If the Ku Klux Klan properly booked and hosted an open meeting at Bemis, would we encourage people to attend and come to their own conclusions about the speakers? I suppose it's fair to say that we don't know about their lived experiences. We also don't *know* exactly what they'll say, we can only guess. The only way to know what the KKK say would be to attend. So I assume your logic carries that we should all go to the KKK meeting, listen to their presentation, and hear what they have to say. Right?
More broadly: Are there any hate groups you *wouldn't* encourage the people of Lincoln to listen to? On Thu, Dec 5, 2024 at 10:49 AM Sara Mattes <samat...@gmail.com> wrote: > 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 : > Bemis Hall > <https://5a55e4ca.streaklinks.com/COUnUfzAQGcEGusJVQjwqtZY/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lincolntown.org%2Ffacilities%2Ffacility%2Fdetails%2FBemis-Hall-3> > lincolntown.org > <https://5a55e4ca.streaklinks.com/COUnUfzQ0DQY3IPPlQWAJ4dt/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lincolntown.org%2Ffacilities%2Ffacility%2Fdetails%2FBemis-Hall-3> > <favicon.ico> > <https://www.lincolntown.org/facilities/facility/details/Bemis-Hall-3> > <https://5a55e4ca.streaklinks.com/COUnUfzJyYitNrqm5AA-G8uh/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lincolntown.org%2Ffacilities%2Ffacility%2Fdetails%2FBemis-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 > > > > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > ᐧ
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