Disclaimer: while I normally try to remain positive on here, I am so upset that I’m physically shaking right now. This entry will be passionate, and I certainly cannot claim to be unbiased, because, simply, the situation does affect me as both a Jew and a Cal student. The opinions expressed here are my own, and do not represent all other Jews, all other Cal students, or even all others objecting to the bill. Just me (and Finn, because he’s sitting on me while I write). Also, in the interest of full disclosure, I have been to Israel, I have interacted with Israeli citizenry and IDF soldiers, and I have been following the conflict through various news sources. Also, I do NOT think that Israel is blameless in their actions; however, I do believe that they do act to defend their country and their citizens, and not out of hate, unlike Hamas and other Palestinian groups, who have directly and publicly stated their hatred toward Israel and Jews in general.
Background: here’s the Daily Cal article from Pres. Will Smelko’s veto of the original bill. In a nutshell, the ASUC (at Berkeley) senate passed a bill that called for UC’s divestment from United Technologies and GE because they have purportedly been supplying Israel with the weapons with which they have been committing “war crimes.”
Tonight, the ASUC held a meeting to attempt to overturn the veto, which would require 14 votes in favor. The meeting was open to the public, in the Pauley Ballroom. I attended for about an hour before I was both too upset to stay and also too stressed about my online class’s final tomorrow… but here are my thoughts on the speakers and audience behavior that I did witness. More
Birds iViews 