Jewish Voice for Peace attack news
grantpatel.blogspot.com/2010/11/jewish-voice-for-peace-attack-news.html
Excerpt: "Fellow bloggerstress Balabusta in Blue Jeans also weighs in on the cruel assault on a pro-Israel activist by the ever-venomous and vile Jewish Voice for Peace soldiers. She says: "The Balabusta will add that she has met this lady many times, and that she has also seen JVP's choice of 'nonviolent' friends at a number of demonstrations. Given JVP's inability to notice threatening and violent behavior carried out by those they choose to like, I'm not surprised they also fantasize violence by those they attack." "
Jewish Voice for Peace and bully tactics
proisraelbaybloggers.blogspot.com/2010/11/jewish-voice-for-peace-and-bully.html
Excerpt: "Yesterday evening there was a fracas at a Jewish Voice for Peace event, in which a middle-aged woman was victimized by several people. Jewish Voice for Peace has already come out with a press-release in which they desperately seek to put their spin on matters.
Truth, as is so often the case when JVP and similar groupings are involved, is not part of their narrative."
Jewish Voice for Peace and bully tactics
grantpatel.blogspot.com/2010/11/jewish-voice-for-peace-and-bully.html
Excerpt:
"Here’s the victim’s account:
"Jewish Voice for Peace" has issued a press release that I attacked several people attending one of their events with pepper spray. They also go on to make absurd allegations regarding my politics and intentions at the meeting.
This is completely bizarre. I am a DISABLED WOMAN (see the legal notice on my car). I carry pepper spray as my only means to defend myself. It IS true that on the evening of November 14, at a JVP meeting, I needed to defend myself. I was physically attacked.
The JVP meeting at Berkeley Senior Center was advertised to the public. I attended this meeting as an individual and not as a member of any organization, in order to deepen my understanding of their perspective on the Middle East conflict.
Ironically, a stated goal of the meeting was to HONOR activists that had recently PHYSICALLY DISRUPTED a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Perhaps I should have understood that as a warning.
THE ATTACK: Around 20 minutes into the meeting, I tried to photograph a woman speaking in support of Israel. Almost immediately, several JVP members surrounded me and tried to take my camera from me. Then they attacked me. They took hold of my arms and would not let me go. They also pushed their chests into me many times and knocked me against a wall. I yelled at them 20 to 30 times to let go of me. They refused to let go of my wrists and forearms and continued to bang their chests into me. They banged me into the wall over a dozen times. Their faces were red from hatred and exertion. As a result of their violence, my wrists and arms are bruised and I am currently suffering serious pain in my lower back. I am unable to work this afternoon and I must take medication for pain relief.
I am a large woman but I am physically frail. As I said, I am disabled.
- I see a pain management physician regularly for chronic back pain. I am unable to move without severe back pain. I have had major surgery on my back. I am unable to stand for more than a couple of minutes without unrelenting back pain and sciatica pain.
- I also have had nine surgeries on my knees which are another main source of pain.
- I have asthma, and I use inhaled steroids daily; the anti-Israel activists’ attack on me exacerbated my asthma and I had to take medicine while at the senior center.
- I also have a serious blood disorder that weakens me. I am currently under treatment by a hematologist/oncologist, and I am on daily chemotherapy.
I am 58 years old. I have a Disabled Person’s license plate for my car. I am physically incapable of overpowering or attacking anybody! The people who attacked me were physically fit and at least 20 years younger than I;
While pleading with the attackers to let me go, I tried to get away but they followed me and kept grabbing my arms. At one point they knocked my camera out of my hand. I bent down to pick it up and tried to walk away. They followed me and continued to grab my arms and shove me into the wall. They isolated me from the rest of the crowd. Because they were beating me up and because I am disabled and could not defend myself otherwise, I sprayed pepper spray into one woman’s face. As soon as I did that, they all backed off from me and let me go.
I resorted to the pepper spray because I feared for my safety and my life!!! I believe that had I not used pepper spray, I would be in the hospital today suffering far more serious injuries. Pepper spray causes extreme discomfort but is unlikely to cause permanent injury. The purpose of pepper spray is to temporarily disable an attacker, to allow time for escape. It worked.
The JVP press release is an outright lie. I cannot and did not attack anyone. I was attacked!
[END CITE]
Jewish Voice for Whaaaa? Again?
balabustabluejeans.blogspot.com/2010/11/jewish-voice-for-whaaaa-again.html
Excerpt: "Over at Pro-Israel Bay Bloggers, the irrepressible Grant Patel writes up a recent encounter between the poorly named Jewish Voice for Peace and a local pro-Israel activist who was physically attacked and continues to be attacked in words by JVP."
Self-Loathing Jews & Leftists Assault Jewish Woman at JVP Meeting
brandishingbeets.blogspot.com/2010/11/self-loathing-jews-leftists-assault.html
Excerpt: "This is a repost from my fellow San Franciscan's blog, Pro-Israel Bay Bloggers:
Monday, November 15, 2010
Jewish Voice for Peace and bully tactics ... "
JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE VIOLENCE
deathbynoodles.blogspot.com/2010/11/jewish-voice-for-peace-violence.html
Excerpt: "On Sunday night in Berkeley, members of Jewish Voice for Peace displayed all their worst character flaws, and ganged up on a middle-aged handicapped woman."
Jewish Voice for Peace - lies, distortion, and spin
infectiousasian.blogspot.com/2010/11/jewish-voice-for-peace-lies-distortion.html
Excerpt: "The following is an example of the lies told by Jewish Voice for Peace, which once again shows that ethical considerations and truth are not any part of their agenda."
JVP ASSAULT WITNESSED
atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/jvp-assault-winessed.html
Excerpt: "One of the people who was there witnessed the assault on Robin by the JVP’ers Sunday evening in Berkeley very clearly. This is what he wrote:
"I witnessed the assault on Robin Dubner on 11-14-10. I heard a fracas to my left and behind me. I turned and saw a blonde woman with short hair and a man with glasses pushing Robin backwards, toward a wall of windows and a plaster wall-- a corner, essentially. Robin had both hands above her head and the two JVPers were shoving her backward and grabbing at Robin's hands. Another two persons were behind the two assailants, all moving forward on Robin, who was retreating backward from them. Robin was screaming words to the effect of: "Don't touch me; let go of me." I didn't catch the JVPers' words, but several people were yelling at Robin at once.
I saw Robin's camera fly out of her hands and the attack on her let up for a moment. When Robin picked up her camera from the floor, the attack started again, with more pushing, grabbing and screaming at Robin by multiple people. Robin took out her pepper spray and sprayed the blonde woman; I didn't notice her spray the man but I understand he was also sprayed. At that time, Robin was able to move away.
I can testify in court that this was a brutal attack by multiple cowards on a disabled person (Robin) and that Robin was justified in protecting herself with pepper spray. The spray was used solely in self-defence. Even I feared for Robin's safety at the hands of these thugs who unjustifiably, physically attacked Robin."
[END CITE]
Another witness writes:
The chairs in the room were arranged in a big circle. We began by introducing ourselves and discussing our plans for Thanksgiving. Lots of JVP'ers are spending Thanksgiving day on Alcatraz. It was oh so very very Berkeley.
Someone (a pro-Israel person?) began taping. They actively tried to stop her. A spirited discussion ensued about if it was legal or not to tape in a public venue. Were they planning to engage in any illegal activity? Was that why they objected to taping?
Then JVP introduced the students who interrupted Netanyahu. Rae Abileah from Code Pink, Matthew Taylor, 3 others. Oh, they were so proud of their brave, brave, young people!
They set up the video from their disruption. And that is when a pro-Israel person started reading from Chaim Herzog's 1975 speech to the UN on Zionism. Someone else asked Matthew Taylor about the psycho-sexual nature of his (Matthew Taylor's) foreskin restoration crusade. Had he tried any of the do it yourself procedures?
Two loudly angry JVP'ers attempted to prevent someone else taping. I think they were waving their fists at her and trying to push her. It looked very threatening. The victim of the JVP bullying was shoved into a corner, a wiry blonde thing grabbed her wrist, and the camera fell to the group.
And at that point, the shit hit the fan. Chaos and screaming.
Cecilie Shuransky had brought her little boy to the meeting . The turmoil just fascinated him - I suspect he said to his mom on the way home "It wasn't as boring as it usually is".
Rae whined "it's not the same. We interrupted the head of a state. You are interupting...us...powerless young people."
I really hate sinking to their depths.
Comments
Re: Jewish Voice for Peace members assault disabled Israel activist
Inspired by famed community organizer Saul Alinsky whose 1971 publication Rules for Radicals stresses “the difference between being a realistic radical and a rhetorical one.”, the pro-Israel activists used the meeting as an opportunity to heckle the hecklers- to give them "a taste of their own medicine".
From 'Rules for Radicals"
Rule 3: Whenever possible, go outside the experience of an opponent. Here you want to cause confusion, fear, and retreat.
Rule 4: Make opponents live up to their own book of rules.
Rule 5: Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It’s hard to counterattack
ridicule, and it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage.
The activists succeeded. Frequent interruptions made it impossible to continue the meeting, and it was effectively shut down, with many people simply walking out. Conflicts over filming and photography escalated into a much publicized attack, followed swiftly by a cyber-attack directed towards the victim, a 58 year old disabled woman. Robin Dubner, an attorney, ethical vegetarian and animal rights activist who frequently speaks for the silenced voices in our community was physically isolated and attacked, and responded by pepper-spraying her assailants. JVP tweeted, spammed and mass marketed their version of the events across cyberspace in an effort to intimidate the pro-Israel activists into submission. It has failed. The truth can not be silenced.
How ironic that the group that claims to be "muzzled" celebrates the "muzzling" of people that don't share their point of view. How ironic that the group that claims to be "muzzled" refuses to allow comments on their blog.
JVP phoned the incident into the Berkeley police department as a " riot". 6 squad cars, 1 firetruck and an ambulance showed up at the scene. One assault. One pepper spraying. Two brief musical interludes reminiscent of the Titanic.
And hopeful a reminder to all (or at least to the smart ones) that the only real way to achieve peace is with dialog, mutual respect and compassion.
Re: Jewish Voice for Peace members assault disabled Israel activist
Subject: Re: [takedirectaction] BREAKING: 'Dramatic escalation' in Gaza, tanks 'moving toward frontier
No more demos. No more signs, chants, pithy t shirts. No more marches to nowhere.
And DEFINITELY no more emails to Congress, or heart-felt messages to Change.Gov and Obama, begging the conspirators to stop the conspiracy.
We each one of us is responsible - and we each one of us must take action. We cannot rely on Others to do it for us.
Here is an excellent article, with a detailed list of actions we can take, from James Petras.
www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21613.htm
I have strongly suggested to many different so-called action groups, that we immediately institute a program of visits to every synagogue in the USA, on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, and rise in each congregation and - in dignified firm and unemotional voices- repeat "STOP THE KILLING"-- We need to go in groups of 3-4, to insure that we have 1 person as a defensive shield, and one as a video camera witness, recording everything. Jews especially should be doing these actions. We will face harsh treatment, and possibly physical attack, but our message must be resolute and continue week after week.
I see no possible legal impediment to this. The public, and certainly Jews- cannot be barred from entry to the services, and it will be extremely hard for the Synagogues to enforce exclusion. If they do, we can speak on the front steps, on the street, in the parking lot.
The Jews of America must be confronted with their clear responsibility- far more than complicity-in the mass murders, occupation, and forced starvation of the people of Palestine.
If any of you wants to work on this, just let me know.
Thanks,
DR
Why is this acceptable as "Free speech?" under any circumstances?
Re: Jewish Voice for Peace members assault disabled Israel activist
I don't give a fuck if you're disabled or not, for example, if you were to show up to a meeting I organize with the intention to try to get me in legal trouble or arrested - you're going to get bums rushed out and your recording equipment smashed. In fact, the JVP are rather slow in my opinion, I'd probably have ordered you to leave long before you had a chance to do anything that might start a fight.
And that is merely the leftist way of handling it, try doing what you did to most other social circles that had just engaged in semilegal activity (particularly in a major city) and they'd probably kill you. Keep in mind they went easy on you and wanted to restrain you, if they'd wanted to beat you up seriously and take the camera - one person would've likely sufficed. There's a reason why whenever I spy on conservative groups I stay covert and why whenever I'm recording a demonstration I expect to be targeted by police.
You should think about changing sides, after all a Zionist/nationalist group that has no problems ignoring the disenfranchisement of Palestinians probably has no ethical qualms about sending a disabled person into a situation that would be dangerous even for someone physically fit who knows how to fight. After all, how do you reconcile promoting animal rights, peace, and compassion with a state that refuses civil rights and land tenure to Palestinians while existing as and staunchly defending (along with the US) a viciously divided class society on a global basis where the pets of the rich live far better than the children of the poor? How many animals do you think the state of Israel and the government contractors have killed in the course of experimentation for weapons systems designed to kill people that the Isreali government thinks of as animals so as to more easily justify their killing? Have you bothered to think about the long term ecological effects of the occupation and blockade and what it means for the wildlife of the region?
Until full human rights for all triumphs over religious and national sectarianism, animal rights will always be a mirage.
Re: Re: Jewish Voice for Peace members assault disabled Israel activist
Witness