Bismarck Tribune - North Dakota News - UND must counter anti-Semitism

UND must counter anti-Semitism

May 25, 2008 - 04:06:09 CDT

By STEVE BILLMAN
Bismarck

I was disgusted by an article in the Bismarck Tribune several weeks ago that reported anti-Semitic discrimination at the University of North Dakota. A Jewish student moved out of his dormitory after being harassed with ethnic epithets and drawings of swastikas. Since then, more swastikas have appeared on campus.

As a Jewish person, my visceral impulse was to take a drive to Grand Forks and rearrange some collegiate faces. As incensed as I am, however, I know that as adults, we must not rearrange faces but attitudes. I write this piece as a plea to UND officials not to pay lip service, but to halt this unacceptable behavior at their institution.

University President Charles Kupchella remained equivocal when presented with a cell-phone image of one of the swastikas. Did he think the perpetrators were referencing the swastika as the Indo-Persian symbol of good luck that it was before being co-opted by the Nazis in 1935 as a signifier of hate? Why did he not take a stroll across campus to see for himself?

I am amazed at his level of cowardice and concern for self-preservation. I understand that the investigation is ongoing, but simply to call the incidents "mindless" and "abhorrent" does little. I wonder, would he have been among the collaborators in Vichy France, when the country was occupied by the Germans in World War II? I challenge him to act by standing up for the minorities in the student populace and suspending or expelling students who have been orchestrating these hate crimes. Kupchella reimbursed the victim $458.60; no amount of blood money will ever silence justice. He is retiring, and if no action is taken, his legacy will amount to little more than a leader who did not lead; one who cravenly sat idle as racial and religious intolerance occurred on his campus.

This is not the first time Nazi sympathies have surfaced at UND. Benefactor Ralph Engelstad reportedly had a "bunker" in his Las Vegas Imperial Palace casino-hotel, which was filled with Third Reich memorabilia. Objects apparently included a portrait of Engelstad dressed in a Nazi uniform with the caption, "To Adolf from Ralphie," and bumper stickers that read "Hitler Was Right." On April 20, 1986 and 1988, Engelstad threw lavish soirees to celebrate Hitler's birthday. In 1989, the Nevada Gaming Commission fined Engelstad $1.5 million "for actions that damaged the reputation and image of Nevada's gaming industry." Anyone who has ever been to Sin City knows that one has to be pretty unsavory to tarnish Vegas' "reputation and image." Engelstad apologized, stating that the parties were intended as burlesque spoofs. Although he made amends, albeit under coercion, he clearly was no Mel Brooks. Years later, Engelstad donated more than $100 million for a new UND hockey arena. University officials should have been more principled and refused the money. Engelstad could have saved his Faustian dollars for more Nazi tchotchkes (baubles).

My wife and I, who hail from large cities, have experienced anti-Semitism first-hand in Bismarck. As we dined one evening in an upscale eatery, one of the proprietors muttered something about the Holocaust. We were astounded. I have heard people use the term, "Jewed him/her down," to describe the act of bartering to receive a better price, the implication being that Jews love money. Stereotypes are humorous because they sometimes reflect certain truths. Indeed, many Jews are industrious, shrewd and even wealthy business people. To evoke the Holocaust in such a flippant manner, however, is highly offensive. It is like mentioning lynching to a black, smallpox blankets to an American Indian, AIDS as a gay disease to a homosexual or rape to a woman. Too much political correctness evinces hypocrisy, but some things must remain out of bounds. Does the owner of this restaurant ask black patrons, "How was the braised beef with rosemary and thyme potatoes," addressing them with a racial epithet?

Most North Dakotans are enlightened enough not to be bigots. On Sunday April 27, I attended a Holocaust commemoration, hosted by the Bismarck Hebrew Congregation, to remember the victims of the systematic extermination by the Nazis of 6 million Jews and perhaps between 9 and 10 million other dissidents from National Socialism.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the majority of the perhaps some 50 attendees were not Jewish. It is good to know that people on the prairie will never forget. It would be nice if our institutions of higher learning were just as intolerant of intolerance.

I applaud North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven and Bismarck Mayor John Warford, both of whom have issued proclamations for years commemorating Days of Remembrance for Holocaust victims. Hoeven's 2008 edict in part reads that "the citizens of North Dakota should always remember the tragic events of the Holocaust and remain vigilant against hatred, persecution and tyranny." In dehumanizing others, we dehumanize ourselves. What will you do to curb and eradicate ethnic and racial discrimination?

(Brillman teaches history and sociology at the University of Mary. - Editor)

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Comments

Harold A. Maio wrote on Jun 6, 2008 4:39 PM:

" People often do not comprehend it, but we are what we do. Sometimes we edit who we are, edit our behaviors, what we "do," and at times we fail to do so.

The students who showed what is inside them, experienced a freedom best contained. This time is was anti-Jewish, next time, who knows. We have many prejudices, we manage to contain some. "

wow wrote on Jun 1, 2008 1:08 PM:

" Hey Steve!
Anyone could be offended at any moment at any time. Please grow up and let "possible" racism run off your back like rain off a duck. WOW "

Kate wrote on May 27, 2008 12:56 PM:

" More than anything, I am frustrated with "Dave's" use of the phrases "mountain out of molehill" and "hubub" when referring to hate crimes. Why don't you do some research, and you will see that there have been 5 swastika's found on the UND campus in the past four months. Please note the following quote (and "PCM," you might want to take a look too) from the grandforksherald.com (but before you do, Dave, I would think again about your completely insensitive suggestions. You remind me of someone who once told me that the holocaust museum in D.C. was blown out of proportion) "Three other UND buildings have been marred with non-swastika graffiti targeting Jews, African Americans and homosexuals since February, leading to a total of eight cases of bigoted graffiti on campus. A Jewish UND student, Scott Lebovitz, also moved out of his West Hall dorm in April after he said he was subjected to months of anti-Semitic taunts by students and that UND housing officials were slow or unwilling to help." Thanks "

expositor wrote on May 25, 2008 8:38 PM:

" LJK: I'M OK with what you say! "

LJK wrote on May 25, 2008 4:07 PM:

" Most reasonable people will agree there is never an acceptable setting where racial/religious slurs should be tolerated. That gate swings in both directions, however and I've learned it first hand from my Jewish in-laws and many of their friends. Whether it's the joke about the non-jewish bee who went to a bar mitzvah and worried he would be mistaken for a wasp, the discussion about a son's "shiksah" girlfriend, someone announcing a hatred of Christmas and Christmas decorations, the opinion that believing in Jesus is pretty much the same as believing in leprechauns...I could go on, but you get the picture. Granted some of these people were assuming I was Jewish and would not be offended by their comments but it's bothersome to hear them for any reason.
Years before I was married, I had a friend who referred to someone who was stingy as being "such a (bleepin') Jew". I had no use for that mindset and terminated the friendship because I was raised by parents (in North Dakota, thank you) who did not allow that nonsense in their house. Yet here I am outside of Boston, which is supposed to be a highly intellectual city, hearing some of the most offensive and ignorant comments afloat. My own mother in law will not come to our home at either Christmas or Easter because she is so bothered by the presence of the decorations and the influence it has on our son.
But, no, there is no such thing as holocaust humor and stereotypes are for people who are too lazy to actually learn about the people they are insulting. But to think this is a problem unique to North Dakota and non-jews? Hardly. "

DB wrote on May 25, 2008 2:34 PM:

" In addition: What better way to honor our fallen heroes this weekend than stand in solidarity against the symbol of evil many of them died in the course of defeating. "

Dave wrote on May 25, 2008 1:59 PM:

" PCM, Do you have a link to the alleged "swastika"? It would be interesting to see what's causing this hubbub. "

DB wrote on May 25, 2008 1:13 PM:

" This cannot be explained away as "college kids being college kids" or a drunken prank. That's an unbelievably easy and excuse. These are (presumably) men--not boys--at a state institute of higher learning. We are not talking about legislating free speech in a wider society but about hate speech and intimidation at a university. This kind incident is not of course representative of ND or its people but the lack of action by the school government unfortunately is. Saying these incidents are the "sad truth" only invites us to ignore and, yes, condone them by filing them under youthful indiscretion.

And--Dave--I sadly can't expect you to understand this but Jews will Never "get over" any reference to the Nazis and move on. Never. "

PCM wrote on May 25, 2008 9:39 AM:

" There is so much ignorance in Mr. Billman's letter that it's distressing to know that he teaches at the college level. Has he seen the cell phone picture of the so-called swastika? I have and that's why I understand President Kupchella's reluctance to refer to a crude drawing of two linked rectangles as a "swastika." Some of what Billman wrote about the late Ralph Engelstad isn't even true. In addition, the FBI investigated Engelstad and found that he had no ties to pro-Nazi organizations or Nazi leanings. Ralph himself said the Hitler birthday parties were stupid, publicly appologized for them, paid a huge fine and got rid of the Nazi memorabilia that he legally collected. That Billman spreads lies about someone no longer around to defend himself and speaks of using violence against those who disagree with him says a great deal about his character. "

Chad wrote on May 25, 2008 8:55 AM:

" $458 Blood Money?? Can you not mention the Holocaust? Would Mary College turn down a $100 million? I can see your point but staying on it was difficult. "

wal wrote on May 25, 2008 8:43 AM:

" We can all benefit from more sensitivity to our fellow man/woman but I agree with "lutefisk". This is a college campus. The students on the campus do not represent the college administration's views nor that of the general public anywhere. The students are an eclectic group from all over the world. How does the writer know Dr. Kupchella "remained equivocal" when he looked at the cell phone picture? Focus on the positives, as you did in your letter, and don't let stupid acts by a very small minority on a college campus waste your time. "

Halatbis wrote on May 25, 2008 8:26 AM:

" Stupid acts are just that, stupid acts. There is no way to legislate or regulate or enforce civil behavior everywhere all of the time by everybody. I would add, also, that we would not want to live in a society that does. The actions of a few, or one or two insensitive persons, need not send all of us over the edge. Yes, ND has its share of bad behavior--- as does every city and hamlet in the world. Sorry, that is the way it is. "

Dave wrote on May 25, 2008 7:55 AM:

" This anti-Semitism is nothing more than a few drunk college kids being stupid. It's as simple as that. A mountain has been made out of a molehill again. Get over it and move on. "

Don Julio wrote on May 25, 2008 7:30 AM:

" What? How would anyone in Bismarck even know you're Jewish? I have lived here 40+ years and have yet to witness ANY anti-seminism. If you choose to be offended by flippant remarks that in no way were addressed to you...I guess you will be offended. But that's your choice. "

lutefisk wrote on May 25, 2008 5:09 AM:

" I think your comments are very well put and that there is no place for this type of hatred, but where there are colleges so will there be college kids. Argue all you want that these individuals are adults and should know better, but the sad truth is that there are many immature people out there that don't even think twice about putting a mark on a wall. Do you think the girl in Dickinson really understands the "Free Tibet" sticker on her car? What happened to the student in the dorms should be punished to the full extent, but carrying out a full blown offensive is a bit extreme when the true intent, perhaps stupidity versus hatred, is not understood. "

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