Cabal criticizes Pacifica Forum

The recent attempt to link the Pacifica Forum to a spate of hate crimes in Eugene is another example of the unsavory tactics used by a small cabal of self-proclaimed community leaders who lobby to stigmatize our political discussion group because we speak candidly about (drum roll, please) � Israel and Zionist crime.

This is not our sole focus, but it is what stirred concern in the Jewish community, first in 2003 with the forum�s showing of two documentaries on Palestine. In 2006 came the proclamation that �an Anti-Hate Task Force had formed� to alert the public to (alleged) �anti-Semitism, in its backyard� (Register-Guard, Oct. 11, 2006). The task force�s rationale was an eight-lecture series spanning that year (we meet weekly).

It is noteworthy that most of the 28 coretask force members did not hear this series, nor had they attended a single Pacifica Forum. Yet in the first two months of its anti-Pacifica blitz, these folks said we were liars, anti-Semitic, twisted, bigots, ignorant, dangerous, frightening � not only for Jews. They injected misinformation into local papers, over the airwaves, and in numerous panel discussions � while dialogue with us was out of the question.

What they did not tell the public is the truth. The same small cabal has incited all anti-Pacifica activity since 2003. Their slime trail is well documented.

Orval Etter (Register-Guard, Dec. 6, 2006) said that Pacifica would perhaps �invite some anti-Zionist speakers� to counter their campaign.

We�ve finally done that.

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