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[10/06/2004, WUNC,
Claiborne M. Clark]
Please Read Now: Today's The State of Things
Dear Susan:
I am glad that today's conference will look at the upcoming
Palestine
Solidarity Conference at Duke and I am writing because I am
concerned about
the direction the program may take. It is my hope that you
will focus more
on the issues the conference will raise, rather than on what
I believe is
manufactured controversy around the conference.
Much of the media coverage so far has had to do with what I
believe are
absurd allegations against the conference organizers.
Specifically the allegation of support for terrorism rings
hollow because,
having checked the latest research, I can tell you with no
doubt in my mind
that terrorists do not hold conferences.
Also, the allegation of anti-Semitism rings hollow because
several
organisers are Jewish and the spokesman for the conference
is additionally
Israeli.
My concern about the direction the program may take is based
partly on the
direction other news coverage has taken, and partly on your
promo which
asks whether the conference is about free speech or
endorsement of
terrorism.
The conference is, one would certainly assume, about
neither.
I expect the conference will focus on the human rights
violations the
Palestinian people continue to suffer...on the American
involvement in
perpetuating and worsening those human rights
violations.....and on the
special interest influences that hold Washington motionless
on policies
that are diametrically opposed to America's own interests
and values. And
finally, I believe the conference will address how we
Americans can work
effectively to change our own country's important role in
this situation
which is causing death and suffering by many Israelis, and,
make no
mistake, many more Palestinians. That is where the concept
of divestment,
by universities like Duke and UNC comes in.
Divestment worked against South Africa and it can work in
Israel-Palestine.
The literally global campaign to stop the conference and
label its
participants as things they are not is, of course, aimed at
ending a
conversation that must not end if peace and justice are to
occur in the
future. The breadth and depth of the campaign against the
conference
speaks, not the the threat the conference poses to peace,
but rather to the
real hope the conference offers FOR peace with justice.
I do not know whoe your guests or callers will be today (I
don't think I
will be free to call), but please do look directly at:
1) The suffering of the Palestinians under occupation and
around the world.
2) America's role of providing financial, military,
diplomatic and moral
support to Israel.
3) How our support has brought us enemies (Osama bin Laden
cited our
support for Israel as a "reason").
4) Special intrerest influences' role in keeping us locked
in.
5) Since what we are doing now is obviously not working,
what (if not
divestment) will work to lead swiftly to peace and justice.
Thanks-
Claiborne M. Clark
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