ADL Presents at UJF’s North County Coastal Brunch Club

Date: October 15, 2009

On Thursday, October 15, Richard Barton, ADL’s National Chair of Leadership, presented at UJF’s Women’s Division North County Coastal Brunch Club on College Campuses: The New Anti-Israel Front in America.

In recent decades, campuses have become a new proving ground for the tactics of diverse hate groups, forcing some colleges and universities onto the front line in the fight against extremism, racism, and anti-Semitism.  Mr. Barton explained the issues that college campuses deal with, such as academic freedom, freedom of speech, and how events in the Middle East often incite legitimate and illegitimate discussions, forums and demonstrations on campuses. 

He addressed anti-Israel and anti-Zionist rallies and events that can go beyond legitimate criticism of Israel and can be marked by hateful attacks against Jews and the Jewish state, crossing the line into blatant anti-Semitism.  Sometimes student organizations invite extremist and anti-Semitic speakers to lecture on campus, where they express anti-Semitic views and create divisiveness among student groups. In an effort to delegitimize the state of Israel, far-left and radical Muslim groups have tried to launch anti-Israel divestment campaigns. 

Mr. Barton explained the work of the ADL and mentioned some of the programs that ADL provides to the Jewish community in San Diego. The presentation was followed by a Q&A session.