Sigh

[pecunium]

A different sort of idiocy

CUPE (a canadian union) is trying to ban Israeli academics from the univerities in Ontario.

At it's best it does nothing to make things any better. At it's worst, it makes things worse.

Comments

[shunra.livejournal.com]

I think it's an attempt to exert external pressure on Israel, a la South Africa in the '80s.

I don't have any better ideas; do you?

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

The problem isn't external pressure; it's the nature of the pressure. This isn't designed to make anyone in Israel, "feel the pinch". As a political statement it plays into the idea of Israel as martyr.

As a statement of understanding the arguments (to keep the biases of Israeli professors from being spread in Canada) are offensive, and are likely to harden the opinions to the opposite end (even among those, in Israel, who don't support the present ways of addressing the problems).

Then there's the political downside for the Union; geting painted as all sorts of nut-job, in what is, at present, a Bush-style anti-union Gov't.

It's not that I think pressures shouldn't be used, it's that I think this is bad pressure.

[shunra.livejournal.com]

Hmm.

What would be good pressure? More to the point, what would be EFFECTIVE pressure?

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

As with S. Africa, economic pressures.

The real pressure, if it were me; would be to refuse to replace munitions used outside of Israeli territory, unless in response to actual presence.

If they want to bomb rocket launching sites, they can do it with things they make. If they want to make a case for it being a reasonable response, they can appeal to an outiside agency. But the US is paying (in the form of supplies and military assistance; though in smaller figures than are usually reported) for the bombs.

We don't have to do that. At that point the ability to use the force drops, a lot. Which changes the incentives. If overreacting to provocation actually made Israel, obviously, less secure, the domestic upside would be reduced.

[shunra.livejournal.com]

I wish that were viable. I very much wish that were viable.

At the moment, Israel's military aid from the U.S. is spent on munitions that are manufactured in the U.S.; with job loss in all sectors (700,000 last month!) it would be a brave congressperson indeed who would stop that subsidy for local manufacturing!

How many brave congresspeople do we have?

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Want brave? No need for that level of brave (the piss off Dobson and AIPAC level of brave, yes, but not the lose jobs brave). We need to replace a lot of munitions. The line doesn't have to stop; all that has to change is who is spends that money.

[shunra.livejournal.com]

That sounds like something worth campaigning for!

[mihb.livejournal.com]

I hate this. Sadly bans and boycotts are nothing new. It's all part of a crisis in academia.

But the best response (to an earlier boycott) is here:

http://danceswithcamels.wordpress.com/2008/03/16/fry-some-other-fish-ya-dirty-wanks/

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

How about cutting all US military aid? Not that that will ever happen, or even be on the table.

[commodorified.livejournal.com]

Actually, Sid Ryan, president of CUPE Ontario, is calling for this.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the forest union, heads are thudding onto desks and Communications Staff are thanking God fasting that they do not work for Sid.

Comme toujours.