NewU Feature: A Lonely Soldier

Following up on this previous post:

Link to article

Features
A Lonely Soldier
By Reut R. Cohen
Staff Writer

Adam Harmon is an American citizen, but he once served for the Israeli Defense Forces and has written about his experiences. He spoke at UC Irvine on Monday, Nov. 6. The Anteaters for Israel co-sponsored the event with the College Republicans and the Young Democrats in order to promote what AFI called “awareness” and “coalition building” on the UC Irvine campus.

Harmon, whose book is titled “Lonely Soldier,” described himself as coming from a “typical American Jewish family.” Originally from New England, Harmon had the opportunity to visit Israel as a teenager in 1984, at which time he knew that he wanted to live there someday. In 1990, the Palestinian Intifada was well under way and Iraq was invading Kuwait. Harmon, who had only seen Israel through the eyes of a tourist, was just out of college and decided to join the Israeli military.

Harmon became known as a “chayal boded” or “lonely soldier,” the official term for a newcomer to Israel.

“On the one hand, I’m an American … but there is something about my connection to [Israel],” Harmon said, adding that each time he visited Israel, he felt “an even stronger relationship” to the country, even coming to feel that “Jerusalem [is] like home.”

The transition for Harmon was difficult because he could not speak Hebrew. He described entering the military as something new and a bit scary, but felt that he needed to do this because he “came to the country [to] build a life there.” Harmon knew that joining the Israeli Defense Forces was something that he wanted.

“Like every other Israeli, I had to serve in the army. I knew that I wanted to,” Harmon said.

In the army, Harmon, who became a paratrooper, learned much about the Israeli military culture and general way of life.

“I’m not a person who does well with authority figures,” Harmon said. “Israeli commanders didn’t scream in my face.”

Harmon suggested that the experience was “far more hospitable” than he had expected and that it was “fair.” Harmon characterized his time with the military as “good” and “positive.”

Harmon emphasized that the Israeli military is unique in its high regard for individualism. His commanders relied more on achieving agreement than on issuing commands. Harmon said that every soldier has the moral obligation to disobey an order.

Harmon also said that the “Israeli military experience is informing the American experience in Iraq today.”

Brock Hill, a fourth-year political science major and president of the College Republicans at UCI, said that the event was very engaging and that he was happy to have co-sponsored it with AFI.

“It was really informative,” Hill said. “Personally, I found this event right up my alley. I’ve always been interested in the IDF because this military is focused on urban warfare. The United States has a lot to learn from their military.”

“It was a really interesting event,” said Emily Shaaya, a second-year social ecology major and co-president of AFI. “It was a great way for AFI to work with other clubs at UCI and to educate the fellow students and community members about Israel.”

NewU Letter to the Editor: New U Honest, Not Biased

Following up on this previous post:

Link to article

New U Honest, Not Biased

I wasn’t surprised when I picked up last week’s New U and read the letter titled “New U Reveals Left-Wing Bias” (Nov. 13). The letter is simply smear tactics from a party that has already proven itself disastrous for America. There are several problems with the accusations of the New U’s liberal leanings, and here they are:

1. The College Republicans knew about the Get Out the Vote rally up to five days in advance. They were even sent invites. Yet, like other times when they were invited to attend bipartisan talks, the College Republicans failed to even respond to the RSVPs, leaving us in somewhat of a quandary as to where they stood on the issues.

2. The College Republicans, after hearing of Cindy Sheehan’s imminent arrival, did not propose a joint rally, but instead opted to plan a protest. They assumed the rally to be one for progressives (it was co-sponsored by the Progressive Democrats of America). Had they contacted the Young Democrats of UC Irvine before the rally and asked to co-sponsor and have a booth at the event, we would have cordially agreed. However, when we arrived, they had signs reading “Friends Don’t Let Friends Vote Democrat,” “How many more soldiers will you dishonor, Cindy?” and the like. Therefore, by being hostile from the get-go, the College Republicans waived any rights to Limbaugh-like claims concerning the rally’s legitimacy as a GOTV event.

3. The New U represented the side of the College Republicans accurately, giving the president, Brock Hill, eight lines of quotes, whereas the Young Democrats received zero. Steve Young urged bipartisanship as a means of mending a broken America, and allowing the College Republicans a quote illustrated their side of the issue. The letter-writer also falsely assumed the event to be sponsored solely by the Young Democrats. The Young Democrats conjured up some 60 supporters throughout the hour (I can name them all if I have to). PDA and Democracy for America gathered the rest, and this is where the middle-aged audience came from. As one can see, there were many groups at the rally, and the article gave time to each, allowing the College Republicans more than enough space to voice their opinions.

The New U represented the rally with accuracy and integrity. So the question still remains: Will the Republican Party, after the election results, continue to disenfranchise their base? Or will they, with integrity, run on platforms that will benefit America, rather than running groups of concerned and passionate individuals such as the Young Democrats (and the American people) into the ground?

David Lorango
Co-president
Young Democrats of UC Irvine

NewU: Young Dems Rally the Vote, Reps Protest

The NewU's take on the Cindy Sheehan event which I blogged about previously - which apparently Cindy Sheehan couldn't make due to the flu.

Link to article (includes photographs of the event)

News
Young Dems Rally the Vote, Reps Protest
Politics: Actors, advocate parent and assemblyman urge voting across partisan lines.
By Stella Cho
Staff Writer

While the Iraq War, upcoming California propositions and voter participation were central topics at the Young Democrats of UC Irvine’s “Get Out and Vote Rally” on Oct. 30, Assemblyman Steve Young’s campaign for the 48th District seat in the House of Representatives was the driving force behind speeches, inciting protest from campus Republicans.

The noon rally at Anteater Plaza was held in conjunction with the Orange County Chapter of Progressive Democrats of America to encourage UCI students to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

This sparked much opposition among Republican students on campus, who expressed their disagreement with posters that read, “Friends don’t let friends vote Democrat” and “Screw this B.S. I’m voting Republican.” An older man held a sign reading, “Another veteran, Christian and Republican opposed to the war!”

Nonetheless, when Young approached the microphone, he thanked both parties for coming out and expressing their support or opposition.

He continued by asking the audience to meet and thank the student protesters after the rally. Apathy, Young said, was the bigger enemy.

“Be we Republican, Democrat [or] Socialist … it is time to be Americans first,” Young said. “We are so divided, the rhetoric is destroying us. What is the goal of America for the next 50 years? We’re trying to run a country without a vision. Remember that ‘He serves his party best when he serves his country first.’”

Young said that America should “let the Arab world solve the Arab problems” and alluded to “a solution that could get [America] out [of Iraq] in three months.”

Picketing Republicans like Brock Hill, a fourth-year political science major and president of the College Republicans at UCI, disagreed with Young’s plan for withdrawal.

“My personal position is that we need Congress to finish the job and Democrats aren’t letting this war work,” Hill said. “No one wants troops killed, but we need to finish the job, whether it is for weapons of mass destruction [or another reason].”

Actor Ed Asner and his wife Cindy were present to encourage the community to vote for Steve Young, whom Asner referred to as “the selection.”

Asner animatedly said that “wicked forces” were “demonizing” Michael J. Fox by alleging that he exaggerated symptoms of Parkinson’s disease for political reasons, referring to comments made by Rush Limbaugh in the past weeks about Fox’s condition.

Asner also alleged that Republicans tried to get people to sign papers to change their party affiliation under the guise of showing support for universal health care.

Asner shared Young’s abhorrence for voter apathy.

“It is meaningless if we don’t practice and we can’t find the time to remember [to vote],” Asner said. “You are a political force in America. If you care about it, vote. Consider the power you can exert by voting, … [get] off your butts and vote on Tuesday, Nov. 7.”

Also present at the rally were Tim Carpenter, executive director of PDA, and Mimi Kennedy, chair of PDA and an actress who plays Dharma’s hippie mother on television’s “Dharma and Greg.”

“Our country is interfering violently in the world right now,” Kennedy said. “Yes, we have conflicts to work out, but not with violence.”

Cindy Sheehan, PDA national advisory board member and peace advocate, who famously protested outside of President George W. Bush’s ranch in Texas after her son was killed in the Iraq war, could not make her scheduled appearance at the rally because of the flu, but she did a short Q-and-A on speaker phone.

“We should all vote for peace ... work for peace and support people who are doing that,” Sheehan said.

The Los Angeles chapter of the National Lawyers Guild was also present at the rally to promote their projects to counter efforts to recruit young adults for the military. A common myth about joining the military, according to the NLG, is that it will help pay for schooling.

“Most of [the students] do not receive the benefits for several reasons,” said Ellen Radovic, a lawyer and a member of the NLG. “Some factors include how well you perform and the payment of $1200, which – even if the person decides not to go to college or doesn’t qualify – they don’t get their money back.”

An on campus polling place is located at the Cross-Cultural Center. The closest off campus polling place is at Bethel Korean Church, located at 18700 Harvard Ave, Irvine, CA 92612 or at University High School.

Author of Lonely Soldier coming to UCI this Monday

Flyer (JPG)

A Discussion with Staff Sergeant Adam Harmon, author of "Lonely Soldier - The Memoir of an American in the Israeli Army". The book was "completed as Israel was beginning to disengage from Gaza, [and] is a unique and thrilling glimpse into a revered, yet misunderstood institution that is integral to Middle East peace."

Monday November 6th
12:30 pm lunch
1 pm lecture

HIB (Humanities Instructional Building) Room 135
UC Irvine

Brought to you by UCI's Anteaters for Israel, The Ayn Rand Club, College Republicans, and Young Democrats in conjunction with The Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles

According to the flyer, UCI students and faculty are free; Community members are $8

For more information, contact eshaaya@uci.edu

UPDATE

Per a recent email from AFI, Hillel of Orange County is sponsoring the lunch.