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Life & Times Transcript
6/7/07 Val Zavala>> Tonight on Life and Times -- Are Muslim students at UC Irvine exercising free speech or hate speech? Marya Bangee>> We are speaking out against a political ideology which is Zionism. Alex Chasen>> That is claimed to be anti-Zionism, but in reality, it's anti-Semitic. Val Zavala>> And then, a new documentary is called "Crazy Love". Insane is more like it. Will our FilmWeek critics be smitten? These stories and more straight ahead on tonight's Life and Times. Announcer>> Life and Times is made possible through the generous support of the L.K. Whittier Foundation dedicated to improving the quality of life by supporting innovative endeavors in the fields of medicine, health, science and education. And by a generous grant from Jim and Anne Rothenberg. Val Zavala>> For the past few years, tensions have been rising between Muslim students and Jewish students on the campus of UC Irvine. It started a few years ago when a holocaust memorial was vandalized and, since then, other incidents have made things worse. So what's behind this? Anti-Semitism or free speech? Orange County reporter, Roger Cooper, has our story. Roger Cooper>> Ever since their school's founding in the mid-1960s, students at UC Irvine have never shied from expressing their opinions. Right off the bat, students broke with more traditional choices and voted to make an anteater their irreverent mascot. Now some forty years later, that freedom to express opinions is at the center of a very serious debate on this campus of twenty-six thousand. Malik Ali>> "Zionists control media and, yes, it's a Zionist-controlled media." Roger Cooper>> It has surfaced each May for the past few years. This is when the Muslim Student Union puts up a week-long campus display and invites outside speakers to discuss the Middle East, people like controversial Muslim activist, Malik Ali, of Oakland. Malik Ali>> "Two-state solution is off the table. No. One state. And check this out. One state? Majority rules. One state, majority rules us, the Muslims." Roger Cooper>> The invited speakers have offended students like Alex Chasen, President of Hillel, the Jewish Student Union at UCI. Alex Chasen>> Every year, the Muslim Student Union has what they call their anti-Zionism week. This year, it was called Israel Apartheid Resurrected. Last year, it was called Holocaust in the Holy Land. They give it a different name every year. But the main issue that many Jewish students have is with that one week that is claimed to be anti-Zionism, but in reality, it's anti-Semitic. Roger Cooper>> Anti-Semitic? Not so, says Marya Bangee, a third year sociology major and a spokesperson for the Muslim Student Union. Marya Bangee>> What we try to emphasize throughout our events and throughout our programming and even what we had set up that was basically a replica of the wall that is being put up in Israel right now was that we are speaking against a political ideology which is Zionism. We do not intend to attack Judaism. We have not attacked Judaism and we respect it as one of our sister religions. Roger Cooper>> But the President of College Republicans at UCI, Brock Hill, says that many Jewish students don't take it that way. Brock Hill>> They had pictures all over the wall kind of saying, you know, this is the Israeli violence against the Palestinians and never really gave the other side, which obviously inflamed the Jewish students on campus. Roger Cooper>> What has most inflamed Jewish groups is that speakers are allowed to come onto campus and deliver what Jewish students consider hate speech against Israel, speech they feel demonizes Jews. >> "What is taking place in Iraq has everything to do with the Apartheid state of Israel." Alex Chasen>> They tend to bring speakers who come from a radical Islamist point of view. So for them, this may not be radical, but for most of the rest of the campus community, it is. Marya Bangee>> For us, we don't think that there is a religious conflict. We think it's a political conflict and I think sometimes it gets confused because people don't like to hear criticism of Israel, so they try to deem it as a religious conflict because it's easier to shut us up as hate speech in that way. Roger Cooper>> So where does UCI's administration stand? Michael Drake is UCI's Chancellor. He holds that the university must allow constitutionally protected free speech. Michael Drake>> Much of this is an issue of free speech in the circumstance that this is a public space and American citizens have the right to come to public spaces and express their views. We don't have the right to abridge that. In fact, we're prohibited from abridging that. We cannot like it, we cannot agree with it, we can't censure it. This is the United States. Roger Cooper>> The administration argues that a university must allow such freedom of speech even when some disagree with what is said. But some students believe the administration is favoring Muslim students. Brock Hill>> I don't think the administration themselves are outright trying to be anti-Semitic. I just think that they are taking precedence with some groups over others. In my opinion, mainly out of fear. I could be wrong, but I think that they're doing it out of fear and they're bending to the will of some of the student groups on campus that they're afraid of. Michael Drake>> That's absolutely false, ridiculous and false. No one who knew the administration or any of our policies would say such a thing. But in an era of free speech, one is free to be wrong. Martha Mecartney>> "We are committed to tolerance and respect for free expression of religion." Roger Cooper>> In response to reports that some Jewish students don't feel safe on campus, the Academic Senate sponsored this event. Martha Mecartney>> "And all others from different religious and spiritual traditions are and will be safe on our campus. We will vouch for this. We stand together for tolerance." Roger Cooper>> Recently, faculty and students formed a human chain around a campus park in a display of religious tolerance. Martha Mecartney is chair of the Faculty Senate. Martha Mecartney>> I was shocked myself when my daughter came home one night and said, "Mom, I heard from a little friend at school that it's not safe for a Jewish student to walk on campus." I was amazed because that's not the reality that UCI is. Alex Chasen>> But there are a lot of Jewish students who don't like what goes on and do feel threatened by the rhetoric of speakers that the Muslim Student Union brings. Martha Mecartney>> "I'd like to thank everyone for coming and I'd like us all to say the circle is complete. We stand together for tolerance." Roger Cooper>> The free speech argument got a boost from an Orange County Register editorial. It praised UCI for upholding freedom of speech, but it also called on the university to denounce hateful speech. And at a Town Hall meeting with Chancellor Drake at a nearby synagogue, a number of questioners were critical of him. They called his failure to condemn the controversial speech tacit approval of Muslim student views. But Drake stressed that the university is a place for open discussion and he must be fair to all. You try to be impartial and some people interpret that as siding? Michael Drake>> A very difficult position that some groups would like to put me in is saying, if I don't say that I don't like A, then I must support A, but A is infinite. It could be anything in the world. We have a thousand speakers a year roughly on the campus. I cannot hope to review everything that every speaker says and then rate it. That's an impossible task. What we stand for is tolerance, we stand for respect. Roger Cooper>> The Muslim Student Union is not alone in drawing controversy. College Republicans and Jewish groups have drawn Muslim criticism over programs they have brought to campus. [Film Clip] Marya Bangee>> I've heard that they basically try to equate crime with terrorism and I'm pretty sure that the group that's bringing them knows this. So I think it's a really sad thing to see like an increase in like Islamophobia. Roger Cooper>> People on both sides of this issue caution that media reports and quick clips from speeches can give the outside world the mistaken impression that this huge campus is in constant turmoil. Marya Bangee>> No (laughter). I mean, I think this is a perfect example of that. Like there is not conflict every day or whatever. Alex Chasen>> Well, the important thing to realize is that, for the most part, people get along on campus. I'd say it's about twenty-five or twenty-six weeks out of the thirty week school year that people are fine and happy on campus. Michael Drake>> If you're here on the campus walking around day in and day out, week in and week out, it's a very peaceful and tolerant place. Roger Cooper>> At UCI Irvine, I'm Roger Cooper for Life and Times. Val Zavala>> So what do you think of student relations at UC Irvine? You can post your opinion. Just go to kcet.org/lifeandtimes/blog. Announcer>> Kcet.org is the place to look for the very latest on Life and Times. You'll find previews of upcoming stories, plus transcripts and audio of past episodes and links to some of our most interesting features. Just go to kcet.org, scroll down the page and click on "Life and Times". Val Zavala>> Get ready for some dry times ahead. That, according to a climate expert at the Jet Propulsion Lab in La Canada. And he's not talking about the next few weeks or even this summer. Hena Cuevas talked with climatologist, Bill Patzert from JPL, who's predicting a more disturbing trend, a long-term drought that could impact the entire Southwest. Hena Cuevas>> Two years ago, we had record rain and we had one of the wettest winters in Los Angeles, so why a drought now? Dr. Bill Patzert>> Well, two years ago, that was a real soaker. It was a record, but since then, it's been very, very dry in southern California. Of course, this year it's going to be another record, but a dry record. In actual fact here, we've only had 3.2 inches of rain this winter in Los Angeles, so I'm about ready to award the famous Bill Patzert Chap Stick Trophy for the driest year ever going back to 1877. Now the real question is, why has it been so dry? Well, actually the last seven years, excluding two years ago, has been very, very dry in the west. As we look really all over the west really from the Canadian border to the Mexican border, it's been extremely dry. Of course, we've had gigantic fire seasons. But is there really a drought in southern California? Well, the national forests are definitely on their knees and the brush has never been this dry this early in the season. But ironically, we all took a half hour shower this morning and washed our cars twice this week and that's because, even though it's been a record-breaking drought in the west, we have a tremendous water infrastructure here in California where we get our water from the Colorado River, the Owens Valley or the northern California Sierra snow pack. As we look ahead here to this summer and this fall, we really have to be vigilant because the forecast for the west is literally incendiary and we've already seen a preview of coming attractions at Griffith Park and Catalina Island and this only a preview of coming attractions. So the situation is dire. It's literally incendiary. Hena Cuevas>> It also has a progressive effect on the plants, then, because every year that it's dry, they get drier and become much more flammable. Dr. Bill Patzert>> Well, droughts are very insidious, you know. I always say that you creep into a drought very slowly and you crawl out of a drought even more slowly. The drought might not be as photogenic as a big wet and wild rain year like we had two years ago, but its impact on the environment and the economy is definitely more devastating. It's been building here for seven years. We're dry, all right? We're very, very dry. We've never been this dry this early in the season. Of course, the big rains of two years ago, the impact of that today is that they really fueled up the chaparral in the national forests. So that great rain season that we had two years ago was really just a fuel builder for what we're facing this summer. Hena Cuevas>> How so? Dr. Bill Patzert>> You have a big rain year two years ago and, of course, that gives you a spurt in the national forests, in the grasses and the chaparral and then, two years later when it's been so very, very dry like this past winter, all that is is the buildup of the fuel supply. Remember that the great fires are three things. They're fuel which were definitely fueled up and dried out. They're meteorology and this winter we had an abnormal number of Santa Ana winds. Of course, the result has been a lot of fires. And, of course, the third component of a fire is ignition. That can be accidental. It can be natural like lightning. Or in many cases in southern California, it's wacko pyromaniacs. There's twenty million of us and there's plenty of wacko pyromaniacs. Hena Cuevas>> You talk about long-term. What does that mean? What do you mean by long-term drought? Dr. Bill Patzert>> Well, when we look at the history of the west, the normal condition really in the west is dryness because we have more dry years than wet years. So I always say, when in doubt, vote for drought in the west. We've seen ten years, twenty years, thirty years, we've even seen looking back in the historical record, we've seen fifty-year droughts in the west. The twentieth century was relatively benign in terms of drought, but the twenty-year drought is certainly probable and the fifty-year drought is very possible looking ahead into the future. Hena Cuevas>> But the reality is that we do live in a desert, so why is this news? Dr. Bill Patzert>> Well, you know, there's the great California historian, Kerry McWilliams, who said, "We all come to California for the climate except the problem is that there's no weather." There are twenty million of us between Tijuana and Santa Barbara and there's enough rainfall for three million of us. Fortunately, our forefathers, the great robber barons, built all those great aqueducts out of northern California, the Owens Valley and the Colorado. Ironically, in a place that's semi-arid, there are twenty million of us using water like there's no tomorrow. For instance, we over-water our lawns in Los Angeles by six feet a year, all right? And the twice a week car wash is definitely the norm. So what a great irony in a place that has no weather, we've more water than we can sensibly use. Hena Cuevas>> Dr. Bill Patzert from JPL, thank you very much for this very interesting information. Dr. Bill Patzert>> Well, it's always a pleasure to be on KCET. Thank you. Announcer>> To send a comment or a question to our program, you can reach us by mail at this address: Life and Times 4401 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90027 You can also call our viewer comment line (323) 953-5555) or contact us the fast way by e-mail at kcet.org. Larry Mantle>> Welcome to FilmWeek on Life and Times. I'm Larry Mantle of 89.3 KPCC. First up this week is number three in the "Ocean's" series of films. "Ocean's Thirteen" returns Steven Soderbergh as the director as well as most of the cast headed by Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and, of course, George Clooney. [Film Clip] Larry Mantle>> I'm joined this week by critics Lael Loewenstein of Variety and Jean Oppenheimer of Village Voice Media. Lael, what did you think of "Ocean's Thirteen"? Lael Loewenstein>> Well, it's smooth and breezy and it's totally insubstantial in the big scheme of things, but it's a lot of fun. You know, Soderbergh is back for the third of these "Ocean's" films and he's got a great cast who look terrific in their Armani suits and they make Vegas look like a place you really want to be. They're pulling off a big heist this time in a casino owned by Al Pacino and they're trying to bring him down. It's just a great caper movie. You know, I think it's easy to be cynical and say that Soderbergh does these things for the money. Well, he does them for the money and it would be really annoying if it weren't for the fact that they're so darned entertaining. But the truth is, he does these to finance smaller, more interesting and important films like "The Good German" and the tiny budgeted "Bubble". I like the fact that he goes from the big to the small like this and it was actually quite entertaining. A lot of fun. Larry Mantle>> Did you have fun with it, Jean? Jean Oppenheimer>> Well, not exactly. I agree with Lael that it's a super slick film. This is the kind of film in which the characters all speak in a sort of hip shorthand that is supposed to make them not only cool, but make you the viewer feel that you are cool because you understand it too. Well, unfortunately, I felt like I was in a foreign language film with no subtitles, so I really couldn't keep up. Within about thirty seconds, I was completely lost. Not that it makes a big difference because it's obviously just a heist movie. I think that what they're hoping and one reason it will succeed is because you're attracted to the actors. Not necessarily the characters, but you're sort of inside with the actors. You know, that cool George Clooney sort of like Cary Grant. I mean, what could be cooler than being Brad Pitt? Then you have Matt Damon, but he plays a real nerd here, so you can sort of laugh at the joke. So I think it's a very inside film and, you know, not one that I felt inside of. But I think that, if you can follow the dialogue which just zings by and the constant inter-cutting between scenes, if you can keep up with it, I think you will enjoy it. Larry Mantle>> Our animated feature this week is "Surf's Up" featuring a surfing penguin and the voices of Shia LaBeouf and Zooey Deschanel. [Film Clip] Larry Mantle>> Well, from the ocean to the surf, Lael. "Surf's Up"? Lael Loewenstein>> You know, I was surprised that I enjoyed this as much as I did, Larry. After "Happy Feet" and "March of the Penguins", I thought we'd kind of had a glut of penguin movies. But the fact is, there is room for another animated penguin film and it's actually quite entertaining. You've got some great voices by Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges and Zooey Deschanel as some of the key characters and another kind of outsider scenario not unlike "Happy Feet" where this surfing penguin is trying to go for, you know, his one big ride to make it. But what I liked about it really most of all was that it takes the approach of a mockumentary to this film, so it's really kind of the first that I could think of the first post-modern animated family film in that you have all these kinds of references to reality television and the world of the reality genre that we're so accustomed to by now. So it's a bit kind of tongue-in-cheek and there's something in it for the grownups that makes it sort of delightful. Larry Mantle>> Our next film is a biography of French singer, Edith Piaf. Marion Cotillard stars in the film "La Vie En Rose". [Film Clip] Larry Mantle>> "La Vie En Rose", Jean? Jean Oppenheimer>> Well, if you're not familiar with Edith Piaf, just think of her as this sort of French Judy Garland. Their stories really are very similar in some ways. They both suffered these really -- well, they're extraordinary talents with terrific singing voices. They were both very emotionally damaged in their childhood. They both were addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. They had very sad lives in which they suffered. They died fairly young. Now I really enjoyed this film and a lot of it is essential performance by Marion Cotillard. I mean, there's a line in the film where one of her managers is trying to get Edith to really sing and he says, "Live the song." She has to put herself into the movie and, I'll tell you, this actress puts herself into this movie. It is a stunning performance. I like the film overall, despite the fact that I thought there was very melodramatic moments and the music that they played underneath it, you know, just incidental piano music, I found very melodramatic, but I still enjoyed the film. I thought the supporting actors were really good. It's interesting also that, with Piaf, they show you the really ugly side of her personality. I mean, she's very temperamental, she can be really harsh. I think it's definitely worth seeing. Larry Mantle>> And finally this week, the documentary "Crazy Love" written and directed by Dan Klores. It tells the story of the Pugaches, a couple who've now been married for just about thirty years, but, boy, do they have a fascinating back story. Back in 1959, Burt threw acid in Linda's face after she had broken up with him. After he served his stint in prison, they resurrected the romance. [Film Clip] Larry Mantle>> "Crazy Love", Lael? Lael Loewenstein>> I was riveted by this documentary. I mean, the story of this couple just defies credibility, yet it's true. It's just such a remarkable history and it's so well-researched by director, Dan Klores. He poured through scores and scores of articles and interviews and met everyone he could. You know, the fascinating thing about it is that you see why they're together. You see why Linda finally ends up with Burt despite the fact that he has actually blinded her. He has taken away her sight and yet she's agreed to marry him and spend the rest of her life with him. It's something that is just one of those -- you know, it seems like an urban myth because it's just so far-fetched. But it's a remarkable story, incredibly moving and yet horrifying kind of at the same time. Sort of like watching a train wreck, but you just can't not watch. It's really one of the best documentaries of the year, I think, and I think one of the best films too. Larry Mantle>> Jean? Jean Oppenheimer>> Well, I wouldn't call it moving. I would call it fascinating, but I really wanted to take a shower when it was over. I mean, these are not people I'd want to spend time with. Burt is a real creep in my mind. Lael's absolutely right that the filmmaker got so much footage. There were so many pictures taken of Linda when she was young -- she was absolutely beautiful -- and of Burt. They're so open and honest in their interviews. I mean, it's almost like they don't realize how open they are. But I sort of felt that I was watching "Deliver Us From Evil", which was the movie about the pedophile priest who verbally will cop to, you know, what he's done that's wrong, but I felt he didn't really recognize the impact he had on his victims. That's really how I ended up feeling about Burt. But it is fascinating. As Lael said, it's like a train wreck. Larry Mantle>> Thanks for joining us for another FilmWeek on Life and Times. I'm Larry Mantle of 89.3 KPCC joined by critics Jean Oppenheimer of Village Voice Media and Lael Loewenstein of Variety. Please join us again next week for the next FilmWeek on Life and Times. Val Zavala>> KPCC radio broadcasts a longer version of FilmWeek on Friday mornings at eleven. And that's our program. I'm Val Zavala. We'll see you next time. Announcer>> Life and Times was made possible through the generous support of the L.K. Whittier Foundation dedicated to improving the quality of life by supporting innovative endeavors in the fields of medicine, health, science and education. And by a generous grant from Jim and Anne Rothenberg. Sponsored in part by:  | |
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