Matthew Denney: As a 2010 graduate of Portland State with a double major in Political Science and Community Development, I fully support the position of the American Studies Association on this issue. I am also a student at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and am well aware of Israel's multiple violations of the international rule of law. When nations violate basic human rights for their citizens or those in other countries, an international boycott of that nation can be effective. I do not feel that Wim Wiewel is properly representing the positions of Portland State students and alumni on this issue.
Maha Al-Yousufi Brown: Economic Boycott is the only way to stop the Israeli occupation and horrific human right violations. As an institution of knowledge we need to support peace not apartheid.
Cristy Murray: As an American Jew, I support boycotting all things Israel until they cease the human rights violations towards the Palestinian people.
Anne Lampert: As long as faculty and students in the Israeli universities and Israelis citizens accept that their government ignores international laws they are complicit in all the illegal acts committed by their government. Boycotting does not prevent dialogue . . it awakes privileged people, Israelis teachers and students, to consider their responsibilities and encourages a minority already opposed to their government illegal occupation to continue their fight for a more just world
Ann Huntwork: As a graduate of the School of Social Work, the values I saw reflected there are clearly embraced by this letter. It is a privilege to sign it.
Thomas Beilman: President Wiewel: I am writing to you as frequent visitor to PSU. I truly appreciate the many events and activities that PSU makes available to the public. I am writing this note in response to your statement about the ASA's call for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions. Like you, I am committed to the free and open exchange of ideas. Because of this deep commitment, I expect that you too are appalled by Israel's systematic undermining of Palestine's school systems, appalled by Israel's inaction in the face of ongoing Israeli settler attacks on school children and school property, and appalled by Israel's matrix of measures that deny Palestinian academics their right of free travel to conduct research and to participate in academic conferences. Such actions by Israel are, to use your words, antithetical to our beliefs. I ask of you, therefore, to reconsider your stated position on this matter. I encourage you to take a leadership role by speaking out against Israel's policies that deny others their academic freedom. Rather than rewarding and encouraging Israel by increasing the level of academic exchanges with PSU, I call on you to hold Israel accountable. Send out the word that, as a CONDITION for Israel to participate in the free exchange of ideas, it must stop denying Palestinians their right to participate in the free exchange of ideas.
Kelly Lynn: Mr. Wiewel, your words are morally bankrupt. If you keep drinking this hasbara like its cool-aid and taking free trips to occupied Palestine in support of a settler-colonial empire guilty of such an impressively long list of human rights abuses, your children and children's children will only utter your name with shame. The ASA boycott is in favor of equal rights in Palestine. Refugees should be able to go home. Political prisoners should be freed. Home demolitions, child arrests, limitation of movement, siege apartheid and occupation should all be in our rearview. This stuff ain't controversial rocket science.
Michael Horner: Keep up the excellent education of the community about the apartheid that exists in the occupied territories.
Jody De La Vergne: The President of PSU needs to learn his history about Israel and Palestine.
Herschel Soles: Mr. Wievel has chosen to defend Israeli Forces use of extra judicial execution, testing of military weapons on civilians, Israeli snipers targeting Palestinian youth, imprisonment without charges for years, torture and the deliberate breaking of bones. This type of collaboration deserves jail time!
June Forsyth (Kenagy): Israel must be boycotted to save it from self-destruction as well as to finally provide real freedom and justice (and a long-overdue apology for the Nakba as well as reparations) to the Palestinian people.
Cameron Frank: Support for the Israeli apartheid state is unacceptable, and especially so from our university president posturing as if he speaks for the university as a whole. Israel's occupation and settlement-building constitutes an act of war under the Geneva Convention and should be treated as such. Wiewel's comments are morally reprehensible and do not represent the views of the student body.
Mary Faye Bennett: If Pres. Wiesel looked at what the Israeli government does to Palestinians, I believe he would feel and act very differently.
Brian A Barnet: President Wiewel must have been given a special "promote Israel tour for University Presidents" to give a bright picture of Israel's great achievements in science and education. I don't suppose he
combined his trip with a visit to the West Bank or Gaza or even EAast Jerusalem. Only complete ignorance of the history of the Occupation and the demographics and human rights violations against the people
of Palestine or even the Arab population of Israel. Either that or his bias as unshakable as any US zionist.
As one of the first students of PSU's Middle East Studies Program I learned the facts and am totally ashamed.
Carol Rasmussen Schramm: I'm very upset at your position on this issue. I hope you will look at this letter and rethink your stance.
Pamela Allee: It's just plain embarrassing for a head of a tax-supported public institution to maintain a position which is unimaginatively inhumane; I wonder what he's afraid of, how pervasive Zionism is in our legislature...
Maha Al-Yousufi Brown: Economic Boycott is the only way to stop the Israeli occupation and horrific human right violations. As an institution of knowledge we need to support peace not apartheid.
Cristy Murray: As an American Jew, I support boycotting all things Israel until they cease the human rights violations towards the Palestinian people.
Anne Lampert: As long as faculty and students in the Israeli universities and Israelis citizens accept that their government ignores international laws they are complicit in all the illegal acts committed by their government. Boycotting does not prevent dialogue . . it awakes privileged people, Israelis teachers and students, to consider their responsibilities and encourages a minority already opposed to their government illegal occupation to continue their fight for a more just world
Ann Huntwork: As a graduate of the School of Social Work, the values I saw reflected there are clearly embraced by this letter. It is a privilege to sign it.
Thomas Beilman: President Wiewel: I am writing to you as frequent visitor to PSU. I truly appreciate the many events and activities that PSU makes available to the public. I am writing this note in response to your statement about the ASA's call for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions. Like you, I am committed to the free and open exchange of ideas. Because of this deep commitment, I expect that you too are appalled by Israel's systematic undermining of Palestine's school systems, appalled by Israel's inaction in the face of ongoing Israeli settler attacks on school children and school property, and appalled by Israel's matrix of measures that deny Palestinian academics their right of free travel to conduct research and to participate in academic conferences. Such actions by Israel are, to use your words, antithetical to our beliefs. I ask of you, therefore, to reconsider your stated position on this matter. I encourage you to take a leadership role by speaking out against Israel's policies that deny others their academic freedom. Rather than rewarding and encouraging Israel by increasing the level of academic exchanges with PSU, I call on you to hold Israel accountable. Send out the word that, as a CONDITION for Israel to participate in the free exchange of ideas, it must stop denying Palestinians their right to participate in the free exchange of ideas.
Kelly Lynn: Mr. Wiewel, your words are morally bankrupt. If you keep drinking this hasbara like its cool-aid and taking free trips to occupied Palestine in support of a settler-colonial empire guilty of such an impressively long list of human rights abuses, your children and children's children will only utter your name with shame. The ASA boycott is in favor of equal rights in Palestine. Refugees should be able to go home. Political prisoners should be freed. Home demolitions, child arrests, limitation of movement, siege apartheid and occupation should all be in our rearview. This stuff ain't controversial rocket science.
Michael Horner: Keep up the excellent education of the community about the apartheid that exists in the occupied territories.
Jody De La Vergne: The President of PSU needs to learn his history about Israel and Palestine.
Herschel Soles: Mr. Wievel has chosen to defend Israeli Forces use of extra judicial execution, testing of military weapons on civilians, Israeli snipers targeting Palestinian youth, imprisonment without charges for years, torture and the deliberate breaking of bones. This type of collaboration deserves jail time!
June Forsyth (Kenagy): Israel must be boycotted to save it from self-destruction as well as to finally provide real freedom and justice (and a long-overdue apology for the Nakba as well as reparations) to the Palestinian people.
Cameron Frank: Support for the Israeli apartheid state is unacceptable, and especially so from our university president posturing as if he speaks for the university as a whole. Israel's occupation and settlement-building constitutes an act of war under the Geneva Convention and should be treated as such. Wiewel's comments are morally reprehensible and do not represent the views of the student body.
Mary Faye Bennett: If Pres. Wiesel looked at what the Israeli government does to Palestinians, I believe he would feel and act very differently.
Brian A Barnet: President Wiewel must have been given a special "promote Israel tour for University Presidents" to give a bright picture of Israel's great achievements in science and education. I don't suppose he
combined his trip with a visit to the West Bank or Gaza or even EAast Jerusalem. Only complete ignorance of the history of the Occupation and the demographics and human rights violations against the people
of Palestine or even the Arab population of Israel. Either that or his bias as unshakable as any US zionist.
As one of the first students of PSU's Middle East Studies Program I learned the facts and am totally ashamed.
Carol Rasmussen Schramm: I'm very upset at your position on this issue. I hope you will look at this letter and rethink your stance.
Pamela Allee: It's just plain embarrassing for a head of a tax-supported public institution to maintain a position which is unimaginatively inhumane; I wonder what he's afraid of, how pervasive Zionism is in our legislature...