Palestinian U of T conference quiet

[drdon326]

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1070197816645&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968705899037

A contentious pro-Palestinian student conference went ahead calmly today, a week after the University of Toronto cancelled it over concerns those with dissenting views were being excluded.
About 60 students, many draped in the traditional black-and-white keffiyeh scarf, showed up to attend a daylong workshop series aimed at planning pro-Palestinian events over the next six months.

Three uniformed Toronto police officers stood conspicuously in the meeting room, but there wasn't so much as a flag-waving in protest late this morning as participants filed in.

School officials had initially banned the conference after learning the Al-Awda student group required participants to agree to a strongly-worded "basis of unity" pact.

"Some of the basis of unity tenets are not in accordance with university policy because they exclude different views," university spokeswoman Jane Stirling said today.

........................................................

A full 60 ( yes i said sixty) people showed up....

must have been riveting...

[La_Serpiente]

1. hmmm

[bluesoul]

2. So?

The message counts, not how many people show up. In Israel there were 100.000 speaking against Sharon and his policy that has fans even over here. They must be "misled" I guess like Gush Shalom and all those peace activists (Corrie)...

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Attendance doesn't mean anything...

I've been to things where there's been hundreds of other people and it's been boring as shit, and others where there's only been a handful and it's been good stuff. I think you've misunderstood the article title, don. When they said 'quiet', they were talking about an event not marred by protests and disturbances....

Violet...

[drdon326]

4. not marred by protests and disturbances....

or interest for that matter...

Do you ever get the feeling people are not showing up
because they know the truth about these clowns??

Rutgers....a bust
OSU.....a bust
now Toronto...a bust.

I'll bet you cant wait for the TOUR to hit down-under.

[bluesoul]

5. Clowns? LOL

And those cheering for Sharon and his policy? Those are the "truth seekers"? Oh please...

[Violet_Crumble]

6. So where did the article say there was a lack of interest?

I must have missed that bit. Assuming that an event is going to be a bust unless several thousand folk turn up is a bit like assuming that Britney Spears is a talented and successful live performer because lots of suckers turn up every time, and after all if the masses aren't turning out in force, then something must surely suck...

Uh, the ISM has given a talk at the uni I go to and it went okay, thanks for asking :)

Violet...

[bluesoul]

7. And the part about "masses are asses" also is true many times

How much support did Bush have after 9/11? Up to some 80% as I remember. Does that quantity mean anything?

[meti57b]

8. That's not a good analogy.

Britney Spears is apparently a popular celebrity who puts on a performance that does appeal to a lot of people. The artistic quality of the performance has nothing to do with the popularity and acceptance of it. Art is a matter of taste.

The attendance at the pro-Palestinian conference is a measure of the popularity and acceptance of a political idea and philosophy. The number of people who attend clearly is a measure of the popularity of the idea.

The line between the two is currently being blurred out here in CA where ahhnold-the-schvantz quickly gained popularity and raving crowds supporting his election for governor (all based on his celebrity) without having even stated what his political agenda was. He is apparently still popular as he defines a political agenda that could not have been determined from his pre-election statements.

The small number of people attending the student conference definitely did show how widespread the acceptance of the political idea is and that idea was clearly not something that most people agreed with.

[bluesoul]

9. Really?

Most people don't agree with? Says who? Because there didn't turn up many in a country where the big media favors one side... Look worldwide and you'll see the support where there is not so unconditional support for one side. Or look in Israel where 100.000 people demonstrated against Sharon and his policy. Funny enough no one here from the pro-Israel team cared to comment that much.

[Muddleoftheroad]

10. Israel is a democracy

And really does want peace. If they had any chance in hell of getting it, they would pick someone other than Sharon.

They don't, so he stays.

[bluesoul]

11. And that's ok with you?

You have no problem whatsoever with Sharon or his policy? You don't see that he would be one of the problems in the whole thing, not just the palestinian suicide bombers/terrorists?

[bluesoul]

12. One more thing

Even without Sharon, there is still the IDF. No matter who is in power, Israel can always protect themselves with their military power. So you are saying you actually prefer a RW more extreme approach towards Palestinians (as you like to say to hell with them) and therefor completely eliminating any real chance for peace with such policy. Which is it Muddle? I would really love to hear this...

[Muddleoftheroad]

14. What real chance for peace?

Where is it, I really want to know?

Any nation can have a military, but having a leader with the will to use it is at issue. That's why Sharon stays.

Actually, if there was a chance at peace, I'd prefer that. Given that there is no such thing, I prefer disengagement.

[Muddleoftheroad]

13. Of course I have problems

But I see no other options.

I have problems with every leader in the world. None of them do things exactly as I would wish.

However, Israelis know that Sharon will be strong in the face of ongoing terror, so he stays. Especially since there is no chance the ongoing terror is ending.