UNITARIANS, GILAD ATZMON, HAMAS FLAG? BERKELEY!

Last night the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists hosted Gilad Atzmon, a stridently prolix anti-Semitic enemy of Israel and Jew-hater.
Yes, Gilad Atzmon used to be Jewish and Israeli, and now passionately hates both Jews and Israelis. Perhaps he has issues. That isn't really germane.

[BFUU: Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar Street, Berkeley, CA 94709.]



CONTROVERSIAL? TRY REPREHENSIBLE'!

After the Berkeley Unitarians had been made aware of the "controversial" nature of Gilad Atzmon's writings, they decided to go ahead with the planned event, claiming they had merely "contracted to rent the BFUU hall" for a "group the BFUU-SJC had supported before", namely the ISM (International Solidarity Movement). They also assert that they were unaware "at the time" of mr. Atzmon's reputation.

[BFUU-SJC = Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists - Social Justice Committee.]


Both of those are very interesting claims. Absurd and entirely unbelievable, but interesting.


The internet is a potent source of information.


A search using the name 'Gilad Atzmon' pulls up scads of stuff, the majority of which is mister Atzmon's own torrid rhetoric, most of which is hatefilled faux-intellectual garbage. And please note that while his supposed claim to fame is as a saxophonist, his poison penmanship is what stands out - so much so that one might overlook his music.
He certainly makes no effort to hide his rabid hatred of Israel, or Jews, or even the US. His published articles and his own internet site prove him to be a racist and bigot.
Yes, Gilad Atzmon used to be Jewish and Israeli, and now loathes both Jews and Israelis. Probably he has issues, but that isn't really germane.



PROTEST

At six thirty in the evening, about twenty of us gathered outside the BFUU hall (located at 1924 Cedar Street in Berkeley, one block up from the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Cedar), to protest Gilad Atzmon's scheduled performance, the BFUU for hosting it (and, as they admit, initially cosponsoring - though they are fudging their role in their latest handout), Bay Area Women in Black for organizing the event, and the ISM for being dangerous radicals involved in a number of pro-Hamas events. Flags, signs, and a clear message calling the BFUU to task for promoting and enabling anti-Semitism.

This did not please the BFUU. Some of their members stood outside the building looking farklempt. One of their members is a racist Jew who screamed at us. Another one is a Columbian woman who may have had a few cocktails before she tried to snatch a sign. Most of them were far too sour and sullen to scream or snatch.
Solidly bourgeois Berkeleyites just don't do such things.

But the BFUU did have the able assistance of Stephen Pearcy and his friend Joseph Anderson, vocalizing on their behalf.



STEPHEN PEARCY & JOSEPH ANDERSON

Stephen Pearcy, a Berkeley resident known for his flip utterances in support of violent action, an effigy of an American soldier strung up with a noose hanging from the eaves of his house in Sacramento, and praise of selective murder, came armed with a Hamas flag. It was on a very long pole - he may be compensating for something.

[He was not accompanied by his wife Virginia Pearcy (affectionately called "Little Pooh Blossom" by those of us who know of her support for extremist causes). A very great pity, as I would've loved to have seen what she looks like now that she is an adult.]


Joseph Anderson merely brought his own self. Joseph Anderson's claim to fame is his stated conviction that all Jews are legitimate targets, coupled with the paranoid belief that Noam Chomsky is a closeted Zionist apologist (*), along with almost every other left-wing Jew.
He is also in favour of cop killing, according to his own writings.

[Joseph Anderson: 'Karmic Justice': http://www.sfbayview.com/2009/karmic-justice/
'Why We Hate Cops': http://www.prisoners.com/hatecops.html
Article in which the closeted Zionist apologist accusation appears: http://dissidentvoice.org/June06/Anderson08.htm and also http://peaceandjustice.org/article.php/20060612173054885]



STALWART PARTISANS OF THE BFUU

Both of these gentlemen (Stephen Pearcy and Joseph Anderson) are perfect representatives of Berkeley peace activists, and of the BFUU. There can be no better illustration of everything that the Social Justice Committee of the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists stands for, than a virulent Hamas supporter and a violent bigot who applauds the murder of cops.

Seeing Stephen Pearcy and his friend Joseph Anderson with a Hamas flag outside the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists was perfect.
Just perfect.


Hearing them was even better.

It doesn't get more Berkeley than that.