A Reply to Michael Christopher Low

 
Are the teachings of Michael Christopher Low, director of the Middle East Center at the University of Utah, leading students into a misunderstanding of the Israel-Palestine conflict? Are they wrongly inflaming the students? 

Low had a guest opinion piece printed in the Salt Lake Tribune the other day. I responded in the online comments (edited below for clarity):

Bless you, Michael Low, for trying to guide us through this. There are some points, though, that I believe you should reconsider. "This crisis is not the work of some insidious force of outside agitators." I do wonder, much, about whether the protest is homegrown. When you see tents all of the same make and model (as has been the case on at least one campus), it is clear someone central purchased them. If the youth were bringing their own, the tents wouldn't all be the same.  Are each of the protests nationwide arising individually on each campus without any outside influence? That seems obviously wrong. I do wonder if such a number of universities would be rising up in protest if there was not a source encouraging them to do so. Yes, I do see outside agitators stirring them up and spurring them on. 

I also am concerned about your vilifying our president. You suggest we should not vilify the students, then you do the same of our president. Biden has been firm in his insistence of humane treatment of the Gazans. He has repeatedly and continually tried to reign Netanyahu in. Michael, no, I do not think it appropriate to vilify our president. Doing so only stirs up unjustified anger in the protesters.  

I also am disappointed with you for being dismissive of the chants that are sometimes used. What of the chant, "Death to Israel; Death to America" (which hopefully has not been used at the U. protests). Yes, most affirmatively, the protesters should be corrected when they utter such venomous language. "From the river to the sea"? The context of that phrase, to some, is that the Jews have no right to live in Israel. Let the protesters offer their opinion, but I would hope no one involved in tutoring them or mentoring them (such as the Middle East Center at the U. of U.) would be encouraging such a belief.

It is wonderful that you provide historical perspective as you tutor and teach our students. I would suggest, though, that a history of violence does not justify more of the same. You cannot say -- like a child might say to a playmate -- "He hit me first," as justification for ratcheting up the violence. We speak of learning from history and history is replete with conflicts that endure because the past is used to justify continued violence. The sides must learn to forgive. Humankind must be taught that hatred is not justified because of the past. 

The Palestinians have continued to attack Israel. I would hope your teaching and tutoring also includes telling the students that that is wrong. Until Palestine abandons its design to wipe the Jews off the map, Israel certainly has the right to defend itself. And, yes, that means clearing Israel of Hamas. If Hamas wants peace, it must grant that Israel has the right to exist.

A world of peace doesn't begin with the justification of hate. I do not know the specifics of what you do teach, but I would hope you are responsible. Our youth are entrusted in your hands. Please make good on that trust.