For the last three years I have been documenting a series of events within United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), around disability rights, Palestinian rights, union democracy and blacklisting, which started as a strange power play within the Human Rights Committee apparently around disability rights, but in my estimation, may have merely been the utilization of (my) disability as the socially acceptable way of attacking when no legitimate means was available.
Just as that controversy seemed to be resolving itself, the Jewish Zionist Establishment (the ADL, The Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Jewish National Congress, Stand With Us, the Progressive Jewish Alliance–them too!, as well as others) launched a campaign against the Union, the Human Rights Committee, the AFSC, Café Intifada, and….. me, focusing particularly on an upcoming meeting to discuss boycotts, sanctions and divestiture (BDS) from Israel. Thisresulted in an unholy alliance between the Zionist lobby, the “progressive” UTLA leadership, bent on protecting themselves and their positions, and the members of the Committee who now had a (pro-imperialist) arsenal of accusations to use against me, resulting in my removal from any position of leadership within the Committee and the destruction of the Committee infrastructure I had played a large role in creating.
Due to the (ongoing) blacklisting, death threats, personal attacks, humiliations and the limitations of my health, as well as, more recently a “tip” to a hot line, an early morning service of a search warrant of our home, complete with 14 armed police officers, a news camera, the seizure of our property, which included a thorough three month investigation of every computer, hard drive, zip drive, digital camera, thumb drive, back up disc and memory card, the result of which determined NO EVIDENCE OF CRIMINALITY (no arrests, no charges, case closed!. All of this, leaving us with legal bills and other expenses, PTSD (!) and (for all teachers under police investigation) the removal of my partner from the classroom. (More on the police action later. )
Over the course of this time, I retreated into a period of deep self reflection, depression, study and creativity. I sold my house, moved in with my partner and fellow activist, went back to school to learn new skills and with him, bought and restored an old house that promises to be a vehicle for our vision of local and global struggles for social justice. The pressure on our marriage has been considerable as we have both needed to take time to work on our most basic support system: each other. Only now am I attempting to emerge, increasing my personal security, finding out who my real allies are, breaking the silence, speaking out, healing deep wounds, initiating new dialogue with some of those who committed betrayals of silence, and enjoying the emergence of new, younger movements for social justice within Los Angeles.
In the interest of disclosure: During this same span of time the original home of my blogs shut down, so I had to repost each blog entry piece by piece, photo by photo to the new server. Emotionally, there were periods where I couldn’t look at this any more. It just hurt too much. And life had its own demands. Our larger adversaries are paid to bring us down. We must work for justice in our spare time. Emergencies come up, work gets put to the side. So, I have contributed to this thread on and off, and while material is provided in chronological order, some of the entries have recently been updated or contextualized, drafts written at the time may have been recently completed and posted.
And I doubt we have seen the end of this. I invite my detractors to feel free to post comments as they see fit. If their positions have the validity they claim, there should be no reason for their ongoing anonymity and stealth. As long as they don’t obscure their identity, I will approve their posts. And it is quite possible that some events have been misrepresented. I am open to critique and will be issuing corrections in that event.
Finally, a word about my union ( UTLA), and the progressive slate, whose members include activists with whom I have worked for decades. I submit this documentation, in the spirit of critical support. I believe that dissent is essential for the life of this organization that I first joined over 25 years ago. I was involved in the early recruiting campaign that brought UTLA membership from 30% of teachers and support staff, to greater than 90% going into the 89 strike. I was active in the fight for bi-lingual education and against the English only movement. I was a cluster leader during the 1989 strike, rising at 4 am and not getting home until after 9:30, all the time carrying my 2 month old son. (nicknamed “el huelgito)! I have helped plan several conferences, served on the House of Representatives, participated in the School Community Relations Committee, the Human Rights Committee and the Chicano Latino Education Committee. I have been a delegate to the NEA RA, served as a Chapter Chair (shop steward) before I had permanent status, and filed and won over 30 grievances. I chose at several junctures not to file harassment or discrimination lawsuits against the union, though I would have been in very good standing, especially when targeted by a member of the Board of Directors and Vice Presidents. I also chose at the time of the entire controversy regarding BDS, not to present the matter as a an attack on my person, or use the matter to promote my own agenda within the larger community. While the L.A. Times originally accused us of planning for a rally inside (!?) of UTLA , we very well could have, without union permission, held a protest outside the hall on the day of and at the time the canceled meeting was to be held. We did not. We attempted to address these matters internally, except for a call for letters to the broader community when President Duffy made a similar request to only members of the Jewish community. It is only with considered reflection and after years of continued marginalization, harassment, innuendo and humiliation along with increase attacks on other activists by these same forces, that I have decided to fully address myself to this compilation and broadcast these events more publicly.
To follow the complete dialogue on the issue, please start by reading the statement:Enough is Enough- Who’s Who and Why it Matters, where I provide a summary of events and list the real names of the people (formerly given pseudonyms) who have carried out this campaign against me within the Union. As I make changes, adjustments or additions, I will post updates and links. For those who chose to follow this closely, you may subscribe to the blog and will be alerted to newer posts.
The beginning of the thread, regarding disability discrimination is chronicled on my blog: In Bed With Frida Kahlo- daily indignities, small insurrections and honest musings for a life of infirmity and rebellion
The documentation pertaining to the Zionist lobby continues on my other blog: Cafe Intifada which is the web page of the organization of the same name.
1. Go to: Enough is Enough: Who’s Who and Why it Matters: http://inbedwithfridakahlo.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/enough-is-enough-who’s-who-and-why-it-matters/ (If that doesn’t work, try cutting and pasting. I don’t understand it, all the other links i post, seem to work!)
2, Then start the thread at the beginning at: http://inbedwithfridakahlo.wordpress.com/category/utla-human-rights-committee/page/4/ and read the posts in reverse chronological order, starting with the link at the bottom of each page.
3From there, within the thread, you should be directed back to this blog; Cafe Intifada, but should that link fail, return to this page, and follow this link to the continued thread:
https://cafeintifada.wordpress.com/category/anatomy-of-a-blacklisting/page/3/ and read the posts in reverse chronological order, starting with the link at the bottom of each page.)
Peace with Justice,
Emma Rosenthal
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Let’s hope soon courageous people like you Emma become the rule not the exception.
Emma, you posted this on my birthday (28 June) … its nearly incredible to read this – to believe what is possible in a free, democratic, western society – it has ceased to be so … was it ever?… maybe in a small period of the 68ies … at least it looked like that … but still people believe they are “free” … what always shocks me more is that you never hear in the mass medias about such a thing … unless you are a victim yourself you don’t believe it … http://www.flickr.com/photos/davinca/3153725782/ … to be persecuted like you means you are close to the power and they feel seriously threatened by you & co … could be taken as a compliment even … but I know its not that funny …
Hi Emma,
One day last fall I was picking my son up at school…a pack of five or six boys were pushing around another boy, slim in stature with his backpack still on, he was being pushed around like a rag doll and he was encircled by the boys…my son came to the car and told me that the boy was autistic and the boys were teasing him about being a ‘retard… Read More’…UGH!! I got out of my car and I yelled at them told them they should be ashamed of themselves, I even took names and called the pricipal the next day. The point is we must all do whatever we can to expose the discrimination against people with disabilities, actually make it our business to make a difference.
And I agree with Hazim : )
Much Love and Admiration,
Emman
Emma,
I don’t know where else to post this, and since this pops up, I will respond here and hopefully you can forward to whereever it is necessary to reach Randall Childs.
I, as I have said many times, am not a member of UTLA, but even the most out of touch member of the LA community knows that the BDS discussion was cancelled because the elected leadership capitulating to Zionist pressure. Where else would the pressure come from? Vegetarians? And if there were/are Socialists/radicals in the elected leadership, then I did not hear a peep of organized opposition from them. Perhaps there were leaflets, petition campaigns, referendums, press releases, call ins to talk shows–all time honored methods of dissent– from dissenting elected leaders, but I didn’t hear, or read of them. I will stand corrected if that is the case.
But unions need to recognize their power and influence for good–or bad–and act accordingly. Cancelling an event to debate the issue of the Israeli occupation of Palestine is very demoralizing, and sets the movement back, just as the scheduling of the event was a great shot in the arm for the movement.
It’s cancellation also painted the union membership as out of touch Zionist reactionaries, which I know not to be true.
Just as radicals in my union vocally object to, and organize against, afl-cio support (however tacit) to ICE raids, we have a responsibility to defend those who raise those sometimes unpopular demands. To do less it to put opportunity and priviledge above principle.
Shalom and Le Chaim,
Muffy
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What else can I say but, outrageous. I sent to friends who are retired teachers or in other professions now.
Solidarity and love – your experiences and insights are a constant reminder to be vigilant.
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