SJP’S INCENDIARY LOGO

In promoting their 2018 Conference on November 16-18 at UCLA, National SJP used a logo featuring a kite with the Palestinian flag. The logo pays homage to the work of the Hamas’ “Kite Unit”. These kites are weapons of terrorism, often marked with swastikas and armed with incendiary devices or IEDs (improvised explosive devices), meant to inflict maximum damage.

So far “terror kites” have caused over 1000 fires across southern Israel, burning up more than 7000 acres of forest and emitting tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

After review by UCLA, a cease and desist letter was sent to the group, asking SJP to stop “unauthorized use of the “UCLA” name and mascot to imply endorsement.” SJP removed the word UCLA, still utilized the bear and kept the kite.

NATIONAL SJP CONFERENCE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC

The 2018 National SJP conference is strictly closed to the public.

As of now, there will be no open debate, no chance for non-SJP members to engage in speech with members of National SJP. There will, however, be the exchange of ideas between individuals intent on making campus life uncomfortable for Jewish students.

UCLA CHANCELLOR’S STATEMENT

Despite the controversy over National SJP’s new logo and UCLA’s Cease and Desist letter, on November 12, 2018, UCLA Chancellor, Gene D. Block, published an explanation of his decision to allow the National SJP conference to go ahead as planned.

In his statement, Chancellor Block invoked UC’s Principles Against Intolerance to defend the decision. Upon closer analysis, his use of the principles proves exactly why the National SJP conference should at least be open to the public:

"Those values underpin the University of California’s “Principles Against Intolerance,” adopted in 2016. Even though our nation’s laws protect speech tainted by bias, stereotypes, prejudice and intolerance, the principles stress the need for mutual respect during debate in order to advance UC’s mission. The principles also warn about the dangers of anti-Semitic forms of anti-Zionism, in which criticism of Israel morphs into hostility against Jewish people."

Since the National SJP conference will be closed to the public, rather than being a space for “mutual respect during debate,” the completely private event will instead be a two-day safe space on the UCLA campus for “anti-Semitic forms of anti-Zionism” and criticism of Israel that “morphs into hostility against Jewish people;” exactly what the principles warn against.

Chancellor Block’s conclusion rounds this point off, ending with the claim that the conference should be allowed under “democracy’s commitment to open debate:”