Humboldt State students confront anti-Muslim bigotry

On Feb. 18, a group of Humboldt State University organizers and activists occupied a building on the Arcata, Calif., campus where right-wing Christian evangelist Walid Shoebat gave a speech on the “evils” of what he calls the “satanic cult” of Islam. Shoebat, a Zionist, claims he was once a Palestine Liberation Organization fighter. He was hosted by the Campus Conservatives.

Humboldt State University students protest against Zionist speaker Walid Shoebat, Feb. 18.

It is unlikely that Shoebat was ever a member of the PLO. Bank Leumi in Bethlehem, which Shoebat claims to have bombed, has stated that it has no record of such an attack ever taking place. When asked by the Jerusalem Post whether word of the bombing made the news at the time, he said, “I don’t know. I didn’t read the papers because I was in hiding for the next three days.” In 2004, he contradicted himself, telling The Sunday Telegraph, “I was terribly relieved when I heard on the news later that evening that no one had been hurt or killed by my bomb.”

The night of the protest in Humboldt started out tense. The chair of the right-wing meeting announced that there were video cameras recording the event and security guards waiting to remove people if necessary. From the beginning of the talk, there were vocal disputes with the speaker and a small scuffle when a right-winger tried to physically remove a demonstrator.

But people’s anger boiled over as the speaker continued to express Zionist bigotry and reiterate blatantly racist generalizations. The demonstrators all got up at once with banners reading, “Stop Islamophobia,” “Free Gaza” and other slogans.

They took over the sides of the auditorium. The talk went on, but every racist attack from Shoebat was met with rebuttals from the demonstrators and members of the audience.

After the speech, there was time for questions and answers. All the questions asked were questioning Shoebat’s credentials as a former PLO member and the basis for the sweeping generalizations he made about Islam. Rather than answering the questions, Shoebat resorted to hurling insults against the questioners.

After the talk, a demonstration of more than 100 people gathered outside the building. The participants expressed disbelief that HSU would allow such a bigot to come speak on campus. Others feared that Shoebat’s talk would help spread hate and bigotry throughout the university and the community.

Humboldt State students have made it clear that they will not allow anti-Muslim bigots like Shoebat to come to their campus and leave in peace. Students have also expressed their solidarity with the people of Palestine and support for the continued struggle by the heroic men, women and children for their homeland. Long Live Palestine!