Let’s all take a deep breath and relax.
The Jewish Defense League’s recent allegations of anti-Semitism against a Bakersfield College student provide us a great excuse to hold a forum on tolerance, which the campus Democratic Club is planning to do this month. We submit that everyone could learn something by attending this event.
In a post-Sept. 11 world, we all need to be more sensitive to the religious beliefs of others, be they Jews, Muslims, Christians or any other faith.
The Jewish Defense League has accused BC student Isaiah Perez of being anti-Semitic for crossing out the Star of David on a replica of the Israeli flag he wore around his neck in what he called a protest of the Israeli government’s policies. It also has accused some teachers here of being anti-Jewish, and has voiced its willingness to use violence.
Perez has said that the JDL should be renamed the “Jewish Offense League, because they have been implicated in several attacks and murders.”
What we should do, rather than accusing one another of being terrorists or Nazis and making threats of violence, is sit down and talk out our differences. We’re all civilized people here, right? Let’s stop the name-calling and act like it.
Let’s incorporate some understanding into our lives. We’re all going to be here on this earth for a while, so it wouldn’t hurt to make an effort to try and get along.
A tolerance forum is the perfect place to do this. So bring yourself, and an open mind.