OCC will host Palestinian speaker today

Deirdre Newman

OCC CAMPUS -- The Muslim Student Assn. will host a daylong event today

at the college to support the Palestinian struggle against Israel.

The event, billed as “Free Palestine Day -- The Controversy Behind

Zionism,” will include two speakers. One of them will be Imam Mohammad

Al-Asi, an activist for human rights and Palestinian issues.

Political science professor Ken Hearlson said he is concerned about

Al-Asi voicing his opinions.

“They invite one of the No. 1 radical Islamists to the campus, and

he’s only here to criticize the Jews in Israel,” Hearlson said. “Maybe

he’s here to applaud and join hands with the Jews, I hope that’s

correct.”

Hearlson also maintained that invited speakers such as Al-Asi should

be subject to the same conduct of speech as professors.

Hearlson was accused in the fall of harassing Muslim students and was

eventually cleared of most of the charges. But he received what he

considered a reprimand from the college’s president, Margaret Gratton,

admonishing him for singling out specific students on the basis of their

religion or ethnicity and declaring that students should not feel

obligated to defend their religion.

“I think Al-Asi has the right of freedom of speech,” Hearlson said.

“But this was the type of speech that they accused me of. Whether it be

in the classroom or an outside speaker, if they have certain standards

for me, they should be the same for anyone.”

College spokesman Jim Carnett said the two speakers were approved by

the district as part of its normal procedure.

This is not the first time anti-Zionist demonstrations have provoked

controversy at the school. In November 2000, the Muslim Student Assn. was

denied use of rooms on campus for a similar program because college

officials feared the content might spark tension and offend Jewish

students. At that time, the group did not follow proper procedure,

Carnett said.

The college will employ the usual degree of campus security and will

not take any extra safety precautions for today’s event, Carnett said.

* Deirdre Newman covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at o7 deirdre.newman@latimes.comf7 .

FYI

Two lectures included as part of “Free Palestine Day -- The

Controversy Behind Zionism” will take place in the Orange Coast College

quad free speech zone and student lounge from noon to 2:30 p.m. and 6 to

8 p.m.