The point was hardly missed. You have had the opportunity to attend and assess a previous GRALTA event and coming to your conclusions about the speakers. Others have not. I trust others will attend and reach their own conclusions-they may align with yours.
You and others are making statement that presume all believe Zionism, in its current form, is a plus for all. That is an interesting point, but probably not for this forum. Perhaps that would be a great topic for another event-the history if Zionism and the pros and cons of how modern Zionism advances the interests of Isreal and Jews. I encourage others to bring such a program to Bemis Hall. The original post that triggered all the subsequent posts was a question about the use of Bemis Hall for the upcoming program, and the misunderstanding that Bemis/Bemis Free Lecture Series was sponsoring this event. Bemis Hall is available to all. Bemis Free Lecture Series is NOT sponsoring this event. A private non-profit, having duly followed all the town regulations, has booked Bemis for this event. > On Dec 5, 2024, at 10:12 AM, Jonathan Rapaport <mistasna...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Wow, talk about spectacularly missing the point. Having attended a previous > GRALTA event with an open mind and hearing the speaker trivialize the > Holocaust — am I now being told to go back for a second helping? No thank you. > > If anyone wants to host a constructive lecture about any contentious topic, > I’ll bring the popcorn. But I don’t see how an avowedly anti-Zionist event > contributes to the “edification and education” of Lincolnites. Who is booked > at Bemis for the following week?… Nick Fuentes? > > When women protest society’s indifference to assault, we support them. No one > doubts why Black Americans tense up around the police, and agonize over when > to give their kids “the talk.” We proudly march for the rights of our LGBTQ+ > loved ones. When Asians are being randomly attacked after our idiot president > refers to covid as the “kung flu," we lock arms and stand vigilant. And when > Muslims get unfairly profiled after 9/11, we loudly demand change. > > So when Jews in your community tell you that the > neocolonialist-fascist-genocidal rhetoric sounds uncomfortably close to > incitement? Pay attention. We’re not being sensitive. We’re not being > alarmist. And we’re not hypochondriacs. (Okay we might be hypochondriacs but > that’s not the point.) > > No one is trying to silence criticism of Israeli actions and policies. But > there is a clear difference between addressing vital political issues, and > engaging in inflammatory rhetoric. Railing against Zionism falls into the > latter category. Instead of recommending I bring an open mind to yet another > Low Production, join me in urging others to skip it. > > Jonathan > >> On Dec 4, 2024, at 7:37 PM, Sara Mattes <samat...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> All, >> As I have said in the past, Bemis Hall is available to ALL. >> It was built to provide a venue to host lectures for the education and >> edification of the citizens of Lincoln, in addition to offer a venue for >> entertainment and dance. >> >> The scheduler is not a gatekeeper, only a scheduler. >> Any applicant who meets the conditions of the Hall for its rental are able >> to use it. >> I have posted the town website multiple times to make clear who, how and >> when it can be used/rented. >> Town/municipal organizations (official town bodies) have free use. >> Others play a deposit and a fee. >> >> Please educate yourselves, regarding Bemis Hall : >> https://www.lincolntown.org/facilities/facility/details/Bemis-Hall-3 >> >> Again, I am confident that Lincoln can parse out what is being presented, >> as you have done regarding a presentation you attended. >> Perhaps others would have interpreted the presentation in another way. >> >> I do have some special sensitivity to many of these issues. >> >> I am in a family of Holocaust survivors. >> >> I find it offensive to anyone suggest that anyone holds anger at the current >> Jewish state, accountable for horrific acts against innocent Palestinians, >> is antisemitic. >> >> As to divisiveness-we are often divided over politics-witness our last Town >> Meeting. >> >> We can rise to the challenge-listen to speakers and (attempt to) have civil >> discussion. >> >> . >> >> >> >> >> >>> On Dec 4, 2024, at 5:29 PM, Jonathan Rapaport <mistasna...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> Sara, it was with an open mind that I attended one of Stephen and Barbara >>> Low’s GRALTA events at the library some years ago. The speaker was a >>> college professor and member of Jewish Voice for Peace, which is a big >>> player in the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanction movement (BDS). >>> (It’s hard to understand how peace will be achieved through an >>> international ban on Israeli academics, artists, athletes, and hummus. But >>> that’s a separate topic.) >>> >>> The speaker gave a grossly misleading account of Israel’s modern history, >>> as is consistent with someone wanting to delegitimize the Jewish state. >>> Then she made a joke about the Holocaust. It is to my everlasting shame >>> that I didn’t speak up in the moment. >>> >>> Discussions around difficult issues require nuance, balance, knowledge, and >>> empathy. There are important discussions to be had about the war and >>> suffering in Gaza, and conflict in the Middle East. But as Rosa Elena >>> eloquently inferred from the flyer, the upcoming event will serve as a >>> platform for propaganda and bias. Accusing Israel of neocolonialism, >>> fascism, and genocide are examples of Holocaust inversion. >>> >>> It saddens me to see our town’s public spaces used to perpetuate >>> divisiveness. Perhaps things would be different if someone other than >>> Barbara Low were in charge of booking Bemis Hall. Lincoln deserves better. >>> >>> Jonathan Rapaport >> >
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