In shades of the Abbie Hoffman tradition, TPM has alerted us that Brandeis students are fighting back against the anti-Muslim words of New Republic editor Martin Peretz, a 1959 Brandeis alum (who is Jewish). Peretz wrote:
And among those Muslims led by the Imam Rauf there is hardly one who has raised a fuss about the routine and random bloodshed that defines their brotherhood. So, yes, I wonder whether I need honor these people and pretend that they are worthy of the privileges of the First Amendment which I have in my gut the sense that they will abuse.
Current Brandeisians are not standing by their alum. The school’s liberal activist blog, Innermost Parts, has joined with several other school organizations, including J Street U and the Muslim Students’ Association to circulate a petition demanding that Peretz, as a distinguished alum, apologize for his words. Here’s an excerpt from the petition, which you can read in full here:
Your recent remarks are appalling, and do not reflect the values of the broader Brandeis community.
Recently, in your September 4th column, you claimed that Muslims don’t value human life, that they are soft on terrorism, and that you wish to strip them of their First Amendment Rights.
That was unacceptable, irresponsible, and wrong…
Attacking people’s First Amendment rights is un-American, un-Brandeisian, and unethical. You’re hurting us. You’re hurting our Islamic community members, our pride in you, and our good name.
We, the united Brandeis community, respectfully and firmly demand you apologize.
As of this posting, 371 people have signed the petition. Peretz has also issued an apology for some of what he wrote in the above post, saying of his call to suspend Muslims’ first-amendment rights, “I wrote that, but I do not believe that.”
