Israel Matzav

UC Irvine Muslim Student Union suspension upheld but reduced to one quarter

The Muslim Student Union at the University of California at Irvine had its suspension from student activities for disrupting a speech last February by Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Oren upheld late last week. But the suspension was reduced to one quarter, meaning that the group may apply for reinstatement in January. The group must also complete 100 hours (count 'em) of community service (Hat Tip: Jihad Watch).

In maintaining the suspension, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Manuel Gomez focused mostly on the participation of members of the organization in the protest rather than a lengthy set of e-mails that was used as evidence in the initial investigation by the university's director of student housing.

The e-mails, which the school said it obtained anonymously, showed that the Muslim Student Union "planned, orchestrated and coordinated" the protest, school administrators had said in the previous suspension letter.

"The public actions of [blacked out] give the appearance of MSU sponsorship to these serious violations of campus policies and First Amendment protections," Gomez wrote this week in his letter to the group. "And because the violations occurred on campus … the perception of MSU endorsement is especially difficult to overcome."

The group must complete 100 hours of community service before it can apply for reinstatement late this year. Once that has been granted, the union will be on probation for two years.

During a news conference Friday, representatives of the organization continued to maintain that the suspension amounts to collective punishment. Incoming union Vice President Hadeer Soliman said members have received hate mail and endured personal attacks during this time.

Given what she described as a rising tide of anti-Muslim hate in the country, Soliman said the suspension sends "the wrong message at the wrong time."

What 'rising tide of anti-Muslim hate'? What a bunch of you-know-what.

Sorry, but the suspension should have stood as it was. It's ridiculous that it takes this long for any kind of punishment to take effect and even more ridiculous that they're essentially getting off scot-free.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:33 AM