Sa- of Rafah, Palestine and with ali
breena Da Witch, a solo performer, who struggle and work for justice."
came to Olympia to do a benefit They hope that "the mural will
show for Gaza. Their performance provide visibility to strengthen
was preceded directly by a screen- the movement for social change in
ing of Slingshot Hip Hop at The Palestine, the US and the world."
Evergreen State College sponsored Tickets can be purchased at Rainy
by the Mideast Solidarity Project, Day Records, buyolympia.com, or at
formerly known as SESAME. The the door.
The group will also perform in
performance entitled "Hip Hop
Healers for Gaza," and raised both Seattle the following night (April
awareness and over $1400 to be sent 22nd) at the Universit.Y of Washdirectly to families living in Gaza ington in Seattle. The show is beaffected by Israel's brutal assault ing hosted by Students for Justice
in Palestine. Opening acts will inthat began in late December.
DAM's stop in Olympia will be a clude Gabriel Teodros, Canary Sing
benefit show at the Capitol Theater and DJ WD4D. The performance
for the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity is expected to sell out. Tickets are
Mural Project which is a project of sold in advance at the HUB ticket ofthe Rachel Corrie Foundation. The fice on the UW campus, as well as
mural is planned to be one of the one hour before showtime.

d

8-Counter Point Journal

April2009

Anyone willing to debate?
byTessa&Rebe«a Wylliede&'hetterria

The Israeli flag was inspir
prayer shawl with blue stri
during prayer) as a symbol.
of David, is a common sym
Israel from Biblical times. Th
officially on October 28, 1

Recently on campus there has been an
informal debate over the Israel/Palestine
conflict. Both major viewpoints have utilized campus common space to try a bring
awareness of the conflict to the greater student body. Two clubs have predominantly
been participating in the discourse, MSP
(Mideast Solidarity Project, formerly SESAME) and SHA Shalom. The information
about this debate has been presented in
lectures, on flyers, and by tabling and window displays in the CAB. MSP also staged a
die-in to bring attention to the Palestinian
casualties during Israel's recent siege on
Gaza. During the die-in students in the CAB
asked about the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Showing that knowledge of the issue was
not necessarily widespread. Opinion pieces
from both groups have appeared in the Cooper Point Journal, which has included some
name-calling and statements that were not
backed up with facts or citation. This lack
of knowledge is an indication to many that
more information needs to be provided to
the student body.
However, it is hard to fully understand
an issue when both sides don't have the
same space and resources to present their
views. Fact checking and developing direct
responses to points is time consuming and
it is difficult to respond to all the questions
that opinion pieces engender. For this reason, MSP posed the idea of a debate to give
voice to both sides and help students more
fully understand the roots of the conflict.
MSP contacted SIIA Shalom about hold-

e Hezbollah flag show
whole globe. Inspired by
Iranian Revolution, the pa
Lebanon's multi-religious

Islamic state.

ing a debate to bring to light the issues surrounding the Palestine-Israel conflict.
The idea is to hold a formal debate that
would establish and maintain equal space
for educating people about both sides of
the Israel/Palestine issue, including the
role of the US policy in the conflict. When
MSP originally contacted SHA Shalom,
they responded with a list of conditions to
be met in order for the debate to take place.
MSP agreed to meet and talk over the details. Following the agreement, MSP representatives attended a SIIA Shalom meeting
to discuss logistics of the debate. However,
SIIA Shalom voted not to participate in the
educational debate. As MSP still thinks
that a debate would be a healthy course of
action, we are currently looking for someone who would represent the Zionist or
pro-Israel view of the conflict.
If this debate could move forward both
sides would have a chance to directly respond to ideas and thoughts from the opposing views. By debating, both sides can
find common ground and recognize places
where understanding and apology are
needed. A structured debate on the Israel/
Palestine issue would allow students to
hear all sides and make up their own minds
based on equal informational access.
This is an invite to anyone interested
in participating to contact me so that the
debate can move forward. You can reach
me through e-mail at tess.wyllie@gmail.com
or stop by the MSP (formerly SESAME) office in CAB 320 on Wednesday afternoons.
Please only contact me or stop by if you are
actually interested in debating this issue.

JEWS AGAINST THE OCCUPATION FORMS IN OLYMPIA
by Andrew Sernatinger

This last year, probably more than
others, has really put Israel and the
occupied territories on our minds.
The same day as the Obama-Biden
victory, a military operation carried out by the Israeli Defense
Force (IDF) signaled the end of the
already-dismal ceasefire between
Israel and Hamas.
In December, the IDF began an
attack on Palestine that lasted for
weeks, killed 1,400 and destroyed
hospitals and schools. Continuing
this year in March, American activist Tristan Anderson was shot
in the head with a tear gas canister
while in the West Bank, and just recently in April, Benjamin Netanyahu formed a coalition government
with Avigdor Lieberman's ultranationalist Beiteinu party.
It's under these circumstances
that Jews Against the Occupation
(JATO), a group of students and
community members, formed at

:
i

Evergreen campus and in the Olym- discuss critical perspectives on Is- has been rebuked by SIIA Shalom that we as Jews can solve the conflict. 'We' are not going to liberate
pia community. Founders Rachael rael/Palestine and Jewish culture. with charges of anti-Semitism.
Hamblin, Matt Lester, Kate Schiff- "... it became clear that there was
"I think it's bullshit,'' Hamblin 'them'. Palestinians will ultimately
man and Robert Gordon organized little to no interest in challenging said. "Judaism and Israel are two take their freedom, and our job is
the group for both political and cul- the policies of the state of Israel and separate things. [Criticizing the just to take down the barriers that
tural reasons.
the development of Zionism. Most state of Israel] feels very similar to makes their struggle for liberation
"The point of our group is to cre- meetings were simply about trying hearing that you're un-American incredibly difficult."
ate a distinction between avmg to showcase Israel's achtevements fornot supporting the war in Iraq."
Both Lester and Hamblin emJewish background or identity and and the threat of 'Islamofascism,'"
Lester added, "The current dis- phasized education and dialog for
support for the state of Israel, be- said Lester.
course and framing of the conflict the group. "This group is not just
cause since 1967 the two have been
SHA Shalom posters later drew has made people back off of the for Jewish people who are firm in
intentionally conflated,'' said Matt some controversy as Geoduck issue [of Palestine] ... and part of their conviction that they're not
Lester.
Union representative Christopher what we want to do is to remove supportive oflsrael. This group is
"There's an assumption that Rotondo went on record as saying our exclusive entitlement as Jews also for people who are interested
there's only one Jewish perspective he took down posters that he felt to the topic. Everyone in the US in learning about Jewish perspecon Palestine,'' added Hamblin, "we were racist and helped to normal- has a right to the topic because of tives on Israel," Hamblin said.
our strategic political and military
Olympia's Jews Against the Ocwant to let Jewish people talk about ize the occupation of Palestine.
their feelings openly without havOne poster provided by BlueStar- support for the occupation. People cupation reflects the rising tide of
ing their identities compromised PR, an Israeli lobby organization need to know that being silent or Jewish organizations in solidarity
because they don't support Israel."
that gives money and materials to ignoring the occupation makes with the people of Palestine. One
The group coalesced in part as a SHA Shalom, compares flags and them complicit in the largest open- such organization, the Internaresponse to posters put up by SIIA pictures of Arab women intended air prison in the world, among oth- tional Jewish Anti-Zionist NetShalom, Evergreen's Zionist group, to look threatening with docile Is- er injustices created and carried out work, is comprised of groups from
during the height of the assault raeli women (see above). Criticism by the Israeli government."
the United States, Canada, Europe,
on Gaza. Both Lester and Schiff- of the group's posters or the occuWhen asked about the group's India and Latin America. Olympia
man attended Zionist meetings to pation of Palestine (with compari- long-term goal, Lester said, "We JATO meets Tuesdays at 4pm in the
gauge the group's willingness to son to apartheid by South Africans) need to get away from the NGO idea Evergreen CAB.

Hate-Free Campus Statement

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During winter quarter of 2009 there has been an increase in anti-Arab,
Iranian and Muslim propaganda on the Evergreen campus. Mass produced
fliers appeared promoting stereotypes of Middle Easterners and Muslims as

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being misogynistic, homophobic and having little value for their children's

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of Middle Eastern descent affects all people of color on campus and promotes hostility toward communities we are either members of or work in
solidarity with.
As students at The Evergreen State College, we commit ourselves to
actively work to challenge the promotion of stereotypes in image and
word that target people of color on campus. Whether in our classrooms,
homes or families, hate and fear of the other is learned and must be unlearned in order to fully respect and recognize one another as human.
Those of us of European descent need to learn how otherness has been
taught to us, how it is manifest in their lives and our personal responsibility to change.
Although hate hurts, we embrace everyone's right to freedom of
speech. However, we also embrace our right to question the motivations
of the use of stereotypes to promote divisiveness and otherness in our
communities.
Our attempts to create a Hate Free Campus will raise awareness of
the pain that stereotypes and hate speech can cause in our community,
especially those recently targeted, our Middle Eastern and Muslim brothers and sisters.
We welcome your support and participation.
We, the undersigned, will actively and vocally oppose the targeting
of an individual or group based on their age, disability, religion, ethnicity,
social class, sexual orientation, indigenous background, national origin,
or gender.

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PRINTED NAME AND SIGNATURE

PHONE NUMBER OR E·MAIL

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Sign on to Hate-Free Cainpus
sent a small minority of Evergreen
students (see above).
Hate-Free Campus came about
Because this kind of propaganda
because of the emergence of anti- can serve to villify an entire people,
Muslim propaganda on campus in students came together to act, in a
January of 2009. The posters that small yet significant way, to make
initiated the response of Hate Free it known that hate does not have a
Campus were put out by a PR firm place at Evergreen.
called BlueStarPR whose purported
Unfortunately, as with any camaim is to "Humanize perceptions paign challenging hate, rumors
of Israel." Disappointingly, some of began spreading that the coalithe fliers and posters used in the PR tion aimed to curtail people's First
campaign dehumanize Arabs, Irani- Amendment rights. In truth, the
ans and Muslims, which are already statement itself specifically calls
targeted populations, especially for the respect of freedom of speech
and does not endorse the removal
since9/11.
Posters such as those depicting a of offensive fliers.
woman dressed in Giba and Hijab
After discussions with various
holding a child and an AK-47 were student organizations and commuespecially alarming to people of nity members, the original stateMiddle Eastern descent who repre- ment was revised to be inclusive of
by H.-.Free Cdml'fUCoalition

all populations targeted for hate
crimes and speech. This includes
targeting of an individual or group
based on their ethnicity, religion,
gender identity, sexual orientation,
class, disability, age, indigenous
background, and/or immigrant
status. Many of those working on
the statement fit into one or more
of the above categories.
If you are so inclined, please sign
the Hate-Free Campus statement to
the left and drop it off in the box in
front of the Library. The statements
will eventually be displayed publicly, demonstrating the amount of
people in Evergreen's community
committed to taking the first steps
in creating a campus free of hate.

Israel? Palestine? What the Heck?!
Get your questions answered

Thursday, Apil 23, noon
SEM 2, C1105
Sponsored by Mideast Solidarity Project
(yes, formerly known as SESAME)