This week, the Muslim Student Union of the University of California at Irvine is sponsoring an anti—Israel, pro—terror conference titled "Holocaust in the Holy Land."  (hat tip: David Horowitz)  The conference includes presentations on such topics as "Hamas: The People's Choice"; "Zionism Hijacking Judaism"; "Israel: The 4th Reich"; and "Islamic Palestine." 

Note the double entendre of the use of the word "holocaust" in the conference title, which not only refers to the bogus claim that Israel is perpetuating a holocaust on Palestinians, but harkens to the real holocaust yet to come once Iran — hence, militant Islam — obtains nuclear weapons.

The featured speaker at the conference is Norman Finkelstein, a notorious academic who has made a career out of anti—Semitic Israel bashing.  He is much beloved by Islamic radicals and neo—Nazis alike. 

Other speakers include Iman Mohammad Al Asi, a senior member of the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought, which is dedicated to promoting the "global Islamic movement" as "an alternative worldview to that of western civilization."  

Think about that mission statement for a moment.  Here is the Islamic challenge laid bare.  Nothing less than "western civilization" —— including political, economic, religious, and artistic freedom; female emancipation and sexual freedom; and a predominantly secular, individualistic society — is at stake in this conflict.

And make no mistake, this is about much more than Muslim antipathy for Jews and Israel.  Islamic fomenters like Al Asi are just as opposed to "imperialist Christians" as they are to "Zionist Jews."  They might hide their beliefs and ambitions behind elaborate religious dogma, but their ultimate message rings loud and clear:  "committed Muslims" (i.e., radical Islamists) must consolidate their hold over the Middle East, expel Jews and Christians from their midst, and fight to expand Islamic influence and control across the globe.  In other words, violence and terrorism is their religious duty, and peaceful coexistence with non—Muslims, an impossibility. 

Another speaker at the conference is Amir Abdel Malik Ali.  He will be lecturing on "Israel: The 4th Reich" and "Islamic Palestine."  It is quite obvious what his "perspective" is.  Malik Ali is a well—known purveyor of anti—semitic hate speech.  He has brought his particular brand of "thinking" to U.C. Irvine before, when he called for a "one—state" solution to the Israeli—Palestinian problem — in which Muslims prevail.

U.C. Irvine officials have steadfastly refused to condemn the conference. Instead, they hide behind facile notions of free speech and equal treatment to avoid confronting the ugly reality that militant Islam is alive and well on America's college campuses —— and using American freedoms to propagate an ideology that is adamantly opposed to the basic fabric of our society.  David Horowitz rightly notes

"if anyone doubted that the situation on our campuses was dangerous, this little event should be a wake up call."

Steven M. Warshawsky   5 16 06