THE WALL MIGHT BE GONE IN GERMANY ….. BUT SO IS FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Left-wing groups enraged by Germany municipality’s decision not to allow anti-Zionist Israeli historian to speak at governmental institution. Pappe writes to Munich mayor his policy reminiscent of Nazi Germany

Sarah Stricker
Anti-Zionist historian Prof. Ilan Pappe, one of the most important “New Historians”, was scheduled to speak last weekend at the Pedagogical Institute of Munich. But a letter received from the “Israeli-German association of Munich”, claiming that Pappe’s lecture would turn into “an anti-Israeli propaganda show,” led the Munich Municipality to reconsider the event.

The municipality eventually did not let Pappe use the room, claiming its decision was prompted by fears of violent clashes breaking out in the area. The Munich police insisted that there was no danger of fear for the security of those attending the lecture.

The Munich mayor refused to comment on the issue despite appeals from German media outlets. Pappe’s associates eventually organized a room not owned by the authorities and the lecture took place as planned.

“We are not seeking to criticize Israel, only to hold an informative-scientists discussion,” one of the associates said.

Prof. Pappe wrote an open letter to the mayor, stating that “in the 1930s my father, a German Jew, was silenced in a similar manner, and I am saddened to discover the same censorship in 2009.”
Pappe noted in his letter that he had not experienced oppression or such a strong desire to silence his opinion in any other European country. He said that “a handful of people” attempted to frighten the mayor, “people who view themselves as representatives of the Jewish people and the disaster they went through in Europe.”
‘Words don’t kill’ More

ADL slams two U.S. Republicans for calling Jews penny-pinchers

The Anti-Defamation League on Wednesday said that despite the apology of two South Carolina Republican Party chairmen for characterizing Jews as penny-pinchers, "they need to do more to publicly disavow their words and to understand why their remarks were so insensitive."

In an opinion piece published Oct. 18 in The Times and Democrat newspaper, Bamberg County GOP Chairman Edwin Merwin and Orangeburg County Chairman James Ulmer defended the fiscal policies of U.S. Senator Jim DeMint, by saying he was "like Jews who are wealthy got that way not by watching dollars, but instead by taking care of the pennies and the dollars taking care of themselves."

The two Republican county officials have since apologized for making the comments disparaging Jews.

DeMint called the comment thoughtless and hurtful. One of South Carolina's two Jewish legislators, Democratic Sen. Joel Lourie, said he was outraged by the remark. He called on the chairmen to be removed.

State GOP Chairwoman Karen Floyd also called the statement absolutely unacceptable.

"Their apology is a first step, but it doesn't go far enough," said Bill Nigut, ADL Southeast Regional Director.

"Stereotypes about Jews' facility with money have survived through generations and have been inculcated into our culture," he continued.
"Mr. Merwin and Mr. Ulmer need to better understand the impact of their words, and how those words will resonate and reinforce anti-Semitism."

The ADL said it would gladly facilitate a dialogue between the two county chairmen and members of the South Carolina Jewish community.

"The best outcome of this sad episode would be for Mr. Merwin and Mr. Ulmer to learn more about the root causes of anti-Semitism," said the ADL statement. "They need to do more to publicly disavow their words and to understand why their remarks were so insensitive."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1122621.html