The Resident Anti-Semite of ‘The Nation’ and UC Santa Barbara [on Richard Falk]

Universities and respectable publications wouldn’t dare to employ a Ku Klux Klansman or someone who spewed hatred against homosexuals. If, however, it is Jews that someone speaks about, then the rules are different.

Richard Falk is a man who blames the Boston marathon terrorist attack on Israel (and America) – and shouldn’t be employed by government organizations, media or academic institutions. That same man has claimed that the 9/11 World Trade Center attack was an American government conspiracy. He posted on his website a blood-soaked dog eating bones, urinating on lady justice – wearing a yarmulke with a Jewish star.

While Richard Falk’s views are fitting (and probably required for his job) as “United Nations Human Rights Council Special Ambassador,” this is clearly conduct which should not be permitted by others. Falk’s most recent offensive comments saw him this week saying that if renewed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) fail, the UN General Assembly should turn to the International Court of Justice and seek an opinion on “the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of land claimed by the Palestinians.” An anti-Semite suggests if one anti-Israel forum doesn’t hit Israel hard enough, let’s go to another.

While it is far from shocking to see anti-Israel and anti-American forces at work in the United Nations, one wonders how his other employers’ continue to employ him.

Falk is a member of the editorial board of The Nation, which claims to be “the flagship of the left,” the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. (Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said, “Once again, United Nations official Richard Falk has spewed more mean-spirited, anti-Semitic rhetoric, this time blaming the attacks in Boston on President Obama and the State of Israel. The United Nations should be ashamed to even be associated with such an individual.”) If the UN should be ashamed, then why not The Nation? How can anyone allow someone with such horrific views to sit on their board? Lest one forget, for many years The Nation accepted advertisements from the Institute for Historical Review, which is devoted to Holocaust denial.

Richard Falk is a professor emeritus of international law and practice at Princeton University, and listed as a “Visiting Distinguished Professor” at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) a public research university. While the school’s website informs visitors that the school is ranked as a top 10 among all American public universities, any so-called awards should be marred by highlighting Falk on the site. (As David Horowitz has noted, there’s plenty of free speech at UCSB – except when it comes to conservative issues, or condemning “hatred of Israel and of Jews.”) Distinguished?

Falk has compared Israelis to Nazis and criticized Israel for the gall of keeping a terrorist, Islamic Jihad leader in protective custody. (Of course, if he were released and placed a bomb, Israel could be blamed.).

The United Kingdom, in a statement by its UN mission, noted last year (before this most recent incident) that this was “the third time we have had cause to express our concerns about Mr. Falk’s anti-Semitic remarks. It is important to the U.K. that special rapporteurs uphold the highest standards in their work and we have twice previously made clear that remarks by Mr. Falk were unacceptable.” United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Falk’s statements “undermine the credibility and work of the UN.” One could go on and on and on, but his record is clear. The United Nations Special Rapporteur is a gross and despicable racist and anti-Semite.

This PR firm CEO says immediately, The Nation and The University of California, Santa Barbara should cut all ties to Richard Falk. It is disgraceful to employ – and encourage – and pay someone with viewpoints like these.

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