Artists 4 Israel Blog

Sunday, February 3, 2013

An Invitation to DJ Khaled from Craig Dershowitz

Dear DJ Khaled,

My name is Craig Dershowitz and I am the Executive Director of Artists 4 Israel. Among our many programs, we seek to educate artists about the freedoms that Israel protects, allowing them to create their work undisturbed, without censorship or oppression. Unfortunately, that is not the same around the world. In fact, right next door to Israel stands the residents of Gaza who have a long history of repressing their citizens and, as an extension of that, the creatives within their community. When women, blacks, latinos, non-Muslims, homosexuals and political opponents are not allowed to live freely, fearful of being arrested, tortured or murdered, artists are equally in danger.

As such, it is distressing that recently you, a well respected artist with a large following, have been expressing political sentiments that seem to support Gaza. Hamas, the terrorist rulers of this area, are no fans of your label mates, friends or fellow artists. I believe that your support for Gaza is misguided and ask that you might consider joining Artists 4 Israel on a tour of this geographic location.

We will leave political discussions behind and, simply, allow you to tour Israel and Gaza (mind you, no Israelis are allowed into Gaza under the threat of death by Hamas, but we will arrange for your safety) and learn for yourself the reality of life in this area. We will respect whatever opinions you form and welcome the opportunity to help you share them with the world. We believe that once you have toured the area, seen with your own eyes that the lies said about Israel are indeed lies, met the beautiful people there, seen the mansions in which the corrupt, treacherous Hamas rulers live and the way they oppress their own people alongside artists and Israelis, you will join us in our support of Israel and struggle to protect the rights of creatives who are in danger in Gaza.

Please let me know how I may make this happen.

Sincerely,
Craig Dershowitz
Executive Director
Artists 4 Israel

Chill, Brooklyn College, we got this

Dear Brooklyn College Hillel and Nadya Drukker,

As per THIS, you have asked that "well-meaning pro-Israel advocates (from outside the school) refrain from coming to our campus that day [of the BDS Conference]. We have the utmost faith in our students and our capacity to appropriately respond to the event." In shorthand, you claim to have it under control. Well...um...no, you don't.

Included among your appropriate responses are: "op-eds in the student paper" or a "thoughtful handout". I wonder if the former will include a 15% off coupon for frozen yogurt and if the latter will also be released as a limited edition Hallmark card - when you care enough to do the very least. If you had it under control, the BDS conference wouldn't be happening. You are a small campus nestled deep in between a religious, Jewish community and a socio-economically downtrodden area as in the middle of nowhere as anything in Brooklyn can be. You have a campus with a large, educated Jewish population. You have smart, worldly students. So, by the very nature of the event happening there of all places is the first evidence enough that no, you do not have it under control. The second evidence that no, you do not have it under control is your described methods of response. The third and definitive proof that no, you do not have it under control is that the one "well-meaning pro-Israel advocate" who has passed your verbal ban is someone who has already done a better job of helping promote the BDS than of dismissing it. So, I repeat: no, you do not have this under control.

Don't worry, Hillel, I went to Midwood High School. I know the lay of the land. I am part of an arts group, I know what boycott really means (it means self-censorship). I know your hands are tied. Mine are not. Artists 4 Israel is contemplating our response now. You can thank us after.

This is no small nor easy decision on our part. We have worked closely with Hillel in the past and I fear that us refusing to abide by your request might hurt that relationship. But, it is because of that relationship that we are motivated to act. Hillel and the Jewish Community are being beat by the lies and hate of the BDS and our own ineffective leadership. Our way might not be right but your way has been proven wrong. So, don't worry, Brooklyn College Hillel, we got this.

Dershowitz vs. Dershowitz

On behalf of Craig Dershowitz

Alan Dershowitz is quickly becoming a liability in the Israeli advocacy community.

I first noticed this trend HERE, during the Goldstone Report debacle. Then, Alan had begun his habit of entering into debates with an increasingly imbecilic group of individuals, ideas and, in the worst case, inanimate objects (Note: I am not certain to which which category Noam Chomky belongs). Each time, he provided legitimacy to and increased press attention for the very things he was hoping to discredit.

It is wished that were a competing set of thoughts made public, discussed fairly and equally considered, the right opinion would be dominant and the wrong one would fade into obscurity. Perhaps that is true in the halls of premiere academia where Alan spends much of his time. Perhaps that is true in the courtrooms and lavish dinner parties where he spends the rest of his time. But, it is not true in almost any other context or setting.

It is even less the case in regards to the BDS and its appearance at Brooklyn College. Like discussed HERE, in the case of the revolving doors, the BDS and its scissor sister PACBI are much more small than we exaggerate them to be. How woefully unworthy are they of the attention of Professor Dershowitz. How grandiose they appear when our greatest thinkers consider them worthy of opposition. How incredibly well-known they become when our greatest thinkers, political figures and "leaders" (who more and more frequently do not lead anyone) place their silly little meetings on the cover of the newspapers. Seriously, we are up in arms over the BDS "national conference"? Sounds prestigious, no? No. What sort of "national" anything consists of one or two speeches by repetitive hacks like Judy and Omar B? Only when placed beside the efforts of such formerly heroic Israeli advocates does such a worthless event amount to anything at all.

Artists 4 Israel knows the mindset of New York, of the BDS and of the college student. It would be best were we allowed to lead in this regard and not the upper echelon of thinkers who are no longer capable as doers.

Time and again I am asked asked if Alan and I are related. The answer, I believe, is yes although I also believe it to be of little consequence. Alan is a far more distinguished, accomplished and educated man than am I. But, perhaps for those reasons, a far less skilled advocate. He is a proud, unwavering hero who has stood before death threats, intimidation and hatred without bowing. Now, though, he should consider bowing out. Alan Dershowitz has reached the pinnacle of intellect and righteous understanding of Israel. Let him stay there and leave the work to those who have not yet peaked.