The Pacifica Forum has shown its dedication to free speech in several ways, and in the face of considerable opposition. Whereas we are not allowed to post on the Facebook page you link to, nor on Indymedia, we have allowed Zionists, sorry, anti-fascists, to post on our site.

http://pacificaforum.org/posts/57   http://pacificaforum.org/posts/58

The most misleading aspect of the Anti-Hate Task Force's presentation of its own history of undermining the First Amendment and academic freedom in Eugene is the order in which it happened. Briefly, the Force started dissing the Forum BEFORE any right-wing speakers had been invited. It started being 'concerned' about 'anti-semitism' - it showed part of the left being easy tools of Zionism, defending Jewish racism by falsely alleging white European racism. At this point, most US liberal anti-war groups would have apologized, had a speaker from the $PLC, wrung their hands, worn sackcloth and ashes, and promised not to do it again. Not the Forum.

The Forum responded to the Zio/lefty attack by inviting right-wing (but not Nazi) speakers to talk about the Israel Lobby. When speakers didn't conform to the AHTF's description, it either

a. ignored them

b. lied about them

c. used weasel words to give a misleading impression - my favorite was 'diminishes our sense of safety and diversity' in an AHTF leaflet handed out outside the David Irving meeting in 2008

To summarize:

Q. Does freedom of speech mean allowing a speaker to defend Nazism?

A. Yes

Q. Have any speakers at the Pacifica Forum been Nazis?

A. No

If you think you are an opponent of Israeli Apartheid, and have not been called 'anti-semitic', you probably aren't.

May the Force be against you.

JK