Civil society organisations and activists in the UK and overseas are threatening to organise a mass boycott of the University of Bristol unless it reverses its dismissal of Professor David Miller for his outspokenly critical stance on Israel and its supporters.In a letter sent to the university today, they accuse the university of caving in to the demands of the pro-Israel lobby and violating the freedom of speech that is necessary for intellectual enquiry.In doing so, they say, the university is no longer a safe space for students and staff.
Of course, David Miller attacked Jewish students in class, making it no longer a safe space for them. The academic freedom to attack one's students is fairly iffy, even for Jews and even at Bristol.
At least this year.
The letter justifies his actions, saying "his comments offended some of those whom his work identifies as racists, upholders of an apartheid regime and perpetrators of systematic oppression."
When they say they want to "boycott" the university, they of course don't mean that because such a boycott would not be noticed by any halfway decent school. What they really mean is that they are threatening to "cancel" the university. The letter says:
We hereby serve notice that unless Prof Miller is reinstated, we intend to bring the full force of civil society and public opinion to bear on your institution for as long as it takes to redress this injustice. This will include persuading national and international students and academics to boycott Bristol University because it cannot be relied upon to guarantee freedom of expression for racial and religious minorities, as well as political dissent which offends its targets.
It is a threat. Which is the only language that Israel-haters understand.
The signatories include such luminaries as "Rabbi Ahron Cohen, Neturei Karta" and "John Tymon, Football Against Apartheid."
