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The Trouble at Brooklyn College
This month, the Brandeis Center has devoted substantial time to problems at CUNY's Brooklyn College. The trouble began when Brooklyn College announced that it would host an anti-Israel BDS panel. New York taxpayers were understandably upset when BC's political science department turned out to be a key sponsor of the event. While the event was widely condemned, the college refused to back down, insisting that academic freedom required the free exchange of a wide range of opinions. Brooklyn lost considerable credibility, however, when it was reported that Jewish pro-Israel students were excluded from the event. Most notoriously, campus police escorted four Jewish students out of the event. College spokesmen initially claimed that the students were disruptive but appear to have backed down from that claim after reporters disproved their allegation and posted supporting audiotapes. The Brandeis Center's Kenneth L. Marcus joined the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Brooklyn this month for discussions with BC's president, provost, and other senior leadership. In formal correspondence, the Brandeis Center is asking BC to promptly address what appear to be significant irregularities by BC in connection with the event. LDB is in continuing conversations with BC students and faculty about their concerns.
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Kudos to Rep. Chris Smith
LDB has publicly commended Chairman Christopher Smith and his congressional subcommittee for bringing public attention to the surging problem of European anti-Semitism. In particular, the Brandeis Center commended Rep. Smith and the U.S. House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations for conducting a potentially landmark hearing on February 27th, 2013, to investigate patterns of European anti-Semitism and explore the historic connection between the failure to combat anti-Semitism and the well-being of other religions and civil democracy.
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