Resisting the New McCarthyism

Abdulhadi, Rabab
http://www.solidarity-us.org/node/4239

Publisher:  Against the Current
Date Written:  01/09/2014
Year Published:  2014  
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX20810

Against the Current interviews Professor Abdulhadi regarding recent accusations by the rightwing McCarthyist AMCHA Initiative that she secured university funding on a false pretext of attending a conference in Beirut. It is believed that this accusation is part of a greater objective targetting pro-Palestinian activities.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt:

Although I knew all along that I did not violate any SFSU or CSU guidelines nor did I do anything wrong from a legal standpoint, what’s disturbing is that AMCHA has targeted so many other scholars. Needless to say that they haven't succeeded in a single case. However, they continue to try to raise the cost of speaking up on Palestine.

I believe that AMCHA's strategy is to try to get me fired, investigated on criminal charges and charges of aiding and abetting terrorism and to ultimately destroy AMED as an academic program whose mission is to produce knowledge for social justice, including intimidating SFSU from signing any collaborative agreements with Palestinian universities. A California colleague reported that she too was attacked during her sabbatical.

Using McCarthyist era tactics, they really want to make me an example to other people and scare everyone so they won't dare get involved in the struggle for justice in/for Palestine. They started by saying I was teaching children to kill Jews (see https://www.facebook.com/rabab.abdulhadi/posts/10151815650588123). That did not work because folks know me and know that I live by the principle of the indivisibility of justice, i.e. opposition to hatred and racism against any people. As a result we received overwhelming support from our broader communities.

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