Hello,
You may be aware that the Muslim Student Association at UC Irvine and UCLA brought in anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian speakers to their campuses in the last few weeks. I attended these speeches and wrote my observations which were picked up by Israpundit.com.
One speaker, DePaul University adjunct professor Norman Finklestein has given the same speech for many years claiming that Jews profit from the Holocaust and use it to excuse egregious behavior towards the Palestinians. He is a son of Holocaust survivors. Finklestein posted this on his website yesterday and issued me two threatening phone calls.
http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/
My response to him is printed at the very end of this e-mail.
Thanks for your interest - please feel free to call me anytime to discuss.
Regards,
Allyson Rowen Taylor
Associate Director, American Jewish Congress, Western Division
310/309-5147 (office) or 818/383-3122 (cell)
Regarding Allyson Rowen Taylor's article:
She refers to my "horrific lies" but doesn't name any;
Having heard it so many times, she claims to to be able to quote my speech "verbatum" (sic). But most normal people don't keep coming to hear the same speech - unless they're spies;
Speaking of "horrific lies," she claims that I received a $5,000 speaker's fee. My understanding is that I received $200, so I rang up Taylor wondering what her source was: "Someone told me." She promised to email me tonite an acknowledgment that she had no basis for the cited figure. On the other hand it would be of interest to know how much she gets paid for spying.
A Report on "Holocaust in the Holyland" at UC Irvine
israpundit.com
by Allyson Rowen Taylor
I am the Associate Director of the American Jewish Congress in Los Angeles. I spent three days at UC Irvine to witness the hate speech and gross misrepresentations of Jews, Israeli's Americans and Zionists at the "Holocaust in the Holyland week. I listened to the horrific lies of Norman Finkelstein under the guise of him being historian. I heard Malik Ali talk about extermination of Jews in Israel, short of saying kill, he used terms like "eliminate" when discussing Israel. I was followed by the campus police, and watched by the administration, so that I could not openly talk out, or disagree with a blatant lies made about history, or Jews. At the end of Malik Ali's hate speech, I finally had enough, and trying to get him to publicly say it was about "the Jews" and not "those people" I was shouted down by repeated "Allah Akbars" and laughter.
I understood that day, standing alone what it felt like to be a Jew in pre-war Germany. I understood how fearful the hostages in Iran must have felt when the US Embassy was taken over. I felt the pain of the Jews, who were expelled from their homes in the Middle East, and the suffering they must have felt under Sharia laws which eventually drove them from their lives and their history. And I understand the double standards that occur when it comes to the UCI administration in taking a position to facilitate peaceful dialogue. I witnessed the suppression of my freedom of speech for three days, until the very end when I could no longer stay silent. I listened to three long tedious hours of Norman Finkelstein, who mocks the Holocaust Business, however has made a living on …guess what, The Holocaust business! His denial of the true implications of mass murder committed by the Nazi's is overshadowed by his hatred of being a Jew himself.
I heard about "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide" however, no one could answer why the Palestinian population has quadrupled since 1948. I heard statements like "Zionism is not Judaism" by "Rabbi's" from Nutrei Karta who get paid to say what they do by the Saudi government after the death of their buddy Yassar Arafat. They recently met with Iran's leader (go to http://www.memri.org/ to see the clip) and called for the end to the Jewish State and Zionism. Just think, the MSU found a "sect" of Jews who number about 2000 more or less, to speak the "truth" for over 15,000,000 people. There will always be useful idiots to speak for the enemy, and the MSU has found a coterie that they parade around from campus to campus, with the same tired speeches from last year. In fact, I can even quote Finkelstein's speech verbatum. You would think that for the $5,000.00 fee, hotel, food and airfare, that Norman could at least come up with another speech, leaving out the "Ma, I found it I found it" lines in reference to his finding flaws with Joan Peters book "In Time Immemorial". This speech is neither cute or funny. It is just feeding fuel to a crowd thirsty to hear a Jew talking about Jews in ways which they cannot.
As for Malik Ali, I just wonder what the University would do, if I substituted the words "Jew" and "Zionist" for "black" and "colored". I would be attacked, called a racist, and the NAACP and ACLU would be all over me. However, it is "de riguer" to say outwardly things about Jews that were once said in private. I find the use of the freedoms of a democracy based on Judeo Christian values to perpetrate hatred under the guise of freedom… absurd.
I was with an associate and after I was escorted from the area behind the "apartheid wall" to sing with the supporters of Israel, we chatted with one of the campus police. My friend asked if this was a rough event to cover, as it was contentious and very hostile. The campus officer said, "Protecting the MSU is easier than the Campus Republicans". How very sad. Conservatives on this campus are treated with more hatred than students who wear Kyffia's and support Iran and it's daily calls to eliminate not only Israel, but the United States of America. I wonder who these student's loyalty belongs to. Iran? Syria? North Korea? Is this the new radical chic?
I am saddened not only by the lack of historical context, education and truth that these students have especially in light of their being students at a very prestigious university. I am saddened by the loss of innocence, the lack of respect, and the fall, as they say, of western civilization.
I hold the administration of this University responsible, especially Manuel Gomez, Sally Peterson and the new Chancellor. After repeated attempts to make our position heard, clearly it was just a token to listen to us, appeasement, and a lack of respect for Jews and Israeli's worldwide. Their lack of actions spoke louder than the amplified "Allah Akbars" and their support of hate is something I never learned in History 101. Shame on the University, and shame on the parents and religious centers that preach hate and death. And to top this off, we get to see the Green HAMAS shehada scarfs all over again at graduation. I guess after all these years, we have truly neither made any movement towards peace, reconciliation, and respect for others who may not share the same values. This is truly very very sad.
Allyson Rowen Taylor, Associate Director, American Jewish Congress, Western Region
Here is my response to his "blog," posted 6/1/06 (it's purposefully tongue-in-cheek):
Last week, I wrote an article about Professor Norman Finkestein regarding the events that he participated in regarding "Holocaust in the Holyland" at U C Irvine, and "Israel, obstacles to Peace" at UCLA. I wrote up a report on the abuses of the first amendment, and the use of Nazi imagery to reflect upon Israel, and Jews of today. I talked about the hate speech, taken to the very limits of the first amendment, and how it felt, as an American, a Jew, and a supporter of Israel to stand among students at a very prestigious University supported by tax payer funds, calling for the elimination of the Jewish state, and as Malik Ali proposes, tell the "Jews" to learn to swim, because a one state solution is the only issue on the table and "majority rules". I endured my trying to educate a group of students who adoringly looked on Malik, while he made statements about "those people" I endured the Nutrei Karta wearing their name tags written in Arabic on Palestinian flags, and the lies and abuses of the Torah in stating their claims that they support Iran in the elimination of the Jewish state and endangering the lives of Jews, which clearly is against Jewish law, in order to comply with the coming of the Messiah. And I endured another tedious, tired, speech written by the darling of the useful idiots roster, Norman Finkelstein.
My report was picked up by several blogs, including Israpundit and Littlegreenfootballs. Mr. Finkelstein received my report and was very upset with my stating that he made $5000.00 for his tired speeches. He accused me of being a spy, as why would anyone want to listen to his same speech anyway. He was very upset that I made it appear that he was making money from the Holocaust Industry, as this figure which I got from a student, after repeated attempts to get his fee from the MSU. I was wrong, clearly, the same old tired speech's that Mr. Finkelstein gives do not warrant a $5000.00 fee, and he called me yesterday to clarify this. After he threatened to sue me for libel (though no malicious intent was meant, I actually thought he could command such a sum! Silly me), as he has a very busy schedule see it at,www.normanfinkelstein.com . I was told that unless I gave him the name of the student who misquoted his fee, or made an apology, I would get sued. He asked for an apology by midnight Pacific Time, or else. I told him that in actuality, I should sue him for his libel against the Jewish State, and that every time he speaks on a college campus, he not only poisons the minds of our young people, he endangers the lives of Jews in Israel and worldwide. He asked me what was it about his speech that I found so infuriating. I have too many to list, but I told him his picking apart of Joan Peter's "In Time Immemorial" not only gave the book more publicity, but that his phone call to his mother "I found it, I found it" were tired, as this book was so 1990's. Not to disparage the book, which I recommend, it is just that since this book was written, so many more issues regarding the Israel Palestine conflict are discussed, that many students do not have the time, nor do the necessary research to read this book. Mr. Finkelstein then told me he googled me, and read my Amazon reviews, and on one review, where I gave him one star (I hate it, is what that means on Amazon) I recommended Ms. Peters book instead. He thought that was odd, since I told him that that book is no longer the issue, but I told him that after reading his book, this is a "must read" and that is why I referred to it. Specifically to counter the lies and revisionist history he states about Israel.
I then told Mr. Finkelstein he was speaking to a mother of a son in the IDF in Israel. He then said to me "How many Palestinian children did your son kill today?". I told him that not only did my son's Nachal Charedi Unit stop over 15 suicide bombers in the last month from entering Israel to kill Jews, and Arabs. They also saved the lives of the bombers, who were children themselves. After this statement, I told him that we could never agree, and I considered the call over.
I did not write the apology last night, as I was told to wait for my attorney to tell me how to proceed. Today, I sent out an apology for misquoting the amount Mr. Finkelstein receives for his tired speeches. Though doing some research last night, I did find that he gets anywhere from $250.00, to $500.00 to $1000.00 plus hotel and airfare. Noting his busy travel schedule, and the amount of books he sells, in many languages, I am sure that he makes a fair amount teaching his version of history, to make up for his lack of a tenured professors salary. This tenure seems to elude him, hmmmmmmmmmmmm wonder why.
Today I received a message on my cell phone from Norman. These are his words...
"Hi, this is Norman Finkelstein, I did not see an apology from you so I assume you are not sending it. So, I will put all your contact information, phone number, email, address for viewers to my website to contact you on why you "slandered" me.
Goodbye.
So, according to my attorney, I had to write a note that stated I was sorry for misquoting how much (rather than how little) Mr. Finkelstein actually receives. We would not want the world to think that this man in any way, could possibly profit from the Holocaust Business himself would we? I did ask him why he did not give his books away for free, as he makes money on them, he said, that I would have to take that up with his publisher. I will. I will ask if Mr. Finkelstein could donate any proceeds he makes as profit to victims of terrorism. I think that would show him to be a man of his word.
On Norman's website, he makes claims that I am a "SPY". Do you think that I can sue him for exposing me, or should I just enjoy the special cache it gives to me? I will have to think about that. Allyson Rowen Taylor, Spy! This has a good ring to it. Thanks Norman, I always wanted to be Emma Peele!
So, if you want to show Norman how much you feel my article did to hurt his reputation, please email him, and tell him how you really feel.
Allyson Rowen Taylor
"SPY"
You may be aware that the Muslim Student Association at UC Irvine and UCLA brought in anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian speakers to their campuses in the last few weeks. I attended these speeches and wrote my observations which were picked up by Israpundit.com.
One speaker, DePaul University adjunct professor Norman Finklestein has given the same speech for many years claiming that Jews profit from the Holocaust and use it to excuse egregious behavior towards the Palestinians. He is a son of Holocaust survivors. Finklestein posted this on his website yesterday and issued me two threatening phone calls.
http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/ My response to him is printed at the very end of this e-mail.
Thanks for your interest - please feel free to call me anytime to discuss.
Regards,
Allyson Rowen Taylor
Associate Director, American Jewish Congress, Western Division
310/309-5147 (office) or 818/383-3122 (cell)
Regarding Allyson Rowen Taylor's article:
She refers to my "horrific lies" but doesn't name any;
Having heard it so many times, she claims to to be able to quote my speech "verbatum" (sic). But most normal people don't keep coming to hear the same speech - unless they're spies;
Speaking of "horrific lies," she claims that I received a $5,000 speaker's fee. My understanding is that I received $200, so I rang up Taylor wondering what her source was: "Someone told me." She promised to email me tonite an acknowledgment that she had no basis for the cited figure. On the other hand it would be of interest to know how much she gets paid for spying.
A Report on "Holocaust in the Holyland" at UC Irvine
israpundit.com
by Allyson Rowen Taylor
I am the Associate Director of the American Jewish Congress in Los Angeles. I spent three days at UC Irvine to witness the hate speech and gross misrepresentations of Jews, Israeli's Americans and Zionists at the "Holocaust in the Holyland week. I listened to the horrific lies of Norman Finkelstein under the guise of him being historian. I heard Malik Ali talk about extermination of Jews in Israel, short of saying kill, he used terms like "eliminate" when discussing Israel. I was followed by the campus police, and watched by the administration, so that I could not openly talk out, or disagree with a blatant lies made about history, or Jews. At the end of Malik Ali's hate speech, I finally had enough, and trying to get him to publicly say it was about "the Jews" and not "those people" I was shouted down by repeated "Allah Akbars" and laughter.
I understood that day, standing alone what it felt like to be a Jew in pre-war Germany. I understood how fearful the hostages in Iran must have felt when the US Embassy was taken over. I felt the pain of the Jews, who were expelled from their homes in the Middle East, and the suffering they must have felt under Sharia laws which eventually drove them from their lives and their history. And I understand the double standards that occur when it comes to the UCI administration in taking a position to facilitate peaceful dialogue. I witnessed the suppression of my freedom of speech for three days, until the very end when I could no longer stay silent. I listened to three long tedious hours of Norman Finkelstein, who mocks the Holocaust Business, however has made a living on …guess what, The Holocaust business! His denial of the true implications of mass murder committed by the Nazi's is overshadowed by his hatred of being a Jew himself.
I heard about "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide" however, no one could answer why the Palestinian population has quadrupled since 1948. I heard statements like "Zionism is not Judaism" by "Rabbi's" from Nutrei Karta who get paid to say what they do by the Saudi government after the death of their buddy Yassar Arafat. They recently met with Iran's leader (go to
http://www.memri.org/ to see the clip) and called for the end to the Jewish State and Zionism. Just think, the MSU found a "sect" of Jews who number about 2000 more or less, to speak the "truth" for over 15,000,000 people. There will always be useful idiots to speak for the enemy, and the MSU has found a coterie that they parade around from campus to campus, with the same tired speeches from last year. In fact, I can even quote Finkelstein's speech verbatum. You would think that for the $5,000.00 fee, hotel, food and airfare, that Norman could at least come up with another speech, leaving out the "Ma, I found it I found it" lines in reference to his finding flaws with Joan Peters book "In Time Immemorial". This speech is neither cute or funny. It is just feeding fuel to a crowd thirsty to hear a Jew talking about Jews in ways which they cannot. As for Malik Ali, I just wonder what the University would do, if I substituted the words "Jew" and "Zionist" for "black" and "colored". I would be attacked, called a racist, and the NAACP and ACLU would be all over me. However, it is "de riguer" to say outwardly things about Jews that were once said in private. I find the use of the freedoms of a democracy based on Judeo Christian values to perpetrate hatred under the guise of freedom… absurd.
I was with an associate and after I was escorted from the area behind the "apartheid wall" to sing with the supporters of Israel, we chatted with one of the campus police. My friend asked if this was a rough event to cover, as it was contentious and very hostile. The campus officer said, "Protecting the MSU is easier than the Campus Republicans". How very sad. Conservatives on this campus are treated with more hatred than students who wear Kyffia's and support Iran and it's daily calls to eliminate not only Israel, but the United States of America. I wonder who these student's loyalty belongs to. Iran? Syria? North Korea? Is this the new radical chic?
I am saddened not only by the lack of historical context, education and truth that these students have especially in light of their being students at a very prestigious university. I am saddened by the loss of innocence, the lack of respect, and the fall, as they say, of western civilization.
I hold the administration of this University responsible, especially Manuel Gomez, Sally Peterson and the new Chancellor. After repeated attempts to make our position heard, clearly it was just a token to listen to us, appeasement, and a lack of respect for Jews and Israeli's worldwide. Their lack of actions spoke louder than the amplified "Allah Akbars" and their support of hate is something I never learned in History 101. Shame on the University, and shame on the parents and religious centers that preach hate and death. And to top this off, we get to see the Green HAMAS shehada scarfs all over again at graduation. I guess after all these years, we have truly neither made any movement towards peace, reconciliation, and respect for others who may not share the same values. This is truly very very sad.
Allyson Rowen Taylor, Associate Director, American Jewish Congress, Western Region
Here is my response to his "blog," posted 6/1/06 (it's purposefully tongue-in-cheek):
Last week, I wrote an article about Professor Norman Finkestein regarding the events that he participated in regarding "Holocaust in the Holyland" at U C Irvine, and "Israel, obstacles to Peace" at UCLA. I wrote up a report on the abuses of the first amendment, and the use of Nazi imagery to reflect upon Israel, and Jews of today. I talked about the hate speech, taken to the very limits of the first amendment, and how it felt, as an American, a Jew, and a supporter of Israel to stand among students at a very prestigious University supported by tax payer funds, calling for the elimination of the Jewish state, and as Malik Ali proposes, tell the "Jews" to learn to swim, because a one state solution is the only issue on the table and "majority rules". I endured my trying to educate a group of students who adoringly looked on Malik, while he made statements about "those people" I endured the Nutrei Karta wearing their name tags written in Arabic on Palestinian flags, and the lies and abuses of the Torah in stating their claims that they support Iran in the elimination of the Jewish state and endangering the lives of Jews, which clearly is against Jewish law, in order to comply with the coming of the Messiah. And I endured another tedious, tired, speech written by the darling of the useful idiots roster, Norman Finkelstein.
My report was picked up by several blogs, including Israpundit and Littlegreenfootballs. Mr. Finkelstein received my report and was very upset with my stating that he made $5000.00 for his tired speeches. He accused me of being a spy, as why would anyone want to listen to his same speech anyway. He was very upset that I made it appear that he was making money from the Holocaust Industry, as this figure which I got from a student, after repeated attempts to get his fee from the MSU. I was wrong, clearly, the same old tired speech's that Mr. Finkelstein gives do not warrant a $5000.00 fee, and he called me yesterday to clarify this. After he threatened to sue me for libel (though no malicious intent was meant, I actually thought he could command such a sum! Silly me), as he has a very busy schedule see it at,www.normanfinkelstein.com . I was told that unless I gave him the name of the student who misquoted his fee, or made an apology, I would get sued. He asked for an apology by midnight Pacific Time, or else. I told him that in actuality, I should sue him for his libel against the Jewish State, and that every time he speaks on a college campus, he not only poisons the minds of our young people, he endangers the lives of Jews in Israel and worldwide. He asked me what was it about his speech that I found so infuriating. I have too many to list, but I told him his picking apart of Joan Peter's "In Time Immemorial" not only gave the book more publicity, but that his phone call to his mother "I found it, I found it" were tired, as this book was so 1990's. Not to disparage the book, which I recommend, it is just that since this book was written, so many more issues regarding the Israel Palestine conflict are discussed, that many students do not have the time, nor do the necessary research to read this book. Mr. Finkelstein then told me he googled me, and read my Amazon reviews, and on one review, where I gave him one star (I hate it, is what that means on Amazon) I recommended Ms. Peters book instead. He thought that was odd, since I told him that that book is no longer the issue, but I told him that after reading his book, this is a "must read" and that is why I referred to it. Specifically to counter the lies and revisionist history he states about Israel.
I then told Mr. Finkelstein he was speaking to a mother of a son in the IDF in Israel. He then said to me "How many Palestinian children did your son kill today?". I told him that not only did my son's Nachal Charedi Unit stop over 15 suicide bombers in the last month from entering Israel to kill Jews, and Arabs. They also saved the lives of the bombers, who were children themselves. After this statement, I told him that we could never agree, and I considered the call over.
I did not write the apology last night, as I was told to wait for my attorney to tell me how to proceed. Today, I sent out an apology for misquoting the amount Mr. Finkelstein receives for his tired speeches. Though doing some research last night, I did find that he gets anywhere from $250.00, to $500.00 to $1000.00 plus hotel and airfare. Noting his busy travel schedule, and the amount of books he sells, in many languages, I am sure that he makes a fair amount teaching his version of history, to make up for his lack of a tenured professors salary. This tenure seems to elude him, hmmmmmmmmmmmm wonder why.
Today I received a message on my cell phone from Norman. These are his words...
"Hi, this is Norman Finkelstein, I did not see an apology from you so I assume you are not sending it. So, I will put all your contact information, phone number, email, address for viewers to my website to contact you on why you "slandered" me.
Goodbye.
So, according to my attorney, I had to write a note that stated I was sorry for misquoting how much (rather than how little) Mr. Finkelstein actually receives. We would not want the world to think that this man in any way, could possibly profit from the Holocaust Business himself would we? I did ask him why he did not give his books away for free, as he makes money on them, he said, that I would have to take that up with his publisher. I will. I will ask if Mr. Finkelstein could donate any proceeds he makes as profit to victims of terrorism. I think that would show him to be a man of his word.
On Norman's website, he makes claims that I am a "SPY". Do you think that I can sue him for exposing me, or should I just enjoy the special cache it gives to me? I will have to think about that. Allyson Rowen Taylor, Spy! This has a good ring to it. Thanks Norman, I always wanted to be Emma Peele!
So, if you want to show Norman how much you feel my article did to hurt his reputation, please email him, and tell him how you really feel.
Allyson Rowen Taylor
"SPY"
