Faris- Wheeling and Dealing

Charles comments below at Covenant Zone that our intelligentsia is missing the point. Below Charles' comment is a piece from a local Internet site showing just how little they grasp of reality, and in this particular case, how little a political science professor at UBC gets. We must ask just what we can expect from students who graduate out of our universities when the likes of this fellow are instructing them in the nature of sophisticated intellectual analysis.
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"[I]t feels like there are far more left-leaning people who understand Israel's reaction as a justified self-defensive measure... and are willing to say so.

The exception seem to be the university denizens, still saying and doing what they said and did back in the 90s. The people in the "learning" business seem to be the ones least capable of changing what they think."

http://covenantzone.blogspot.com/
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And now, as promised, a poitical science professor from our local university:

Ottawa's pro-Israel tilt could take political toll: Arab critics

Canadian Press Published: Wednesday, July 19, 2006

OTTAWA (CP) - Arab-Canadian critics say Prime Minister Stephen Harper will pay a political price for what they're calling an unabashed pro-Israel shift.

"It has left a bad taste in everybody's mouth," says Hani Faris, a professor of political science at the University of British Columbia who grew up in Lebanon.

"There is basically no concern for the sentiments or the feelings of the hundreds of thousands of Arab-Canadians or those who sympathize with (them)."
[....]

Harper has said the onus is on militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas to stop long-running attacks against Israel and return the kidnapped soldiers.

"I think we have to hold ultimately responsible for the violence people who advocate it as a solution and act upon those desires," Harper said Tuesday in Paris.

Several Canadian Arab groups have accused Harper of abandoning a traditional federal position that recognized Israel's right to exist while showing balanced concern for affected Arab communities.

[....]

Harper has deliberately sharpened that pro-Israel tone, Faris said in an interview Tuesday.

"These are his own ideological leanings, his alliances.

"Canada is unfortunately forsaking its humanitarian position . . . . It is losing its even-handedness and balance on Middle Eastern issues ."

Faris recalled a meeting he had last year with former Liberal foreign affairs minister Pierre Pettigrew on similar concerns.

"I told him: 'Don't take Arab-Canadians for granted. There are hundreds of thousands of them.' "

To put it in crass political terms, at least one Conservative estimate says there are about 800,000 Arab-Canadian votes versus around 300,000 Jewish votes.
[....]

Ottawa's pro-Israel tilt could take political toll: Arab critics
Canada.com, Canada
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That's why we call it political "Science." Hey, we ain't no dummies here. We can even do some basic adding and subtracting. Scientifically speaking, therefore, more Muslims means democracy should keep the Liberal Party in power so they can be balanced in favor of terrorists. It's science, you know.

And do you know what else?
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Mission Statement of the Palestine Community Centre in British Columbia:

To establish a community center in British Columbia which aims to provide social, cultural, and political programs and services; where a sense of belonging and unity are strengthened.

To Serve the Arab Community in BC and to protect and preserve the Palestinian national identity.

To empower the Arab Community and its political presence in BC.

Our Goals

1) To protect and preserve the Palestine national identity.

2) To defend the social, cultural and political rights of the Palestinian and Arab Community in BC.

3) To provide services to the community, which includes:
a) To teach the Arabic language to youth, adults and children
b) To teach the English language to new immigrants and others.
c) To raise the awareness of the Palestinian & Arab communities on issues related to citizenship rights and responsibilities, elections, history of Canada and immigration services.
d) To offer special programs on health and social issues such as Aids, drugs, sexual harassment, etc.

4) To raise awareness and focus on the history of the Arab culture and civilization.

5) To offer programs on folk arts such as: Dabka folk dance, music and visual arts.

6) To teach the history of the Palestinian people and the history of their struggle against Zionism and occupation.

7) To defend the national and natural rights of the Palestinian people (right of return for Palestinian refugees & national independence)

8) To unify the Arab community regardless of their color, gender, age or beliefs.

9) The center adopts a clear and firm stand to support all oppressed groups and nationalities in BC, Canada, and worldwide.

10) The centre aims to develop the relationship between Palestinians and the native groups and their struggle for land and self-determination.
www.workingtv.com/palestinebanquet.html
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Hani Faris is not only an oppressed Palestinian, he's a scientist! Wow, is that cool or what?!