Political events converge at UCI

UC IRVINE — Three self-proclaimed former terrorists visited the Bren Events Center on Wednesday night to urge students to condemn Islamic fundamentalism, comparing America’s modern enemies to the Nazis and calling on Muslims to take a stand against human rights abuses in the Middle East.

The appearance by Walid Shoebat, Zak Anani and Kamal Saleem, who bill themselves as the “3 Ex-Terrorists,” capped a day when UCI held events centered around tolerance and racial and religious differences.

The speakers at the Bren center repeatedly denounced Islam and terrorism — often combining the two — and said they favored any belief system that respected differences.

“Do I promote hate speech? Sure,” Shoebat said. “I hate terrorism. I will speak against terrorism my entire life.”

Shoebat, Saleem and Anani have spoken on television and a number of college campuses nationwide. The former two call themselves ex-members of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, and Anani says he joined a Lebanese militia as a teenager and killed 223 people — although some critics have questioned the truth of his stories and debated whether his alleged actions qualify him as a terrorist.

Marya Bangee, the spokeswoman of UCI’s Muslim Student Union, didn’t attend the 3 Ex-Terrorists’ appearance but said she was dismayed that the College Republicans had invited them to campus.

“I think it’s a disturbing event,” she said. “The College Republicans should know better. From what I hear, the Ex-Terrorists are against Islam, and they try to equate Islam with terrorism.”

Wednesday’s presentation drew an enthusiastic response from the crowd of several hundred, which repeatedly applauded the speakers’ comments and gave each one a standing ovation. At one point, Saleem did an impression of what he called America’s response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: He lay on the stage and pretended to snore, eliciting laughs from the audience.

“When 9/11 happened, America woke up, only to hit the snooze button and go back to sleep,” he said.

The 3 Ex-Terrorists’ appearance marked the third politically themed event held at or near UCI on Wednesday.

At noon, the Academic Senate hosted a rally in Aldrich Park titled Stand Together for Tolerance, with more than 200 students and faculty joining hands in a circle to honor religious diversity.

In the evening, Chancellor Michael Drake spoke about allegations of campus anti-Semitism at a Jewish Federation of Orange County meeting.

UCI has been a hotbed of political controversy over the last few months, as anti-Zionism rallies by the Muslim Student Union and an appearance by former President Jimmy Carter have drawn criticism from students and community members.

Administrators have said that Wednesday’s three events were scheduled on the same day by coincidence.

Drake addressed hundreds of Jewish Federation members and others at Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot in Irvine. Rather than directly comment on the allegations of anti-Semitism, the chancellor spoke at length about the 1st Amendment and especially about free speech. He acknowledged that freedom of expression is protected by the Constitution but stressed repeatedly that he abhors hate speech.

“The antidote to hate speech is not more hate speech,” Drake said. “It is speech of love and beauty.”

The noon rally in Aldrich Park had a similar message. Academic Senate Chairwoman Martha Mecartney began the event with brief remarks about 1st Amendment rights while a number of local religious leaders — including Rabbi Mark Miller of Temple Bat Yahm and the Rev. Peter D. Haynes of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Parish Church — stood in the audience.

“We have a simple message — we, the faculty, staff and students of UC Irvine, believe in religious tolerance,” Mecartney said.

Afterward, Mecartney, her daughter Iris and Senate Chairman-elect Tim Bradley led the crowd in singing the Beatles’ “All You Need is Love.” The rally ended with organizers releasing 20 white doves from a large box by the podium.

Shilpa Shah, a third-year studio art major, was among the students joining hands during the rally.

She said the university could defuse conflicts between student groups by holding more events like Wednesday’s rally.

“I think there’s sometimes tension that can build up with some of the events happening overseas,” she said. “But an event like this reminds us that we’re all here as students.”