University of California - Irvine archive at CampusJ

University of California - Irvine

Muslim Student Union Reacts To Ayn Rand Event

Published by Reut Cohen November 16th, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 5 Comments

Marya Bangee, a third-year sociology and English double major and the Muslim Student Union external public relations officer, discussed Dr. Yaron Brook’s November 6 lecture at UCI.

“It seems like when the more conservative groups go up to have their say, the more liberal groups always get arrested,�? suggested Marya Bangee to the New University in a recent article. “It’s the extreme right and the extreme left coming at each other. Yaron Brook is basically discredited. He’s calling upon the mass genocide of thousands upon thousands of innocent people.”

Here is what Bangee had to say to CampusJ:

The Muslim Student Union decided not to participate in the Yaron Brook forum because we did not think a fringe group like Ayn Rand represented a large group of students at UC Irvine. As MSU, we felt that any neutral party who attended the event would recognize hate speech — advocating mass murder, no less — for what it is, and make their own appropriate judgements. Any group that advocates the murder of millions of innocent people does not have a legitimate voice. As Muslims, we believe human life is sacred, and we find this type of speech sad and disturbing. There were individual MSU members that asked questions and attempted to show the fallacies of his logic, but overall it was disappointing to see a perspective that is so obviously misinformed and ignorant about Islam and Muslims.

Fifteen Arrests At Ayn Rand Club Event

Published by Reut Cohen November 16th, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 5 Comments

UCIPD get physical with a LaRouche supporter.
On November 6, the Ayn Rand Club at UC Irvine sponsored a lecture by the president of the Ayn Rand Institute. LaRouche members were handing out flyers on campus earlier that same day to invite students to “join the fun.�?
Dr. Yaron Brook, the speaker, addressed a shouted question from a LaRouche supporter at the beginning of his lecture regarding excessive police presence.
“I’ll assume that’s an honest question,�? Brook answered. “We were promised in advance that this event would be disrupted. Freedom of speech does not include…disrupting.�?
Brook continued his lecture amid some comments and laughter from LaRouche members and protesters who likened his speech impediment to that of Elmer Fudd. While Brook was discussing the Iranian threat, protesters all around the lecture hall stood up and started singing. The protesters, who were mainly LaRouche supporters and not UCI students, sang “Three hundred thousand Muslims died, sounds like Nazi genocide.�?

They were told to sit down and stop singing by police, but refused and were ejected from the event.
Brook, for the most part, kept his calm and discussed Islamic totalitarianism and the need to do “whatever necessary to defeat the enemy.�?
More protesters stood up and started singing or shouting at Brook. One protester appeared to run towards the stage but was detained by police and arrested outside.
Another protester outside shouted, “Hey freedom of speech guy! I got arrested for watching.�?
Tarrajna Doresy, a LaRouche member from Washington stated, “I don’t know on what grounds they could arrest me.�?

A few Muslim students said that Brook’s objectivist view is largely harmful towards Muslims. “Why would I join you?�? asked one Muslim student, who suggested that Yaron Brook was calling for the annihilation of his people.
Brook asserted that “the Iranian regime is the fountain of the Islamic totalitarian regime. As long as that regime is dedicated to the establishment of the Islamic totalitarian state and to the destruction of the United States, it has to be the No. 1 target on our agenda to eliminate.�?
According to UCIPD, 15 arrests were made at the event. Twelve individuals were cited and released and 3 individuals were detained overnight.
According to UCI Police Chief Paul Henisey, only one of the individuals arrested was a UCI student. Although UCIPD acknowledged that their response was strict, he stated that the arrests were justified because police asked protestors to leave: “When they began singing, it was clear they were not going to stop.”
Chief Henisey identified many of the individuals as protestors at USC and UCLA events who had thrown condoms and raw meat at Dr. Brook.

5 Questions With…Eric Brunner

Published by Reut Cohen November 12th, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 2 Comments

Eric Brunner, president of UC Irvine’s Ayn Rand Club, spoke to me about Rand’s philosophy, the group’s relationship with other clubs such as the Anteaters for Israel, and the recent controversy at UCI regarding an event with Dr. Yaron Brook sponsored by the club.

What type of club is the Ayn Rand Club? What are you trying to promote at UC Irvine?
The Ayn Rand Club at UCI is a club based on promoting Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand. We promote Objectivist ideas in every area of philosophy - metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and politics. We do this by watching recorded lectures, reading Objectivist literature, and hosting and attending live lectures by Objectivist speakers. We aren’t simply a political group. Our focus is much broader than politics, and we seek to provide those interested with a positive, coherent, consistent, rational guide to life. We seek to promote Objectivism. In Objectivism, the world around you is real, things are what they are, and things act in an orderly fashion, and man can discover the facts of reality and use his knowledge to guide his life in order to make himself happy. We reject the supernatural, and we embrace this world and man’s happiness. We embrace reason, and we reject using blind faith or using emotion to decide what to do in your life.
We are for a code of morality called rational selfishness. Most people believe in altruism, the moral code that says that you should sacrifice yourself for others. We believe in the opposite. We believe that man should use reason to act in his self-interest so that he can become happy. We think the standard of morality is man’s life. Therefore, anything that destroys or hinders man’s life is bad, and anything that promotes man’s life is good. We reject all sacrifices. We reject sacrificing yourself for others and sacrificing others for yourself. We are for trading value for value.

The Ayn Rand club has begun building a relationship with the Anteaters for Israel this year. What are your motivations for building a coalition with this club (especially because you’ve little religious motivation)?
Objectivists support Israel, so I thought a group on campus that supports Israel, like AFI, would be a good group of people to be allies with in limited contexts. Objectivists support Israel because Israel is a Western country, i.e. it tries to protect individual rights. Even though many AFI members support Israel on religious and Zionist grounds, I believe that the AFI can understand and support the Objectivist position. I believe that many AFI members implicitly agree with the Objectivist position. I seek to be friends with the AFI in order to promote Ayn Rand’s ideas. For instance, I can present the Objectivist view of Israel and the war on Islamic totalitarianism to AFI members, we can inform each other of our events, and we can co-sponsor events. Religion has nothing to do with it.

The Ayn Rand club sponsored an event at UCI this past Monday called “Why the Destruction of Islamic Totalitarianism is Our Moral Imperative�? with Dr. Yaron Brook. This event drew many protesters, including LaRouche and a few students with the Muslim Student Union. What was your reaction to the protestors at your event?
First of all, there were no “protestors” at my event. I wouldn’t go so far as to call them that and put them at that level. There were unlawful disruptors and some people with antagonistic questions. My reaction to the disruptors was the desire for justice to be served, i.e. for them to be thrown out and/or arrested. A number of individuals at my event who disrupted it were arrested, and rightly so. Calling someone a protestor implies that they had some sort of legitimate way of showing their horribly false point of view. As far as I know, no one from the MSU took part in a disruption at my event.
As I said at the lecture, I wanted law enforcement officials to deal with such people, and they did.

What does the Ayn Rand Club hope to accomplish by bringing speakers like Dr. Yaron Brook who have been characterized as controversial?
The Ayn Rand Club seeks to show all the independent, rational thinkers in the community that there is a rational solution to ending the jihad against the West…I seek to show that individuals should feel proud of Western values: reason, individual rights, capitalism, limited government, the separation of religion and state, and that we have a moral right to punish those who seek to murder us - in this case, Islamic totalitarians.

Is there anything else that you would like to add to this interview?
If anyone is interested in Ayn Rand and her ideas, I encourage them to visit the Ayn Rand Institute’s official site. From there you can see all the upcoming lectures by Ayn Rand Institute speakers on campuses and other venues around the country. If anyone is interested in the Ayn Rand Club at UCI, I can be contacted at ebrunner@uci.edu.

Adam Harmon: “The Lonely Soldier”

Published by Reut Cohen November 11th, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 0 Comments

On Monday, November 6, Adam Harmon spoke at UC-Irvine about his experiences with the Israeli Defense Forces. Harmon, an American citizen who served for the IDF, has written about his time with the IDF in his book “The Lonely Soldier.”

Anteaters for Israel co-sponsored the event with the College Republicans and Young Democrats in order to promote awareness and coalition-building on the UC-Irvine campus.

Originally from New England, Harmon had the opportunity to visit Israel as a teenager back in 1984 and decided he wanted to live there somebody. He joined the Israeli military in 1990 and became known as a “chayal boded�? or “lonely soldier,�? the official term for a soldier who has no immediate family in Israel.

“On the one hand, I’m an American… but there is something about my connection to [Israel],�? said Harmon. “Like every other Israeli I had to serve in the army, I knew that I wanted to.”
Harmon became a paratrooper and learned much about the Israeli military culture and general way of life.

“I’m not a person that does well with authority figures,�? he said, explaining that he nevertheless did well in the military: “Israeli commanders didn’t scream in my face.�?

Harmon answered questions from the audience and explained that his decision to join the IDF was made carefully. The support of his family had a lot to do with his decision, because they supported him from the very beginning.
“My motivation was really insular,�? said Harmon, “I went there for me.�?

Brock Hill, a fourth-year political science major and president of the College Republicans at UCI, was pleased with the event.
“It was really informative,�? said Hill. “Personally, I found this event right up my alley. I’ve always been interested in the IDF because this military is focused on urban warfare. The United States has a lot to learn from their military.�?

Emily Shaaya, a second-year social ecology major and co-president of AFI, said she was pleased to co-sponsor the event with the College Republicans and the Young Democrats. “It was a really interesting event,�? she said. “It was a great way for AFI to work with other clubs at UCI and to educate the fellow students and community members about Israel.�?

From Left to Right: Reut Cohen, Brock Hill, Adam Harmon, Karin Kahen, Emily Shaaya

Most UCI Jewish Students are Democrats

Published by Reut Cohen November 9th, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 0 Comments

The director of Orange County Hillel, Jay Feldman, spoke to me about the election and how he believes Jewish students voted. Although Feldman stated that he has “no clear idea” about trends for Jewish students on the UCI campus, he speculated that Jewish students are more selective and perhaps shifting to the right because of foreign policy.
Here is what Feldman had to say:

I have no clear idea really on what the voting trends are for the Jewish students on UCI’s campus. From my conversations with some of these students, it looks as though they are considering each issue separately rather than making partisan blanket votes.
Historically, most would probably say that Jews have been more associated with the left due to social values inherent in Jewish culture. In more recent years however, it seems that a shift has begun due to foreign policy (specifically in the Middle East with regards to Israel) and as more Jews have continued to reach Middle and Upper Class economic status.

Students I have spoken with today, particularly Jewish students, were very unhappy about Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s re-election. The general consensus at UCI seems to be to be that Phil Angelides would have been a better man for the job. The majority of Jewish students I spoke with identify as Democrats and asserted that Democrat control will do better things for the economy, Iraq and public education.

Voter Apathy at UCI

Published by Reut Cohen November 8th, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 0 Comments

Voter apathy at UC Irvine is prominent among Jewish and non-Jewish students alike, according to representatives from ASUCI and AFI. ASUCI, which brings together academic, political, athletic and recreational interests of UCI students, told CampusJ that low voter turnout has been a problem at the university for years. Associated Students also asserted that they are working to register new voters through programs like the New Voters Project.
Emily Shaaya, Anteaters for Israel (AFI) co-president and ASUCI representative, stated that her experience has led her to believe Jewish students and non-Jewish students are equally active in politics. However, Shaaya suggested that AFI members are probably more likely to vote than students only involved in Hillel because AFI students have stronger political motivations and do not shy away from politics.
“AFI has developed coalitions with ASUCI and the New Voters Project. The New Voters Project is an organization at UCI that gets new students to register to vote. ASUCI is basically our student government. AFI’s affinity with these two organizations has allowed Jewish students and pro-Israel students to have a say in politics. Hillel is not in this coalition,�? asserted Shaaya.
“AFI members are highly involved in politics. Many of our freshman members are part of the New Voters Project because of AFI’s relationship with the organization. However, my experience with ASUCI shows that roughly a good 60% of students are not involved in politics at all and are apathetic about politics in general. Apathy at UCI is not exclusive to the Jewish population.”
The general consensus is that Jewish students at UC Irvine appear to favor the Democratic candidates.
“I think there is that general view that if you are pro-Israel you are also a Republican. In reality many of our members in AFI are Democrats, perhaps even the majority,�? said Karin Kahen, co-president of AFI.
Shaaya and Kahen did not feel comfortable with disclosing how they voted.
“Its important for us to deal with students on an individual bases and get students involved as objectively as possible. We want students to make up their own minds after seeing the liberal and conservative view points. Because of my personal work with ASUCI, I need to present a non-partisan political view,�? Shaaya stated.
Shaaya and Kahen suggested that they predict that most Jewish students will vote for the Democratic candidates.
Hillel, the Jewish Student Union, does not formally urge students to vote and did not have any opinion on the matter of how Jewish students are likely to vote.
The College Republicans and Young Democrats told CampusJ that there are involved Jewish students in their respective clubs, but do not know how to estimate the quantity of those involved or their relative proportions to the general student population.

Interfaith Dialogue, Sans MSU

Published by Reut Cohen November 6th, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 0 Comments

On Wednesday, November 1, Hillel and the Muslim Student Union planned on co-sponsoring an interfaith dialogue panel. While the event proceeded mostly as planned, the Muslim Student Union decided to withdraw from the event, though many of its members still attended the panel discussion.
The panel consisted of Reverend Gary Barmore, Sheik Sadullah Khan and Rabbi Richard Steinberg. UCI’s Dean of Students, Sally Peterson, acted as the moderator.
Although the panel attempted to stick to issues of religion, a few individuals in the audience posed questions about religion and its political implications, such as the state of Israel and the outrage Muslims experienced over the Danish cartoons.
“I love the Jewish people, [but] I hate the Zionist state” Khan said in response to a question about the legitimacy of the Israel, adding “we must stop confusing the idea that if you’re anti-Israel, you’re anti-Semitic.” Referencing the Israel-Lebanon War of the past summer, Khan wondered, “Where was the world’s voice…for a kidnapping of two people.” Khan said that Israel uses “religion as an excuse to break international law.”
“The Jewish people have a right to live in the land of Israel,” Steinberg said. He was visiting Israel this past summer during the war, where, he said, “I saw the effect of the war on Arab-Israelis…. [It] suggested to me a deeper understanding.”
Reverend Barmore stated that “one’s faith does not determine… a right to a country,” adding, “most Chrisitians do not determine geo-political policy of any nation by faith.”
Members of Hillel and the Jewish Student Union were not sure why the MSU withdrew from the panel, which would have marked the first time Hillel and MSU co-sponsored an event.
Panel member Sheik Sadullah Kahn told CampusJ he had almost not participated in the panel because, after MSU’s withdrawal, the event seemed like it was the doing of Hillel and not the Muslim Student Union.
Anna K. Gonzalaz, director of UCI’s Cross Cultural Center said that the MSU met with her to discuss their concerns. She said that “the Cross Cultural Center…wanted to show students a model [in which] you could have disagreements without calling someone a Nazi.” But in preparing for the event, “[the MSU felt] forced to hold the hands with someone they’re not ready for,” Gonzalaz said, adding “we left the meeting at that — [They felt] the Cross Cultural Center tricked them.”

The Facebook Revolution at UCI

Published by Reut Cohen November 5th, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 1 Comment

On Thursday, Nov. 2, Hillel and the Career Center sponsored an event called “Facebook Revolution.�? Ezra Callahan, Facebook’s senior products manager, spoke about the startup, expansion, controversies and future of Facebook.
“The goal of Facebook is to maximize the flowing of information, which may sound cheesy…. We’re interested in pushing the communication with people you are in close proximity with…people [with whom] you have some shared background,�? said Callahan.
Facebook, one of the fastest growing online directories that connects people through social networks, now reaches over 10 million users.
The Web site was originally founded as “thefacebook” in February 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard University, with the help of Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. The Web site’s popularity continued to grow with advertising revenue. Zuckerberg and Moskovitz dropped out of Harvard to run Facebook fulltime, and Hughes remained in school to work as the site’s spokesperson.
“His roommates helped launch the site,�? said Callahan. “They decided to launch at other universities and realized they had something good.�?
By the end of 2004, some 200,000 people had joined Facebook and the site had spread to 32 colleges. Less than a year later the Web site had grown to include over 800 colleges.
Facebook was constantly updating features and drawing criticism for just about every new feature being added, much like the recent newsfeed hysteria. Allowing high school students to join the website also ignited fury among Facebook users, but Callahan was quick to point out that only .1 percent of users can see your profile and that “by default your profile is only visible to your network.�?
Callahan also said alumni make up a large majority of users. Initially the site targeted 18- to 24-year-olds in college, but opening Facebook to other users makes it possible to reach out to those who aren’t in college and are likely to have friends who use Facebook. This does not, however, imply that anyone will be able to see a given profile.
“Restricting… allows you to decide who can see what,�? Callahan said. He suggested that users utilize control features in the privacy settings so that they can choose what people can and cannot see.
“People flipped out when the comment box was added,�? Callahan joked. He noted that at the same time, “People were begging for their schools to be added.�?
Advertisements keep Facebook up and running. When asked if Facebook sells user information Callahan said, “Facebook isn’t selling your information. We are very sensitive to people’s needs.�? Apparently the only circumstance in which information is released is if Facebook is subpoenaed, and those cases are very rare. “Third parties will not capture your information,�? Callahan assured.
On March 28, 2006, BusinessWeek reported a possible acquisition of the Facebook website. According to BusinessWeek, Facebook declined an offer of $750 million and began asking for $2 billion. The idea that a two-year-old Web site started by college sophomores could sell for such a price ignited enormous debate and speculation.
“Mark is in no rush to sell,�? said Callahan. “He is interested in developing the site further.�?

Adam Harmon: “The Lone Soldier”

Published by Reut Cohen November 5th, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 0 Comments

On Monday, November 6, Adam Harmon, an American who served in the Israel Defense Forces, will be speaking about his experiences in the military. Harmon wrote about his time with the IDF in his book The Lonely Soldier.
The event is sponsored by Anteaters for Israel in conjunction with The Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles and co-sponsored by the College Republicans and the Young Democrats. The event will be held in the Humanities Instructional Building 125 from 12:30-2 p.m.
Admission for UCI students and faculty is free; community member admission is $8.

Cross-Cultural Controversy

Published by Reut Cohen November 5th, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 0 Comments

On November 1, Hillel and the Muslim Student Union were supposed to co-sponsor a diversity panel. The Muslim Student Union decided to withdraw their co-sponsorship of the event only a couple of days prior because they felt the Cross Cultural Center had tricked them.
In the following clip, Sheik Sadullah Khan says he too almost withdrew from the panel because it had been attributed to Hillel, making it seem that the Muslim Student Union had played no part. Khan attributed his desire to withdraw to an article that was published in the New University that focused on Hillel.