Academic Group Adopts Even-Handed Resolution On the Middle East (Yes, you read that correctly)

Under the category of "Hell freezes over" in academia, Inside Higher Education reports that the Modern Language Association rejected a Middle East resolution put forth by the "Radical Caucus" in favor of a more moderate stand.

The original resolution, submitted by Grover Furr on behalf of the Radical Caucus in English and Modern Languages declared [pdf]:

Whereas some organizations and individuals have urged that faculty, writers and speakers who criticize Zionism and Israeli policies be denied tenure, disinvited to speak, speak only when “balanced” by a pro-Zionist speaker, or be fraudulently called “anti-Semitic”; and

Whereas this constitutes a serious danger to academic study and discussion in the USA today,

Resolved that the MLA defend the Academic Freedom and the Freedom of Speech of faculty and invited speakers to criticize Zionism and Israel.

Cary Nelson--a professor of English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and also president of the American Association of University Professors--offered a substitute resolution that was approved by a vote of 63 to 30. As Inside Higher Education reports:

Nelson’s substitute noted that the “Middle East is a subject of intense debate,” said it was “essential that colleges and universities protect faculty rights to speak forthrightly on all sides of the issue,” and urged colleges to “resist” pressure from outside groups about tenure reviews and speakers and to instead uphold academic freedom. Nelson’s resolution did not identify one side or the other as victim or villain in the campus debates over the Middle East and said that academic freedom must apply to people “to address the issue of the Middle East in the manner they choose.”

Defenders of the original version faulted Nelson’s version for being even-handed.

Barbara Foley, a professor of English at Rutgers University at Newark, said that “it’s not a 50-50 situation” and that the focus of criticism needs to be on Israel’s supporters because of Israel’s role as a recipient of U.S. aid, and the way “powerful supporters” of Israel meddle on campuses. “Let’s talk about what’s real here. It’s not anti-Semitic to focus on this particular set of academics who really need our support.”

Supporters of the switch to Nelson’s version said that they didn’t doubt that some critics of Israel have been attacked — in a number of instances unfairly. But they argued that the MLA shouldn’t be picking sides, and that the principles behind defending Israel’s critics should apply to its supporters as well. One professor said: “Academic freedom is meaningless unless it applies to all points of view.” Another said that even if 95 percent of disputes over academic freedom and the Middle East relate to one side of the argument, the principle of academic freedom should be paramount, not helping those 95 percent over the 5 percent.

Wow, sanity. Someone in academia please forward a copy of this resolution to the Ad Hoc Committee to Defend the University.