<p>This issues may boil down to the oppressor versus oppressed. Many in society unfairly views Jews as oppressors, rather the oppressed. For some reason, it more excusable when the oppressors are attacked than when the oppressed are attacked. </p>
<p>Clearly, neither group should experience attacks motivated by racism.</p>
<p>It still begs the fact that Hitler killed:</p>
<p>Americans
Britons
Catholics
Dutch
Gays
Italians
Jews
Mentally ■■■■■■■■
Physically Developmetally Challenged
Russians</p>
<p>and whatever other nationals dared to speak out against him.</p>
<p>I am sure that I forgot some groups, but this is a patriot thing, not just a Jewish issue. I understand that these posters were placed as a reaction to Holocaust Remembrance Day (which event in itself seems praiseworthy),
but the Neo-Hitler fanatics want the protection of this country without remembering any of the sacrifices that were made for it.</p>
<p>They certainly would not have had first amendment rights under Hitler.</p>
<p>I think he had Gypsys killed too.</p>
<p>I believe that anti-semitism is on the rise worldwide and is being fueled by hostility towards Israel. I beleve that anti-semitism is becomming socially acceptable again particularly among Leftist intellectuals fueld by their hostility towards the United States and its close ally Israel. The Left has long felt that what is bad for the US is good for the revolution or at least the transformation to a socialist future hence the willingness to embrace a broad array of foreign leaders who represent nearly everything the Left dispises because they embrace anti-americanism. Then of course on the far right you have those traditional anti-semites like our little Hitler poster poster.</p>
<p>So what to do about this rising threat? Well I would say about the last thing you would want to do is have the overwhelmingly Jewish leadership of Williams College turn the full weight and majesty of the college on this little dipstick and make a martyr (at least in her own eyes) out of her. Why? Because it will be picked up by people far more dangerous than her in places like Teheran and Pakistan and Lebanon and Afghanistan and used against Jews everywhere.</p>
<p>Allowing free speech, even the most obnoxious free speech is one of those things we do not because we want to listen to the blathering of idiots but because it is the best way to confound them. You want to destroy a bad idea then shine the bright light of day on it. if you want it to fester and metastasize then force it into unlighted corners.</p>
<p>Jehova’s Witnesses were also very high on Hitler’s hit list. Adolph wasn’t a big fan of pacifism. The only religious sect he really embraced was Islam. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem raised Islamic SS units during the war.</p>
<p>“if you want it to fester and metastasize then force it into unlighted corners.”</p>
<p>I think that you need to show sensitivity to the targets.</p>
<p>By the way, the appeasers before WWII thought that Hitler would go away if either ignored or smiled upon.</p>
<p>Maybe so, higherlead, but I think mini is right that the admin could/should have seized the moment not to punish or forbid, but to talk about it.</p>
<p><a href=“WRAPS organizes campus-wide food drive, adapts to COVID restrictions – The Williams Record”>WRAPS organizes campus-wide food drive, adapts to COVID restrictions – The Williams Record;
This was the link to the student-written opinion piece about silence at Williams. It’s worth reading. It reminded me of one of the most powerful quotes I know about the Holocaust, having to do with silence and lack of empathy:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Perhaps it’s finals at Williams? Maybe the new year could still bring a campuswide townhall?</p>
<p>“Maybe the new year could still bring a campuswide townhall?”</p>
<p>I doubt it. As others here have suggested, perhaps because the Jewish students are Caucasian (or at least predominantly so), there is no sense of urgency or even need as there has been in the past when members of other identity groups have been mocked/shown intolerance/otherwise intentionally offended. In those cases, the administration’s response has been timely, decisive, and positive. In stark contrast, there has been no such response here. Perhaps the administration feels that since no disciplinary measures were warranted, neither is any further discussion. In my mind, that leaves an unresolved open sore, and no opportunity for closure. For me, the worst part of her new op-ed is that in it Cordray tells the Jewish students they are on their way to hell for causing division on campus with the Holocaust Remembrance posters, without realizing she in fact caused the uproar with hers that celebrated Hitler. She also took the opportunity to expand on her original rationalization (free speech – a total smoke screen) with new ideas provided by some of her recent critics.</p>
<p>Could you provide a link to her latest op-ed?</p>
<p>It may have been provided yesterday, but here it is, from Wednesday’s Record:</p>
<p><a href=“WRAPS organizes campus-wide food drive, adapts to COVID restrictions – The Williams Record”>WRAPS organizes campus-wide food drive, adapts to COVID restrictions – The Williams Record;
<p>Enter at your own risk (caution: heavy doses of gibberish from the queen of propaganda herself).</p>
<p>I’m sick of her hiding behind her op-ed manifestos and refusing to engage in face to face “discussion” with the targets of her anti-semitic and other attacks.</p>
<p>From an article about the situation from the Williams Record:</p>
<p>"Other colleges similar to Williams have stipulated more strict guidelines for what does and does not constitute student free speech. At Davidson College in North Carolina, there is a strict code of responsibility that covers actions outside of the classroom that could potentially deal with community standards of decency, integrity and honor. Under such guidelines, there would likely be grounds on which to punish Cordray. </p>
<p>“We have an Honor code that deals with integrity issues, [that says] I will not lie or cheat or steal,” said Ernest Jeffries, Dean of students at Davidson. “But as part of it we have a Code of Responsibility that covers everyday living. For us that particular act [referring to the Hitler posters at Williams] would come under the act of responsibility.” </p>
<p>"Social honor codes like the one at Davidson are well-integrated at schools like Haverford and the University of Virginia, but not at others like Middlebury. Middlebury, like Williams, has had issues with potentially offensive speech including displays of homophobic graffiti as well as an issue with the student newspaper, The Middlebury Campus. In light of these incidents Middlebury has begun to discuss the possibility of a social honor code for itself. </p>
<p>“This is not simply a matter of free speech,” said Tim Spears, dean of students at Middlebury. “People may be free to speak but they have to accept the consequences, and there has to be a discussion of what it means to use free speech in a responsible way.” </p>
<p>Ironically, Williams seems to have no intention to introduce a “social honor code.”</p>
<p>All I can say personally is that I am SO glad that my children don’t go to Williams (neither of them would apply there because of its reputation.) If either did, I would not pay to send them back next year after these shenanigans by the various students and administration. Oh, the William’s administration stated in the same artilce that Julia’s Neonazi boyfriend is still welcome to visit the campus. I say, the school should be judged by the company it keeps.</p>
<p><a href=“WRAPS organizes campus-wide food drive, adapts to COVID restrictions – The Williams Record”>WRAPS organizes campus-wide food drive, adapts to COVID restrictions – The Williams Record;
<p>“the school should be judged by the company it keeps.”</p>
<p>Keep in mind, though, that Cordray really doesn’t have many student supporters on campus. Most students, though personally unaffected by what she’s doing, have little to no respect for her.</p>
<p>Maybe she’ll do everyone a favor and take some (permanent) time off, but, with her in your face and devil may care attitude, the possibility is remote.</p>
<p>With Dean Roseman seemingly in her camp, I’m not sure that Ms. Cordray needs student supporters. Based on her quotes in The Record, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine the Dean inviting Cordray and her “friend” over to the house for dinner.</p>
<p>She appears in her recent article to be grateful to the Williams community for its tolerance of her actions.</p>
<p>Her op ed was such BS! </p>
<p>Maybe we should insist that anyone using a Hitler image to provoke thought actually have a cogent thought in mind first?</p>
<p>“it wouldn’t be hard to imagine the Dean inviting Cordray and her “friend” over to the house for dinner.”</p>
<p>Maybe the Dean has begun an early celebration of her return to teaching and research.</p>
<p>“grateful to the Williams community for its tolerance of her actions”</p>
<p>At the same time, her disdain for the Jewish students and religion is apparent.</p>
<p>I would note that, from my reading of the Record from previous years (which is all I have to go on, so please excuse if I don’t have this right), the current Administration did not do any better with the anti-Hispanic slurs thrown at students in the science quad, or the attacks on gay students at a gay social event. (I found them neither timely, nor decisive, nor positive, but, if pressed, I will cede the point to Onemoremom, who I believe has a son (?) there currently.)</p>
<p>What is different in this case is that 1) the affront doesn’t seem to have been fueled by alcohol; 2) it was couched as political speech; and 3) it clearly caused a great deal of moral confusion in the minds of Williams students.</p>
<p>That does not negate my question (not answer, but question) as to whether anti-Semitism has now simply become socially acceptable (and notice I raised the same question about anti-Asian sentiment). I did ask my d. about it this morning (she is currently in Italy), and she can’t imagine that at her school, there wouldn’t have been hundreds of students at a called townhall meeting if there had been a similar episode. (Admittedly, many folks consider them to be overly pc - I would LOVE to have seen more political correctedness in this instance!)</p>
<p>To my way of thinking, this “happening” is not about her at all. There are kooks to be found everywhere (note the pamphlet spreader(s) at Swarthmore), and, no I don’t think her action leads toward a new Holocaust, nor do I think Niemoller is particularly relevant (“they” in Niemoller’s quote meant a government, not a lone post-adolescent who hasn’t learned to write a readable English sentence). But it is about the failures (and, to my reading of things, perhaps repeated failures) of a college administration that failed to lead or to teach. As Interesteddad wrote, “where is their soul?”</p>
<p>And as alum, that deeply saddens me.</p>