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Some University of Hawaii-Manoa students, including the director of Jewish student group Hillel Hawaii, have filed a federal complaint claiming folks protesting Israeli violence against Palestinians are making the campus “unsafe and hostile” to Jewish students (“Complaint alleges antisemitic rhetoric on UH-Manoa campus” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 19).
I have my doubts. Perhaps because I am Jewish and taught at Manoa for 50 years without seeing much, if any, antisemitism or hearing of anybody being demeaned for being Jewish.
But recently came the horrific Hamas attack on Israel, followed by the massively brutal Israeli response. To counter criticism, the pro-Israeli lobby has equated anti-Zionism with antisemitism, while ignoring how different the two are.
In a university setting, attempts to suppress freedom of speech are especially dangerous. At a most critical time, this federal complaint threatens the vital UH mission of exploring difficult truths about policies and values.
Noel Kent
Manoa
EXPRESS YOURSELF
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