"STRENGHT IN DIVERSITY"

November 16, 1998

Professor Edward Butterfoss

Dean
Hamline University School of Law

Dear Dean Butterfoss:

We are writing to you today on behalf of the Multicultural Law Student Association (MCLSA) to ask
for your assistance. Our organization was approached by Douglas Anderson, a former 1L HUSL student, to
share his concerns regarding the non-enforcement of HUSL's anti-discriminatory policy against recruiters of
the Armed Forces. Specifically, Mr. Anderson was disappointed in that HUSL had not provided the
information he had requested regarding the economic impact that barring Armed Forces recruiters would have
on the University as a result of the Solomon Amendment. We at MCLSA are now joining Mr. Anderson in
requesting that information.
MCLSA is very concemed with the fact that the University chose to ignore its own anti-discrimination
policy by allowing an organization that blatantly discriminates against some of our students on the basis of
their sexual orientation. With this precedent, it is impossible for us to categorically state to our members that
organizations that discriminate on other basis (race, gender, or ethnic origin) will not be similarly allowed to
recruit on campus.
We are not unmindful of the important part that federal fmancial aid plays in keeping the University
solvent and in operation. In your letter of September 30th, you explained that the University risked losing 2
million dollars ifHamline did not cooperate with the requirements of the Solomon Amendment. Such a loss will
undoubtedly cause serious hardship to Hamline University. However, we believe that the University should at
least provide a copy of the economic impact analysis that yielded the $2 million figure, as well as information
of alternative sources of fund available in the case had Hamline chosen to enforce its anti-discrimination policy.
In essence, MCLSA believes that a retreat on this fundamental policy issue could only be warranted if
the University was in fact risking disproportionate and irremediable financial hardship as a consequence of
enforcing its own policy.
We hope to hear from you regarding this matter at your earliest convenience, and we look forward to
working with you in any way possible to make our HUSL the best public interest law school in Minnesota.

Francisco Gonzalez
·2 tJifjiiJr ~~
Ed Miller Duc Nguyen
cc: Dean Vincent Thomas

HAMLINE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW

1536 Hewitt Ave St Paul, Minnesota 55104
 Hamline U. School of Law dissent Saint Paul. Minnesota

rogresslYe mtlatiw Volume No. f Issue NO.1 December 1998

Edited by: Summer in Israel: Dilemmas

Minnesota, the influx of both
Francisco J Gonzalez, 2L immigrant and minority peoples
and Options
e-lJddress: is changing the cultural and ethnic --by Francisco J. Gonzalez
fgonzalezOl@gw.hamline.edu make-up ofthe state. As a tool to The summer study abroad program
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participants in a different society. those of us familiar with the plight of
However, the programs offered by the Palestinian (Arab) people under
Hamline School of law fail to take Israeli rule have mixed feelings about
the academic curriculum offered and
advantage of this possibility, by
the venue selected for the courses.
continuing to emphasize programs to
Norway and now Italy. Before addressing these issues, it is
important to briefly review the origins
Despite the charms and allure of of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Europe, most Minnesotans are For people with little knowledge
already familiar with that culture: in about the issues in Palestine, there is
fact, they are part of the European no better introduction than the classic
cultural and ethnic tradition. Our 1960's film "Lawrence of Arabia"
students would derive more insight based on actual events during World
regarding diversity in cultures and War One. In the movie (and in fact)
ethnic backgrounds by spending a the Arab people rise against their
summer in Asia, Africa or Latin Turkish overlords with the help of
America.
England. After winning the war,
however, the English renege on their
The programs in Israel [which, on
promises to recognize the
the other hand, raise different issues
independence of the Arab nations
that are addressed in a separate
and instead merely replace the Turks
article on this newsletter) and Costa
as colonial rulers. Moreover, the
Rica (over winter break) are proof
that our students can combine a solid British government allowed
ever-increasing numbers of
educational experience with learning
European and US Jews to emigrate
about local cultures that are vastly
different from their own. There is no to Palestine, where they begin to
carve a separate community. After
reason why Hamline should not be
World War Two, Jewish refugees
able to develop summer study abroad from the Holocaust move to Palestine
programs in countries such as, for
en masse, and finally in 1948 the
example, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil
or Taiwan. Hamline students would United Nations recognize their
creation of the State of Israel.
be able to learn not only about the
Moreover, Israel was conceived from
legal traditions of these nations, but
the beginning as a JEWISH state,
also acquire a broader perspective
Rethinking Hamline's Study were religion and ethnic identity
regarding diversity in culture, race,
determined your place in society,
Abroad Programs language, traditions, religion and
your rights and privileges as a
--by Tom Mooney" economic development.
citizen. Thus, an immigrant of Jewish
The phrase "we live in a global heritage is entitled from the moment
village" captures the inter- [" = nom de plume)
of arrival into Israel, to an array of
dependence of all cultures, social, economic and political
benefits that are denied to Arabs . In
peoples, and nations as we approach short, Israel has an unenviable
the 21st century. Even here in
 Hamline U. School of Law
record of violations of basic human
rights, including those that we as
Americans consider basic ones, such
as equal treatment regardless of
ethnicity or national origin, due
process under the law, and the right
of a people to self-determination.
However, despite of the multiple
legal issues raised by the Palestinian
Israeli conflict, the courses offered by
Hamline's summer program appear
to be designed to sidestep these
thorny questions, settling instead for
philosophical studies of morality and
ethics under Islam, Judaism and
Christianity. It seems obvious that, in
order to not offend it's Israeli hosts
Hamline has chosen to shy away
from issues relating to the social,
economic and political life of Arabs
and Jews.
Furthermore, by having the summer
classes on an Israeli university
located in Jerusalem, Hamline
seems to be supporting (perhaps
unwittingly) Israel's continuing
occupation of the Arab parts of the
city in defiance of international law. It
is for this reason that the U.S.
Embassy in Israel is located in
Tel-Aviv and not Jerusalem. Hamline
also should consider relocating the
summer program to Tel-Aviv or
elsewhere in Israel proper, at least
until the Palestinians and Israel
agree to a definite settlement over
the future of Jerusalem.
The question remains, then, what
is the goal of Hamline's summer
program in Israel? Plainly, it is NOT
to explore the issues raised by the
real-life experiences of Arabs and
Jews in Palestine, such as the
continuing struggle of Palestinians
for self-determination; analyzing the
legal aspects of war and military
conflict, or even the study of the
Israeli legal and administrative
systems. Rather, the purpose of the
program seems to be the
presentation of a "safe" area of study
dissent
(religion and society) that glosses
over the causes and effects of the
Arab-Israeli conflict, as the backdrop
for a good time in an exotic land.
While some people might claim
that religion IS the cause of the
current state of affairs in the Middle
East, thus crucial to understand
current issues, history clearly shows
that is not the case. Arabs during
World War One were fighting for
independence, for self-determination,
and the fact that their oppressors
then, the Turks, were ALSO Muslims
made no difference. The fact that
their oppressors today are Jewish
also makes no difference. It also
made no difference to America's
Founding Fathers in 1776 that their
British enemies were fellow
Christians.
The only real question for
Palestinians in 1998 as well as for
Americans in 1776, is whether or not
they are entitled, as a people, to the
right to rule their own affairs, free
from foreign interference and
discrimination. I hope that this
question, as well as the underlying
issues associated with it, will be put
before our students when they visit
Israel next summer.
* * *
TRENDS TO WATCH IN 1999
The members of "Progressive
Initiative" conducted an informal,
unscientific and more than a little
biased poll of friends and
accomplices to figure out what will
1999 look like. Bellow is our list of
what we predict will be the
personalities and events that will
shape the new year:
1. No Rest for the Wicked: Mass
murderers and dictators are no
longer feeling at ease, after the arrest
in Britain of former Chilean dictator
Augusto Pinochet at the request of
Spanish authorities, who want to try
Saint Paul. Minnesota
him for crimes against humanity and
genocide. Regardless of the outcome
of this case, there is no doubt that in
1999 other former heads of state
responsible for crimes against
humanity will have to answer to their
victims, including President Reagan
for funding and supporting the
murderous death-squads of the
1980's Central American wars!
2. Red Dawn: Left-wing parties will
see a resurgence all over the world.
In Europe, the Socialist-Green
alliance won Germany's elections
last September; France and Great
Britain already have moderate
socialists as Prime Ministers. The
economic crisis in Latin America and
Asia also have demonstrated the
failures of unrestrained capitalism,
and the policies of South African
President Nelson Mandela continue
to show that moderate socialism and
a "kinder, gentler" capitalism can
co-exist side by side in Africa.
3. Flash in the Pan: We are
predicting that 1999 will see the
demise of the "Spice Girls",
bell-bottomed baggy pants, and
body piercing. Leonardo Oi Caprio
will be "outed". Jerfy Springer will
face tough competition from two new
talk-shows: "America's Funniest
Suicide Home Videos", hosted by the
wacky Dr. Kevorkian, and "This Old
White House", hosted by Monica
Lewinski giving hands-on advice on
how to convert a boring old office into
a love nest
GOOD LUCK WITH
YOUR FINALS &
HAPPY HOLIDAYS