BOSTON, Mass.–A protest has been announced online against Abraham Foxman, long-time Director of the Anti-Defamation League, who is planned to speak at Suffolk University Law School’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 17th. The protest, organized by activists within the Boston Armenian community, aims to bring attention to Foxman’s decades-long effort to thwart official US government recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Suffolk University President James McCarthy has come under fire for the choice of Foxman as speaker, as well as Suffolk University Law School’s decision to award Foxman an honorary law degree. In spite of a petition circulated by the National Lawyers Guild at Suffolk Law advocating for Foxman’s invitation to be revoked that garnered over 1,000 signatures and broad opposition in the community at large, the school has shown no intention of reversing its decision. Suffolk’s administration issued a defensive statement instead, quoted in The Boston Globe: “Mr. Foxman’s body of work is well deserving of recognition. . . .It is our hope that Mr. Foxman’s personal story as a Holocaust survivor and attorney who has dedicated his life to public service will inspire our graduates as they embark on their professional careers.”
When pressed in a 2007 interview with JTA if he had “done anything wrong” by engaging in a concerted effort against the recognition of a genocide, Foxman said, “It was also very clear to me that after the United States, the most important ally Israel has is Turkey. It’s a country that not only has promised to provide Israel with water until moshiach comes, but it’s a country that permits Israel’s pilots to do maneuvers over its land. And so, to me, it was very clear that there are two moral issues, but one trumps the other.”
Later in the same interview, Foxman offered his explanation for the criticism that the ADL received for opposing recognition of the Armenian Genocide from within the Jewish community. “That comes out of a changed demography, sociology. When we talk about assimilation, when we talk about intermarriage–you know what, that’s what it is.”
Meanwhile, outrage over Suffolk’s choice of commencement speaker has spread beyond the Armenian community. Foxman’s vocal support of the racial profiling of Muslims has drawn additional condemnation from students and the community, as has his stance on the Park 51 mosque controversy, during which he argued that the mosque should not be allowed to be built in the vicinity of Ground Zero. He was quoted in a 2010 article in Newsweek, explaining, “Their [the families of 9/11 victims] anguish entitles them to positions that others would categorize as irrational or bigoted.”
The protest will be held beginning at noon on Saturday, May 17th, outside Boston’s Wang Theatre where the commencement is scheduled to take place.
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What a waste of time and effort! Abe foxman is a hero in the battle against bigotry and oppression. And check your facts — foxman has recognized the genocide of Armenians.
Check yours please. His statements on the subject support the protestors claims.
It’s all about Israel’s relationship with Turkey.
He is a hypocrite.
To Phil – clearly, you have not checked your facts and viewed video footage of his clear opposition of the Armenian Genocide, solely because it’s not in the best interest of Israel.
To Suffolk – As a double alumnus, I refuse give any alumni donations as my personal money would be used to helped fund a racist. Suffolk’s values are declining with this new president.
Waay off, Phil.
Foxman: “I don’t know what happened in 1915.” You call that recognition?
For over a decade he has worked in concert with the Turkish lobby to deny and suppress recognition of the Armenian genocide. No this is not a waste of time. The world needs to know that a holocaust survivor, in the end, has learned nothing!
Suffolk University President James McCarthy, should have invited Andrew Tarsy, as commencement speaker, instead of Abe Foxman!
ADL = Abe’s Defamation League
Read the explanation of how the ADL has actually tried to fool people about the Armenian genocide:
http://npfdinfo.blogspot.com/2007/10/has-adl-acknowledged-armenian-genocide.html
Phil,get your facts right before you come out with such rubbish.