Rights? We don't need no stinking rights!

[catscradle]

Hanan Ashrawi, former spokeswoman for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (resigned in 1998) was harrassed during her speech at Colorado College in Colorado Springs yesterday. Seems our own Governor Bill Owens tried to stop her from speaking along with CO law makers John Andrews, Lola Spradley and Debbie Stafford. Stafford made the statement "This symposium is representitive of the absolute brainwashing of our children." None of them seemed to note it was equal time on the part of the university as today's keynote speaker at the college is Gideon Doron, the advisor to former Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin.

On an interesting note, former Ohio governor (my home state) Richard Celeste is now the president of the Colorado College and defended the school's position, stating that it was a "scholarly exchange of ideas."

From a CNN article:

Gov. Bill Owens criticized the schools for allowing Ashrawi to speak, saying on a talk radio show Thursday that she applauds terrorism and worked to divide the Middle East.

CU Regent Tom Lucero also objected to the visit at a board meeting, but was told by lawyers that it could not be blocked.

Ashrawi, now secretary-general of the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, said Friday she would not cancel.

"I've survived many things, including assassination attempts and interrogations and beatings, and I won't be terrorized by people who think they have a monopoly on people's consciousness," she said.

Somehow I bet most of the people involved in the protest to have her removed have no idea she's a christian.

Hanan Ashrawi responded to the protest signs rather powerfully :

Don't you find that demeaning to yourselves? I urge you to listen, you might learn something. I wasn't distracted by bullets, and I won't be distracted by signs."