The Irvine 11
By Anila Ali
Irvine , CA

 

UCI is one of America's finest educational institutions. It has wholeheartedly embraced its cultural diversity much like the city of Irvine. On numerous occasions, UCI chancellors and administrators have faced criticism but they have upheld the right of free speech of the Muslim students, the MSU.

In 2009, the MSU had invited the British politician, George Galloway, a hard core supporter of the Palestinians; he runs the humanitarian organization called Viva Palestina, providing aid. A conflict occurred when the ZOA informed the FBI alleging that funds being collected at the fundraiser were sent to Hamas, a banned terrorist organization. An investigation ensued, a rift and worsening of the relations occurred. The case is still under investigation.

Noteworthy is the fact that when the MSU wanted to display a white flag for every innocent Palestinian life lost, amidst a blizzard of protests by the Jewish students, UCI upheld the rights of the MSU to demonstrate peacefully by displaying their flags.

Ambassador Oren, an intellectual, and academic, was invited to speak at UCI. He was a guest of all students at the university. He should have been given a chance to speak.  By shouting him down, heckling him, the students denied him the right to speak. The MSU could have protested with banners, waited for Q & A and then posed tough questions to him. That would have been a more effective strategy and the message would have come across very powerfully.

Unfortunately, this occurrence helped to reinforce the negative stereotypes about Muslim youth.

A university is a place of debate and discussion; it is a revered place where minds are enlightened. By bringing Ambassador Oren, the political science department was sowing the seeds of dialogue, exchange of ideas. To reach a solution, possibly peace in the case of the Middle East, it is very important to listen to all viewpoints; only then can one achieve a greater understanding of the problem.

However, threatening the students with expulsion, banning their organization will not achieve any fruitful results. On the contrary, these students, most of whom are American Muslims, need to be reclaimed as Americans first. Expelling them would marginalize them even further. 

A suitable action would be to give them 150 hours of interfaith community service. Working with different faiths, they will come to realize that the three great religions can work together in peace for all mankind.