Comments on: The Article Between the Two Other Articles

By: A

Sat, 15 May 2010 03:07:55 +0000

Sandeep has obviously never bothered to actually talk to a member of MSU or AFI (the latter of which is a political organization, not religious. Good research there, cowboy).

This is just one more student annoyed by the conflict on campus who made the mistake of opening his mouth without any knowledge of what he’s bitching over.

By: Sandeep Abraham

Sandeep Abraham — Sat, 15 May 2010 01:30:05 +0000

Mike, you’re right in pointing out that AFI never proclaims itself a religious club, though far too often they come to represent the resident Jews on campus while Hillel sinks into obscurity. I question your denial that the Palestine/Israel conflict is a religious one. It might not be on paper and in political speeches, but the motivations behind it are clearly religious (I’ve read all about Ottoman history and the Balfour Declaration). I’ve also lived in Kuwait and I remember the attitude both groups had toward one another – abject religious hatred among the more volatile groups even when Israel and Palestine were not mentioned.

Also, while Islam Awareness Week was frankly impressive and educational, you can’t tell me that message comes out louder than all the anti-Israel rhetoric. Look at all the opinion written by MSU reps against Israel and an apparent genocide miles away. Look at the demonstrations and faux tanks built on campus with bloody pictures comparable to the anti-abortion posters and demonstrations.

My ultimate point with this post was the fact that both of these groups, while their opinions on the conflict are valid and interesting, they’ve each become a really annoying about it. Their heads have grown big enough that they think they’re really making a difference in the Middle East with their hysterics and tantrums here.

To Salah Al-Din, I have stopped by and talked to you guys during Islam Awareness Week and other similar events. You are all very helpful and your food is absolutely delicious. I think, in the minds of most UCI students, you guys simply piss all over the positive and educational things on campus when you go on your anti-Israel binges and rants and start throwing up really unnecessary demonstrations and rallies. The MSU has so much potential as a truly positive force on campus if only you guys focused your efforts more on that than a conflict thousands of miles away from you…

By: O Ilias Espinosa R A K

O Ilias Espinosa R A K — Fri, 14 May 2010 09:01:37 +0000

The situation is about the same here at U.C. Berkeley. It is a shame that campus groups representing Jewish and Muslim students at Davis and other universities behave in a manner that inadvertently contributes to the negative images people have of two populations.

Instead of hearing the same old conflict reiterated in increasingly illogical and fantatic forms, I would as you say, “very much like to know what it really means to be a good Jew and a good Muslim. We want to know about your family histories and we want to see you two little boys… come together, hug it out and find the threads of common humanity between you.” That common humanity is rather obvious, not just in how both group have a common Abrahamic root and common values but, unfortunately, in how campus groups representing the faiths defeat themselves with their own bad behavior.

By: Salah al-Din

Salah al-Din — Thu, 13 May 2010 10:18:18 +0000

please feel free to stop by our MSU booth that has been setup 2-3 times a week on Ring Rd. for a few years now, where we talk about Islam and any questions you may have – everything from terrorism to Jesus, may peace be upon him, or even just come up to some of the guys or gals and just talk, we are always super excited and more than happy to talk, and you should never feel embarrassed or intimidated =) (by the way, we have over 300 events a year, and only about 10-15 of them are on the Israel/Palestine conflict, the rest are humanitarian and religious)

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 13 May 2010 09:16:51 +0000

seriously? do you even attend UCI? last time I checked, all of last quarter for the MSU was called “Islam Awareness Quarter” and had numerous weekly events for EACH week of the quarter (and they still are this quarter in specific regard to their faith)..and AFI (Anteaters for Israel) is not a “Jewish” club, it is an explicitly POLITICAL Zionist Israeli club on campus, therefore they’re not responsible for bringing to you faith based programs in regards to Judaism, the campus club Hillel is (this also shows you have fallen for the sad trap of confusion the Israeli/Palestinian conflict as a religious one). if you had any real bravery (which you might feel you have because you wrote this very pathetic attempt in trying to act like a revolutionary journalist), you would walk up to a MSU or Hillel member, and you would ask them about Islam and Judaism.

By: JS

JS — Wed, 12 May 2010 06:30:49 +0000

#1 Has missed the sarcasm, perhaps?

You get at the essential point here, these groups both shy away from rationality and sane discourse. Even the opinion pieces on this matter that appear in this paper from time to time are nothing more than libel most of the time — facts are apparently a precious commodity.

By: Sandeep Abraham

Sandeep Abraham — Wed, 12 May 2010 03:14:43 +0000

Hey, at least I discriminate equally.

Why not read the entire article and tell us exactly what’s “racist, clueless, ignorant,” or “offensive” about it, A? You’re in America now, remember? We’re civilized here. lol.

By: Let's Have a Beer, eh?

Let's Have a Beer, eh? — Wed, 12 May 2010 02:16:59 +0000

This is the most honest, accurate, and clearly-to-the-point article I have read concerning the tensions on campus. I suspect that both groups will soon take to flexing their internetz bravery below this reply, which will only further validate the author’s point (like the “A” thug above).

By: A

Tue, 11 May 2010 19:17:11 +0000

This is the most racist, clueless, ignorant, and offensive article I’ve ever read in the New U. To both the MSU and AFI.

Wtf is this ignorant bigot doing writing for our campus paper?