The Observer, September 28, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 5
Anti-Israel guest speakers display cowardice
To the Editor:
On Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m., John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, authors of The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, spoke in Ford Auditorium regarding their anti-Israel viewpoints to an audience of minimal opposition. Why weren't massive amounts of people rallying against Mearsheimer and Walt given such a context? It turns out that at precisely 6:59 p.m., a Jewish holiday called Sukkot began, disabling Jews observant of the holiday from coming to any event from that time on Wednesday through Saturday at sunset. It is precisely those Jews who couldn't come to the lecture who would have been the most likely to actually care enough about the lecture to voice strong opposition. Is it a coincidence that whoever planned this lecture chose the date and precise time that he/she did? Seriously doubtful. After all, minimizing opposition certainly won't hurt Mearsheimer and Walt's cause. However, I must say that unwillingness to combat one's opponents is childish and downright wrong. All voices must be heard.
Anonymous
