Moving past ignorant rhetoric

We, the Duke Students for Justice in Palestine (DSJP), are extremely concerned with Tuesday’s editorial “No student funds for ignorant rhetoric.” The Chronicle Editorial Board misinterpreted our poster without any framework of factual basis and uses this interpretation to question our motivations and intentions for holding Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW). We also note with concern that not a single member of DSJP was contacted regarding the editorial prior to its publication. This calls into question the journalistic practices of the board. The chief effect of The Chronicle editorial has been to derail productive and insightful discussion.

The goals of IAW include raising awareness and fostering a discussion on Duke’s campus regarding Israel’s discriminatory policies toward Palestinians. To accuse or imply that DSJP or its members are in any way anti-Semitic or that they would fail to recognize anti-Semitism is not only insulting, but highly inflammatory and dangerous. Programming and advertising this week have highlighted opinions held by both Israelis and Palestinians that are rarely represented in the U.S. media and on our campus. Accusations or insinuations of the nature made by the 12-member Chronicle Editorial Board have no place in an educated discourse on this issue.

While anti-Semitism should be combatted at every level, false accusations of anti-Semitism have long been used to intimidate and stifle pro-Palestinian voices. Such rhetoric is used to distract from the facts and issues. Creating an environment in which students are afraid to express political opinions due to the potential of being labeled racist is antithetical to the ideals of free speech and a free press.

DSJP is committed to a just and lasting peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and moving past ignorant rhetoric on both sides is the first step. We recognize that Palestine/Israel is a heated issue for many, but we encourage and invite members of the Duke community to participate in civil and respectful discussion that we are aiming to promote.

Ahmed Alshareef, Pratt ’14

President, DSJP