Below is a petition in support of Joel Kovel, whom Bard fired for his critiques of Israel and Zionism. As you may recall, I sent out the news of Kovel's firing when it happened; and then I sent out the response that Leon Botstein, Bard's president, was sending those who had contacted him (http://markcrispinmiller.com/2009/02/bards-president-on-joel-kovel.html).
So having now received this new petition from Michael Smith, I sent him Botstein's reply, asking for elucidation. Michael has responded: >Dear Mark, > Botstein sent out the form response. Joel thinks he was >terminated because of his position on Zionism and Israel for the >following reasons. He wrote an article in this vein for Tikkun >magazine and was thereafter relieved of his chair as the--get >this--Alger Hiss Professor in social studies. He wrote a second >article for Tikkun some months later and was put on half-time. Then, >a year and a half ago his book, Overcoming Zionism: A One State >Solution in Palestine/Israel, was suppressed by the University of >MIchigan, which distributed it for Pluto Press. We formed The >Committee for Open Discussion of Zionism with Howard Zinn, Michael >Ratner, Richard Falk, and others as honorary chairs. We got the >book reinstated. Joel complained to Botstein that he did not help, >to which Botstein replied to the effect that "you were doing pretty >well on your own." Later, U Mich was pressured by the Zionist power >structure to cancel their distribution contract with Pluto, which >cost them $l.7 million a year. > Joel had been at Bard for 2l years. He was told some years ago >by a dean that he shouldn't worry about his contract being extended. >But a three-person faculty committee gave him a bad review. One of >the persons on the committee was Bruce Chilton, a Christian Zionist. >He should have recused himself. With Joel gone, there are now NO >radical professors at the school. Martin Peretz, a real pro-Israel >guy, is on the board at Bard; Joel took him on in his book. Botstein >goes to Israel l0 times a year. > So the circumstanial evidence is, to my mind, heavy, although we >don't have and may never have a smoking gun. Joel's termination fits >the pattern. Norman Finkelstein was denied tenure, The Rachel >Corrie play got the hook. Jimmy Carter wasn't even allowed to >speak at the Democratic >convention. And lately Chas Freeman was forced to withdraw. > You may want to go to our website: codz.org Or reach Joel at ><mailto:jsko...@earthlink.net>jsko...@earthlink.net >Thanks for your solidarity, >Michael Smith Certainly I welcome any contrary accounts, but I must say I find this one convincing on its face. Here, then, is the link to the petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Support-Joel-Kovel MCM --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to Mark Crispin Miller's "News From Underground" newsgroup. To unsubscribe, send a blank email to newsfromunderground-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com OR go to http://groups.google.com/group/newsfromunderground and click on the "Unsubscribe or change membership" link in the yellow bar at the top of the page, then click the "Unsubscribe" button on the next page. For more News From Underground, visit http://markcrispinmiller.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
