Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
York U post-strike tensions
We got back to class more than two weeks ago and from day one back tensions have been high. A group calling itself DROP YFS has appeared tabling each day for the first week (except Fridays). For those who don't know YFS stands for York Federation of Students, which is the union of the undergraduate students at York U. The reason primarily given for the DROP YFS coalition for wanting to get rid of the current YFS is that they 'supported the strike', which was never true. In fact the YFS tried to get the two sides back to negotiation various times during the strike. When looking deeper it became obvious that this DROP YFS coalition, which is primarily members of Hilel and Hasbara Fellowships, Zionist organizations on campus, the latter of which was calling for the bombing of Iran last year in a shameful fiasco...now, upon deeper inspection we remember that during the strike the YFS condemned the bombing of the university and other education institutions in Gaza during Israel's relentless campaign last month.
And so, it became quite obvious as to why this DROP YFS coalition really came into being. They collected signatures, aiming for 5,000, which would be enough to possibly get the YFS impeached, triggering an early election. Of course, a general election would follow, thus York U would have two YFS elections in one year, a colossal waste of time and money in my opinion.
The DROP YFS coalition made personal attacks on various members of the YFS executive. I was there personally when I heard many of them directed at the YFS execs, including a friend of mine who told me at a later date that one of them called him the N-word. A townhall meeting was called not too long ago. One of the DROP YFS members yelled at the speaker (who was Persian) to 'go back to where he came from'. Another member of the group called the speaker 'a vagina'. When eventually the disruptive group was booted from the townhall meeting the group chanted outside of the room, trying to intmidate the people on the inside by yelling and banging on the glass.
A few days follow. Last Monday, Feb. 9, I was hosting the NEWS NOW program on CHRY 105.5 FM, as I do every week. I had a special interview lined up with Sid Ryan, the CUPE head and a strong critic of Israeli policy, particularly in it's apartheid-like treatment of the Palestinian population. During the show various phone calls were coming into the station office, asking the station manager "when is Jesse going to be on air?" and "Give me the names of your broadcasters?" Turns out the folks over at Hilel, who were primarily the members of DROP YFS had seen me go in across the hall of the student center. My friend took this as an attempt at indimidating his volunteers. The interview with Sid Ryan went well. At the end of the show as I was leaving the office various members of the coalition were waiting for me outside the doors, trying to look imposing. They were trying to intimidate me for interviewing Sid Ryan.
A few days later on Wednesday, Feb. 11 the DROP YFS coalition tried to hold a press conference. Instead, disgusted with the racist, sexist, classist remarks and harassment, various students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds disrupted the conference. The DROP YFS members went up to the Hilel office and locked the doors. The crowd demonstrated for a few hours. The DROP YFS coalition called the police to escort them out.
In short, they had been disrespectful, biggoted and rude to people and then when their tactics came back to bite them in the ass, they called the police. You may have heard of this incident in the newspapers. You also may have heard it painted as some anti-semitic attack. This is nonsense. This group has been disgusting, like nothing I've ever seen before. It is horrendous that the media can paint them as the victims after their actions.
The following day there was a rally, that has been planned since Israel's assault on Gaza. I brought a gentleman to the rally, Andy Lehrer, from Independent Jewish Voices. This group is made up of fellow proud Jews who are disgusted with the way Zionism has hijacked the good name of Jews around the world. The rally the other day is just the start of Israeli Apartheid Awareness and anti-racism on campus activities coming up.
And so, it became quite obvious as to why this DROP YFS coalition really came into being. They collected signatures, aiming for 5,000, which would be enough to possibly get the YFS impeached, triggering an early election. Of course, a general election would follow, thus York U would have two YFS elections in one year, a colossal waste of time and money in my opinion.
The DROP YFS coalition made personal attacks on various members of the YFS executive. I was there personally when I heard many of them directed at the YFS execs, including a friend of mine who told me at a later date that one of them called him the N-word. A townhall meeting was called not too long ago. One of the DROP YFS members yelled at the speaker (who was Persian) to 'go back to where he came from'. Another member of the group called the speaker 'a vagina'. When eventually the disruptive group was booted from the townhall meeting the group chanted outside of the room, trying to intmidate the people on the inside by yelling and banging on the glass.
A few days follow. Last Monday, Feb. 9, I was hosting the NEWS NOW program on CHRY 105.5 FM, as I do every week. I had a special interview lined up with Sid Ryan, the CUPE head and a strong critic of Israeli policy, particularly in it's apartheid-like treatment of the Palestinian population. During the show various phone calls were coming into the station office, asking the station manager "when is Jesse going to be on air?" and "Give me the names of your broadcasters?" Turns out the folks over at Hilel, who were primarily the members of DROP YFS had seen me go in across the hall of the student center. My friend took this as an attempt at indimidating his volunteers. The interview with Sid Ryan went well. At the end of the show as I was leaving the office various members of the coalition were waiting for me outside the doors, trying to look imposing. They were trying to intimidate me for interviewing Sid Ryan.
A few days later on Wednesday, Feb. 11 the DROP YFS coalition tried to hold a press conference. Instead, disgusted with the racist, sexist, classist remarks and harassment, various students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds disrupted the conference. The DROP YFS members went up to the Hilel office and locked the doors. The crowd demonstrated for a few hours. The DROP YFS coalition called the police to escort them out.
In short, they had been disrespectful, biggoted and rude to people and then when their tactics came back to bite them in the ass, they called the police. You may have heard of this incident in the newspapers. You also may have heard it painted as some anti-semitic attack. This is nonsense. This group has been disgusting, like nothing I've ever seen before. It is horrendous that the media can paint them as the victims after their actions.
The following day there was a rally, that has been planned since Israel's assault on Gaza. I brought a gentleman to the rally, Andy Lehrer, from Independent Jewish Voices. This group is made up of fellow proud Jews who are disgusted with the way Zionism has hijacked the good name of Jews around the world. The rally the other day is just the start of Israeli Apartheid Awareness and anti-racism on campus activities coming up.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
More on Israeli Apartheid
Back in class, tensions are higher than they've ever been. Thought I'd put up this video that has me in it from when we were demonstrating outside of Conservative MP Peter Kent's office in Thornhill and some other news on Israeli Apartheid, as next month is Israeli Apartheid at York University.
The Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) in Canada commends the membersof the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) in Durban formaking history by being the first group of workers to refuse to offload a shipcoming from Israel and carrying Israeli goods (statement from union and SouthAfrican Solidarity Organizations below). This act is not surprising. Asworkers who have lived under apartheid in South Africa, they understand themiseries of apartheid and the importance of international solidarity work inthe struggle against apartheid regimes. In doing so, the workers are taking astrong position, refusing to accept racism, oppression and apartheid asacceptable norms. Today, South Africa is leading the world in the struggleagainst Israeli apartheid, and giving a clear message, that unless Israel endsthe apartheid system it imposes on the Palestinian people, it will be boycottedby the rest of the world. This act comes at a time when Israel has increased the level and intensity ofits crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza. The brave South Africanworkers are showing the world that Israel should, and could be held accountablefor its crimes. At the time when the UN and the “international community”have repeatedly letdown the Palestinians, the South African workers have showneveryone that it is not only up to the governments, but also individuals,groups and unions and have the power to hold Israel to account. This act is part of the growing Boycotts Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)campaign against Israel that was called for by 171 Palestinian civil societyorganizations in 2005. This campaign was inspired by the struggle againstapartheid in South Africa, and today, South Africans are inspiring the worldagain by making breakthroughs in the Palestinian BDS campaign. Members of SATAWU are not alone in this struggle. In the past month alone, anumber of unions from different parts of the world, including Australia, NewZealand and Norway joined the struggle against Israeli apartheid by adoptingthe BDS campaign. In Canada, two major labour unions have joined the BDScampaign. In 2006 the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario decidedto adopt the campaign, and in 2008 the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)joined the campaign.
The Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) is a Palestine solidarityorganization based in Toronto (Canada) and is part of a growing global movementagainst Israeli apartheid. CAIA was formed in January 2006 and is active indifferent levels including among students, faculty, labor unions and highschools. For more details, please visit the website www.caiaweb.org or send anemail to endapartheid@riseup.net.
The Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) in Canada commends the membersof the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) in Durban formaking history by being the first group of workers to refuse to offload a shipcoming from Israel and carrying Israeli goods (statement from union and SouthAfrican Solidarity Organizations below). This act is not surprising. Asworkers who have lived under apartheid in South Africa, they understand themiseries of apartheid and the importance of international solidarity work inthe struggle against apartheid regimes. In doing so, the workers are taking astrong position, refusing to accept racism, oppression and apartheid asacceptable norms. Today, South Africa is leading the world in the struggleagainst Israeli apartheid, and giving a clear message, that unless Israel endsthe apartheid system it imposes on the Palestinian people, it will be boycottedby the rest of the world. This act comes at a time when Israel has increased the level and intensity ofits crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza. The brave South Africanworkers are showing the world that Israel should, and could be held accountablefor its crimes. At the time when the UN and the “international community”have repeatedly letdown the Palestinians, the South African workers have showneveryone that it is not only up to the governments, but also individuals,groups and unions and have the power to hold Israel to account. This act is part of the growing Boycotts Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)campaign against Israel that was called for by 171 Palestinian civil societyorganizations in 2005. This campaign was inspired by the struggle againstapartheid in South Africa, and today, South Africans are inspiring the worldagain by making breakthroughs in the Palestinian BDS campaign. Members of SATAWU are not alone in this struggle. In the past month alone, anumber of unions from different parts of the world, including Australia, NewZealand and Norway joined the struggle against Israeli apartheid by adoptingthe BDS campaign. In Canada, two major labour unions have joined the BDScampaign. In 2006 the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario decidedto adopt the campaign, and in 2008 the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)joined the campaign.
The Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) is a Palestine solidarityorganization based in Toronto (Canada) and is part of a growing global movementagainst Israeli apartheid. CAIA was formed in January 2006 and is active indifferent levels including among students, faculty, labor unions and highschools. For more details, please visit the website www.caiaweb.org or send anemail to endapartheid@riseup.net.
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