>--- Original Message ---
>From: stephen block <stephenb at minet.ca>
>To: PSN at csf.colorado.edu
>Date: 4/9/02 3:28:06 AM
>
>
>Was there any talk in the 80's of boycotting South African academics?
It is
>well known among people who study propaganda that one of the
purposes of
>propaganda is to isolate intellectuals. (See writings of Machiavelli
and
>Hitler.) Who would you surmise might be the greatest opponents
of Sharon,
>the settlements' movement, the religious turn, the use of force
to put down
>rebellion in the territories? What then is the purpose of a
boycott of
>academics in Israel?
>
>Very few universities, let along countries, have been blacklisted,
in terms
>of their scholars. Mostly that is done over unfair labour practices.
Israel
>is (still) not South Africa. Public opinion works differently
there than it
>would have in S.A. (more like the way it works in the US). The
roles of the
>universities in the two states (Israel and S.A.) may well be
very different.
>For example, in one state the U's may be a source of opposition
from an
>intellectual community. In the other, it may be fully integrated
into the
>racist purpose of the state. Claiming oneis the same as the
other needs
>confirmation.
>
>I think people who call themselves critical overlook these not
so subtle
>distinctions, and many others, at their great peril, as has
been the case in
>any number of other areas where "the left" has been left out
hanging by
>their lack of detail in their critical analyses. Israel's position
may be
>indefensible, but there are many Jews, Israelis and especially
academics
>unwilling to defend it. (See last night's debate on the News
Hour with Jim
>Lehrer between Podhoretz and Lewis.)
>
>What then is the purpose of such a boycott against academics.
It strikes me
>as an attempt to puff oneself up to unnatural size in a moment
when
>opportunity provides for it. I think the idea is to be intellectually
>honest, regardless of the circumstances, where at all possible.
Otherwise
>the critique will seem hollow and self-serving.
>
>Criticize the activities of the government and the ideas of
those who
>support a "greater" biblical Israel. Boycott produce from the
settlements,
>as many do in Israel!!! The boycott idea against academics strikes
me as
>self-righteous and pompous. Why not boycott the universities
one works at?
>Are they not all working in furtherance of social goals one
rejects?
>
>Again, Israel is still not South Africa, especially not in its
universities.
>
>
> Stephen B
>
>