No Dinner With Zionist Chem (Altered Version)

Translation / Interpretation / Caption Text

Image source:

https://twitter.com/Scott_Wiener

___________________________________________

Click here to view the original, unaltered version of this poster published by Students for Justice in Palestine

_____________________________________________

Curator's note: The difference between this poster and the original version is that the red/blood has been added to the original to create this altered version.

Analysis / Interpretation / Press / Source

EXCERPT

Statement from Dean Erwin Chemerinsky - Berkeley Law

04/10/2024

The week before the dinners, there was an awful poster on social media and bulletin boards in the law school building of a caricature of me holding a bloody knife and fork and with blood around my lips, with the words in large letters: “No dinner with Zionist Chem while Gaza starves.” I never thought I would see such blatant antisemitism, with an image that invokes the horrible antisemitic trope of blood libel and that attacks me for no apparent reason other than I am Jewish. Although many complained to me about the posters and how it offended them, I felt that though deeply offensive, they were speech protected by the First Amendment. But I was upset that those in our community had to see this disturbing, antisemitic poster around the law school.

Source:

https://www.law.berkeley.edu/article/statement-from-dean-erwin-chemerinsky/

________________________________________________________________________

EXCERPT

‘The Antisemitism Is Absolutely Disproportionate’ - Politico

04/14/2024

Let’s start with the protest and confrontation at Dean Chemerinsky’s home in Berkeley. Do you think that the students stepped over the line by interrupting this dinner? Did the dean or his wife, Professor Catherine Fisk, step over the line in shutting down their remarks?

The students overstepped the line by disrupting a purely social event at a private home that was intended to celebrate the collective accomplishments of all the third-year law students. They telegraphed their opposition by calling for a boycott [in advance of the event] — that was fine, that was completely within their rights. But they did it in a horrific way, by employing an antisemitic caricature of Dean Chemerinsky.

What’s interesting is Dean Chemerinsky is a nationally renowned First Amendment expert. And even though he was offended and hurt by the caricature, he defended their right to employ it. He has been the most consistent protector of First Amendment rights of students and student protests as well as others, even when he’s the target of it.

Source:

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/14/a-california-regent-confronts-the-limits-of-free-speech-0015210