In response to your editorial, “Lessons From Brooklyn College Showdown” (Feb. 15), it is true that some things can be handled quietly, without giving the outright lies and half-truths of the BDS [Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions] movement a media forum.
But when a college administration sponsors the event, at Brooklyn College no less — right in our own backyard — they need to understand that they will confront a very vocal, united opposition. Because, to quote Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., when people say they are anti-Zionists what they really mean is that they are anti-Semites. And we should stand up to anti-Semitism everywhere, especially in our own backyard.
Although I perfectly understand the quiet, behind-the-scenes, strategy being advocated here, I am worried that it may become the norm to keep quiet while anti-Semites rant and rave in order not to bring too much attention to it. Sorry, but that strategy sounds too much like the Eastern European Jews keeping quiet and hoping the evil will go away. It won’t. We want politicians to rally to our defense when evil is in the works. The last thing we want is for them to think they have to stay quiet until the storm blows over.
Manhattan
