Write, but do not offend. Speak and comment, but do not divide. Observe cruelties, barbarities and murder, yet refrain from having an opinion. This is the constipating, stifling regime being put in place via suggested codes of conduct for organisers of writer events in Australia. The object of this intellectual veiling: discussing the exterminating war in Gaza. Across the country, the straitjacket of forced social harmony is being applied.
The Bendigo Writers Festival, being held in Victoria, Australia, is the latest case point, joining the Sydney Writers Festival, Melbourne Writers Festival, the Perth Writers’ Weekend, the Sydney Opera House’s All About Women and Adelaide Writers Week in the controversy league tables. Free speech and academic freedoms have come to be seen increasingly dangerous, necessitating the culling and silencing of ideas. While such events are rarely controversial and mostly tepid affairs, filled with the clubbable types who rarely bathe in the bracing waters of controversy, this year’s event promised to be a bit different. Wars of liquidation and conquest are up for discussion, and the organising committee, the Greater Bendigo City Council, was worried. Add La Trobe University to the organisational mix, an institution that has a proven record in intellectual cowardice and managerial paranoia, then cracks are bound to appear in the edifice.
On August 13, writers received an email from the organisers warning participants in La Trobe Presents panels that they adhere to the university’s code of conduct. For those familiar with such vexing instruments, they are designed to preserve a fetid status quo approved by university politburos, concealing the mischief of a white–collar criminal class while punishing the curious and the questioning. The language used is almost always infantilisingand demeaning, potty training for naughty types.
Under the “Inclusivity and Diversity” section of the code, those involved in the festival would have to comply “with the principles espoused in La Trobe’s Anti-Racism Plan, including the definitions of antisemitism and Islamophobia in the Plan.” The definition of antisemitism adopted by La Trobe is one approved by Universities Australia and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, high bastions of lexical, censoring lunacy: “For most, but not all Jewish Australians, Zionism is a core part of their Jewish identity. Substituting the word ‘Zionist’ for ‘Jew’ does not eliminate the possibility of speech being antisemitic.” The code of conduct also notes the requirement to engage in the sedating atmosphere of “respectful engagement”: “Avoid language or topics that could be considered inflammatory, divisive, or disrespectful.” Best not think too much, then.
The potty training missive prompted a surge of indignant withdrawals, among them Randa Abdel-Fattah, Evelyn Araluen, Maddison Griffiths, Jacinta Le Plastrier, Jess Hill, Thomas Mayo, and Cher Tan. Abdel-Fattah’s letter announcing her withdrawal from the event attacked the adopted definition as one that “conflates anti-Zionism and antisemitism.” It also censored “public debate on Israel’s violations of international law” and “directly infringes on my right to speak as a Palestinian as well as my freedom of speech and academic freedom.” The author also declared that she could not participate “in any festival that asks me to endorse a framework that demands my self-censorship. At a time when journalists are being permanently silenced by Israel’s genocidal forces, it is incomprehensible that a writers’ festival should also seek to silence Palestinian voices.”
Araluen also took issue with the infringing nature of the antisemitism definition. As a First Nations woman, she was obligated to speak out against oppression, “which includes speaking out against Israel’s ongoing UN defined genocide of the Palestinian people.”
Hill, an investigative journalist, wondered why authors could be invited to speak if they were deemed unreliable agents of responsible debate. “The message we’re sending is if you try to restrict speech at a festival of ideas in the future, the very viability of our festival will be at risk.” A joint statement from Hill and authors Sonya Orchard and Kirstin Duncanson announcing their withdrawal from their scheduled event Not On, which would have discussed violence against women and children, argued that “the Festival’s newly issued Code of Conduct has made our participation impossible.”
The Human Rights Law Centre was also approached by certain festival participants regarding the adopted antisemitism definition and their fears about its application. This prompted the body to seek “urgent clarification” from the organisers as to how the provision within the code would be treated, notably on such topics as First Nations sovereignty, feminism and women’ rights, statements accusing Israel of committing crimes against Palestinians and critiques of Zionism.
On August 14, a spokesperson for the Bendigo Writers Festival provided a statement to Crikey professing its commitment “to holding an event that engages in respectful debate, open minded discussion, and explores topical and complex issues.” Scrappy, cerebrally lethal terms such as “safety and wellbeing” were to be emphasised as “necessary.” Codes of conduct were useful points of reference “to guide expectations for respectful discussion, particularly when exploring past and current challenging, distressing and traumatic world events.” Those withdrawing from the festival were breezily thanked “for their initial willingness” to be involved, while the festival, albeit with an adjusted program, would continue. How fitting it would be if no one turned up.
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Disagreeing with the actions of Israel’s government, is not a sign of antisemitism, rather it’s a sign good sense and moral fibre.
By passing these laws regarding what one can say, write or even think, is just an ongoing process of dumbing down the people, it makes the introduction of authoritarianism so much easier.
“For most, but not all Jewish Australians, Zionism is a core part of their Jewish identity. Substituting the word ‘Zionist’ for ‘Jew’ does not eliminate the possibility of speech being antisemitic.”
Is this a case of having a bob each way?
Terry:
It’s more about letting Bibi have his way.
Zionism is a political movement, that has engaged in terrorism in the past and some would suggest they are engaged in it today. They are certainly terrorising Gasans and those in the East Bank.
Zionists are the planet’s original terrorists; they began as soon as Israel was granted the ‘right’ to occupy Palestinian lands. The paramilitary organisation known as Irgun operated for nearly twenty years and carried out a brutal campaign of massacre against both Palestinians & British.
Both Hannah Arendt and Albert Einstein compared Irgun to Nazi and Fascist parties and described it as a “terrorist, right wing, chauvinist organisation.”
Menachem Begin, the Belarusian Jew who emigrated to Israel and was later to become prime minister, was one of the leaders of Irgun and claimed responsibility for the bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem in July 1946, an attack that targeted the British and which killed and wounded around 150 victims, Jews, Arabs, and British.
That this psychopathic monster was to later become the political leader of that blighted country says it all… there is no chance of redemption for those cursed occupiers and their supporters.
No, Canguro, terrorism existed long before that. As far back as you look in recorded human history, you will find it. We’re an aggressive, bloodthirsty and power-hungry species.
Colonialism, empire-building, conversion by force, crusades, pogroms … what are they but forms of terrorism?
You are so right. Sadly, politicians and the media change the meaning of words to suit themselves.
Bugger.Lost my reply. Sad loss of golden prose to readers!
Gist was IHRA attempt to redefine anti-semitism must be resisted, especially in universities.
“..“Antisemitism is discrimination, prejudice, harassment, exclusion, vilification, intimidation or violence that impedes Jews’ ability to participate as equals in educational, political, religious, cultural, economic or social life…”
I agree; overt anti-semitism is to be deplored. The salient point in this definition however is that many Zionists, including “Christian Zionists” act solely at a political level not principally at a religious level of discourse. To say that anti-semitism “impedes Jews’ ability to participate as equals” ignores the fact that many Jews and most Zionists proclaim that they are “Gods chosen people”, thus they actively exclude themselves from social activities where equality is is the norm. Interference in the activities of the Writers’ Festivals and censoring in universities is reminiscent of the Burning of the Books in Germany during 1933. Australian Writers are being intimidated by political Zionists. The Special Envoy to Combat Anti-semitism should combat this anti-democratic behaviour and support the right of free speech.
Many, but not all, Jews seem to argue that they should be accorded the right to behave appallingly and not be criticised for so doing. Their ‘in a nutshell’ position would argue that it’s fair and proper to discriminate, to support a system of apartheid, to designate Palestinians as second-class people or worse, subhuman, to butcher at will men, women & children, to violate treaties, steal land, destroy livelihoods, raze cities and institutions, and all the while saying, in effect, ‘how dare you criticise us for these behaviours, how antisemitic.’
They are, objectively, amongst the worst hypocrites and examples of humanity currently in existence. Liars, cheats, deceivers, murderers, hubristic & contemptuous of norms, appalling people.
I cannot perceive the Bendigo Writers Festival was going to succeed. As of Sunday night, as I write this, I am told about 50 writers withdrew from the event. The gala ball that was to have been held on Friday evening was cancelled, probably due to the inadequate numbers that were to remain and the absence of many of the keynote writers.
Along with the fact that so many of the good writers were missing. the final outcome would be a failure, as many potential attendees (non-writers) would also cancel plans for attending. Either due to their support of the writers or for the fact that there was no longer to be such a great cross-section of writers, which would have made attending a waste of time.
La Trobe University and the Writers Festival organisers should hang their heads in shame for destroying what would have been a wonderful event. All those responsible should lose their jobs and new people, with a dedication to free and open discussions, should be hired. That is what festival attendees expect. Until this happens, the Festival is as good as dead for the future.
@Terry Mills
“For most, but not all Jewish Australians, Zionism is a core part of their Jewish identity. Substituting the word ‘Zionist’ for ‘Jew’ does not eliminate the possibility of speech being antisemitic.”
May I suggest we then substitute the word “Fascist” for “Zionist”.
That resolves the “Anti-Semitism” issue and more accurately describes those people, including the Jewish Australians, without being anti-Semitic.
Because, at the end of the day, that is what these people are. They meet all the requirements of the definition and their behaviour defines them more than any labels.
We are talking about people whose culture and attitudes are racist, discriminatory, sadistic, nationalistic, cruel and just plain nasty. There can be no justification for being prevented from calling it out and for playing the Victim card as an answer to charges of Genocide, murder, starvation, torture and displacement of an entire other population of peoples. There are good Jews who don’t support this behaviour – and we don’t hate them at all – and there are Zionist arseholes, who will get no free pass or sympathy from me.
Just remember that the Zionists assassinated their prime Minister, Rabin, for having the temerity to come up with a peaceful solution with the then leader of Palestine, Arafat. They do NOT want peace and will do anything and kill anyone for their cause. That makes them dangerous Fascists, not God’s Chosen people. What an offensive claim!
I see that a demonstrator in the UK has been arrested for wearing a T-Shirt with the slogan Plasticine Action! which it appears could be deemed antisemitic – it seems that this action may not be limited to plasticine but also playdough and other manipulative play materials.
I hear that Sharri Markson on SKY after Dark will be devoting an entire program to this important issue and inviting commentary from her regular – expert on everything – guest, Bronwyn Bishop.
@Terry Mills… re. The Beehive… will she be helicoptered in?