Does Free Speech Have a Palestine Exception? Dismissed Professor Steven Salaita Speaks Out
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Democracynow.org - A new report by the Center for Constitutional Rights and Palestine Legal has documented hundreds of cases of Palestinian rights activists in the United States being harassed, disciplined, fired, sued, censored or threatened for their advocacy around Palestine. Eighty-five percent of these cases targeted students or scholars. We look at the case of Steven Salaita. Last year, his job offer for a tenured position at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was withdrawn after he posted tweets harshly critical of the 2014 Israeli assault on Gaza. The school had come under pressure from donors, students, parents and alumni critical of Salaita’s views, with some threatening to withdraw financial support. His case caused a firestorm, with thousands of academics signing petitions calling for Salaita’s reinstatement, several lecturers canceling appearances and the American Association of University Professors calling the school’s actions "inimical to academic freedom and due process." In August, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Phyllis Wise resigned after she was implicated in a scandal that involved attempting to hide emails detailing Salaita’s ouster. We speak with Steven Salaita and attorney Maria LaHood, who is representing Salaita in his ongoing lawsuit against the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,300+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream 8-9am ET: http://democracynow.org Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today: http://democracynow.org/donate FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE: Facebook: http://facebook.com/democracynow Twitter: https://twitter.com/democracynow YouTube: http://youtube.com/user/democracynow SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/democracynow Daily Email: http://democracynow.org/subscribe Google+: https://plus.google.com/+DemocracyNow Instagram: http://instagram.com/democracynow Tumblr: http://democracynow.tumblr Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/democracynow iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/democracy-now!-audio/id73802554 TuneIn: http://tunein.com/radio/Democracy-Now-p90/ Stitcher Radio: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/democracy-now
Comments
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He just got his ass canned from the American University in Beirut. Door....Ass.....Way-out!!!!
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This is not about free speech or Palestine. This disgusting human being defined antisemitism as "honourable", which is tantamount to a hate crime and incitement of violence. He was justly fired.
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"...intensification of the scandalization of the situation that led to the resignation"... now that's a rhyme!
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My professor teaching Islamic studies refused to talk about Israel Palestine because "it was too dangerous." You just can't
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People who watch this video will no doubt be interested in a new article by Max Blumenthal at Alternet.org on the subject of the Canary Mission Project in which university campuses across the U.S. are seeing Palestinian Human Rights groups targeted.
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ALL MUSLIMS who follow moohamed must be deported!
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Being a person with family in Israel and a Jew as well, I feel that the professor is wrong on his opinions concerning Israel and Palestine. However, American universities should seek to get professors and educators who sit on both sides of this issue and a myriad of other issues. It's usually the more leftist professors who dominate academia but this should not be the case. Students should get both sides of the issue and seek their own answers.
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the constitution protects free speech as long as its not the truth
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I'm not sure if Salaita was fired precisely because of his criticism towards Israel, but rather on account of how he phrased it. His tweets were crass and I think any University should have the right to distance themselves from anyone they feel is not aligned with the image they want to have. An Academic should behave as an Academic if he/she expects to be treated as an Academic. Mr. Salaita didn't behave like one.
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Saying how I love watching Russians bombing Syrian civilians is also free speech. And believe me, I really enjoy it.
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DN is such a dishonest and biased source of news. If you read the tweets this man posted it is easy to understand why a campus, concerned about a learning environment, dehired Steven. Posting tweets about Israel such has haveing a prime minister who would wear the teeth of Palestine children are outlandish and do not convey a positive learning environment for those who would disagree with him. The call for his dehireing from students and faculty where out of concern for the students. Has far has Pro-Palestine student bodies I have seen enough of the screaming,flailing, and interrupting of Pro-Israel speakers, and calls to have the Muslim prayer played over loud speakers across campuses, to understand why these groups have been disbanded by a University. After its show about the Charlie Hepbo massacre DN doesn't have any to say about free speech worth hearing.
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something's not adding up in terms of his comments about the nelson person. if nelson advocated for finklestein nelson obviously not a pro-israel ideologue. anyone know anything more about that?
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Free Speech is not an issue that affects only Palestine.
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Bluntly if you support Palestinian terrorism which Salaita does you are a traitor to this country
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Typical Academic arrogance if you are a racist which Salaita is most professions would not hire you either.Most universities would not hire a KKK or Nazi either.
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