Gilad Atzmon, vile anti-Semite, makes new Friends

[shira]

The Friends Schools around the country are legendary. They are regarded as among the most elite schools in the world. Presidents’ children attend them; my own daughter and nephew were students. That is why it is so shocking that the Friends Seminary in New York has lent its imprimatur to a notorious anti-Semite and Holocaust denier.

Gilad Atzmon was invited to attend a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Friends Meeting House happening late this week. This man has written an overtly anti-Semitic book titled “The Wandering Who?” — which, he acknowledges, draws many of its “insights from a man who ... was an anti-Semite as well as a radical misogynist.”

Among the “insights” Atzmon could seek to share with students are the following:

While the Holocaust “was not at all an historical narrative” and Auschwitz was not a “death camp,” the “accusations of Jews making matzo out of young Goyim’s blood,” may be true.

“The Jews” caused the recent credit crunch, which the author calls “the Zio-punch.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/gilad-atzmon-vile-anti-semite-friends-article-1.1005365#ixzz1ji5Jb1YI

[shaayecanaan]

1. Response from Friends Seminary

An Important Message from the Principal

1/13/2012
Dear Friends,

I want to take this opportunity to explain the controversy about the guest soloist, Gilad Atzmon, at last night's 15th Street Meetinghouse Orchestra's benefit for the homeless shelter. I would also like to clarify the misleading information contained in Alan Dershowitz's op-ed piece in the Daily News.

The Meetinghouse Jazz Orchestra, a professional music group that is independent of Friends Seminary, invited Atzmon, a renowned saxophonist and a controversial political activist, to perform as a guest musician for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Benefit Concert for 15th Street Meeting's homeless shelter. The Orchestra stated that they invited Atzmon to participate in the fundraiser solely for his musical accomplishments, and the leader of the Orchestra said that Atzmon was selected because of his unique and skilled saxophone style. The concert was billed as a musical event and not a political one. That it has become such is regrettable. We are deeply sorry for any offense it may have caused anyone in our community.

In his op-ed, Dershowitz refers to a visit by Atzmon to classrooms and the distribution of an essay from his website to students. We have confirmed that Atzmon visited one class, a jazz ensemble class, where, according to the instructor, he spoke about listening and ear training and not politics. I want to emphasize that at no point did Atzmon engage our students in the questions or scenarios detailed in the Dershowitz op-ed.

Friends Seminary does not endorse anti-Semitism nor Gilad Atzmon's political beliefs. We do support the 15th Street Meetinghouse homeless shelter and the people who work hard to sustain it. Please be assured that the School will not tolerate expressions of anti-Semitism, bigotry, or hateful speech of any type. Again, I am sorry that the School, and you as part of our community, have been affected by this situation.

Sincerely,
Robert (Bo) Lauder
Principal

http://www.friendsseminary.org/podium/default.aspx?t=204&tn=An+Important+Message+from+the+Principal&nid=753188&ptid=141020&sdb=False&pf=pcrw&mode=0&vcm=False

[King_David]

2. Lucky David Duke is not a musician. NN

[shira]

3. Imagine the same school inviting an outspoken homophobe, sexist, or racist...

...for his/her musical talents.

[holdencaufield]

8. Maybe "Prussian Blue"

Can perform for William Penn's Birthday? A nice little neo-Nazi singing group would clearly show that this is just about the music people.

Maybe all thou needs is a little Friendly Persuasion.

[eyl]

11. Actually

I undersand that Prussian Blue have considerably moderated their views

[azurnoir]

4. It should be noted that Sidwell Friends School is the school attended by the Obama children

wonder if there any guilt by association intended or is just coincidence? I'm sure its the latter

[shira]

12. Dershowitz's daughter and nephew went there, so it's not about Obama. n/t

[azurnoir]

17. oh are they presently attending?

or was that something in the past? I believe that Ella Dershowitz is presently attending Yale is she not?

[bemildred]

5. Dang, did Mr Lauder call Mr Dershowitz a liar?

"I want to emphasize that at no point did Atzmon engage our students in the questions or scenarios detailed in the Dershowitz op-ed."

[vminfla]

10. No, Atzmon is a vile anti-semite

Mr Lauder agrees that Atzmons intolerance is not compatabile to the Quaker faith. Nothing in that statement that contradicts Dershowitz.

[shira]

13. No. Dershowitz didn't write that Atzmon engaged the students....

...in this instance.

But the school did allow Atzmon to engage the students last year....

It is not as if Friends School is unfamiliar with Atzmon’s anti-Semitic rants. Atzmon was previously invited to make a guest appearance in a class last year and one of his essays was distributed to the students. The essay came from his website, which is replete with anti-Semitic “insights.”

[bemildred]

14. Right. Mr Lauder says that's all bullshit.

He is quite explicit.

[shira]

15. It appears Lauder was writing about this recent event, not last year in the classroom.

ETA:

I'm wrong. The Principal wrote about last year.

But he didn't dispute Dershowitz's claim that an essay form Atzmon's website was handed out to the class.

[bemildred]

16. OK.

Let's leave it at that.

Edit: to be honest, this puts me in an awkward position, because I don't want to defend Atzmon, however I think this attack on the school over him is misguided.

[LeftishBrit]

18. I agree. I think Atzmon IS a vile antisemite and I make a point of avoiding any event that contains

him (he lives in Britain, so it's potentially relevant to me). And you know what I generally think of cultural boycotts, or opposing artistic productions because I don't like the artists' political views - but Atzmon is such an extreme case I make an exception there. But I suspect that the attack on the school is wrong. I could be wrong; I'm not there. But I think Dershowitz is acting here as the lawyer trying to win a case, rather than as the scholar.

[shaayecanaan]

19. The school did not invite him; the orchestra did

without apparently consulting the school.

I am no defender of Atzmon, but I wonder where this could end up. If the local chess club invited Bobby Fischer to talk about his chess moves, could they expect a similar op-ed from Dershowitz? For that matter, should a teacher feel free to teach students about the music of Wagner, or the existential philosophy of Heidegger?

[shira]

20. They've had him there twice in the past 2 years. Atzmon isn't that talented...

...a musician, is he?

Don't you think there are plenty of other people they could have booked other than than him? I can't give the school the benefit of the doubt. I can't imagine them inviting a musician as openly homophobic or racist two years straight without apologizing or promising not to invite such a vulgar character again. The Principal didn't even attempt to dispute Dershowitz's claim that Atzmon gave the students one of his essays from his website last year.

[shaayecanaan]

21. He may have done...

but we know nothing of that essay because Dersh doesnt quote anything from it. Perhaps he has not seen it, or does not have a copy, but in any event he has liberally salted the article with quotes from elsewhere. Unfortunately, given Dersh's history of plagiarism, junk research and all-round academic misconduct he is not someone I would believe uncritically.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. Friends Schools are hard core 1%ers

[vminfla]

7. Damn Quakers

We all know what a bunch of neo-con chickenhawks the Quakers are....oh wait....never mind.

[holdencaufield]

9. Love their oats though... NT