Jacqueline Perlin
Assistant News Editor
York University student group Hasbara@York is set to present an on-campus screening of the controversial documentary Iranium, which has more than just a few students upset.
The documentary, which was to be screened in Ottawa’s Library and Archives Canada at its Wellington Street location, was promptly cancelled after the organization received threats and complaints from groups who fiercely opposed the showing.
The film was finally shown at the original location Feb. 6 after Heritage Minister James Moore ordered the screening to commence, and openly criticized the Iranian embassy for attempting to prevent the film from being shown.
According to Hasbara@York president Adir Dishy, the documentary outlines the history of Iran since the 1979 revolution and addresses the concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“We want to show it obviously because there’s a lot of tension between the Islamic regime of Iran today and Israel,” said Dishy. “I mean, it’s been said that [Iranian President] Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to wipe the state of Israel off the map. And if he gets nuclear bombs, that becomes a reality.”
Dishy added that nuclear weapon development is not a topic that should only be limited to the Middle East, and that everyone should be educated about the concerns at hand.
“We’re trying to get people a little bit more aware of the issue,” he said.
Iranian Student Association at York president Mehraz Javadyniya said the documentary is full of false information and should not be considered credible at all.
“If you’ve seen the documentary, John Bolton is on it,” he noted. “He supports the war against Iran. They’re using Bolton as a ‘good source,’ when he actually wants a war against Iran.”
Javadyniya added that the movie claims that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, but he says the nuclear weapons program in Iran was suspended in 1976 during the pro-western pro-Israeli Shah regime.
York student Jesse Zimmerman believes Hasbara@York holds no credibility as an organization, and that the showing is only meant to pander fear to the viewers.
“From what I see, it’s an attempt to manufacture a certain perception. And I think it’s hysterical and it’s fear mongering,” he said, adding that Hasbara discredited themselves when they sent out a press release last year claiming they were assaulted by a mob during a heated debate against pro-Palestinian demonstrators. As Excalibur reported Feb. 10, 2010, once the security camera was checked, there was no evidence that anyone was assaulted.
“So this was blatant crying wolf,” continued Zimmerman. “A few years ago, the Campus Coalition of Zionists […] was calling for the bombing of Iran openly. I think it’s more warmongering on campus, and it has no place.”
On the other hand, York Campus Conservatives (YCC) president Michelle Berman does not believe any information was falsified in the film and maintained the YCC’s decision to support and sponsor the documentary.
“It seems pretty accurate to me, and I don’t think so many valid and strong organizations would sign onto a film that would play false information,” she said.
Berman pointed out that this is an issue of free speech and allowing all opinions to be heard.
“Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. I think that it’s our job to bring awareness to these issues,” she said.
Dishy hopes the movie will raise more debates around Iran’s ambition of nuclear weapons and about human rights violations in Iran, but Javadyniya thinks that attempting to spark discussions through showing Iranium is out of line.
“We acknowledge that there are human rights issues in Iran […] but the Iranian community within the university do not agree with them speaking about our human rights issues when it’s our problem,” he stressed.
According to Keith Marnoch from York’s media relations office, regular protocol has been applied to the event – including a thorough security check – and the administration only provides the means for the screenings to take place.
“[Administration] ensures that the venues, rooms and times are available and won’t disrupt other students who are not involved in the event,” said Marnoch.
Iranium was originally suppose to play in Vari Hall lecture room A, but, according to a Hasbara@York press release, was moved to the Computer Science and Engineering Building A at 5:45 p.m on Feb. 10 due to threats made about screening it at York.
With files from Yuni Kim
Controversial anti-Iran film to be shown Thursday
About the Author
Mehraz javadnia does not speak for the Iranian students at York university. He speaks for himself and the Iranian regime he promotes/defends on campus. I am an Iranian student and I support this documentary movie’s message. The Iranian student association does not represent me as an Iranian citizen.
Go figure, Israel gets their way yet again. Why is it OK for Israel to have nuclear (weapon) capabilities but it is not for Iran to have the same? Jesse Z. could not have said it any better and is someone whose voice should be listened to as being sensible and accurate in this “debate”. Hasbara at York has a very clear and concise agenda and is–I’ll say it again–childish in its motives and methods. Screening such a film is clearly provocative regardless of its validity. I wonder if York security will tell the Iranian students to leave again….
Jesse Zimmerman, the all-knowing credible source on campus clubs?
Your unfortunate choice of title is quite inaccurate. I have seen the film Iranium and it is anything but anti-Iran. There is considerable discussion as to how to support Iranians dealing with severe constraints on their freedom of speech.
What is thought-provoking in the film is one of the comments that “the Iranian people have been hijacked by an extremist government”. What is also evident is that this brand of government does not feel limited to operate within it’s own borders. As per current quotes by the Iranium regime, they want the religiously based revolution to be world-wide. This makes it not just Israel’s problem, but bordering countries as well. It is well worth it to see.
Clearly the film supports Iranians, but not their current regime. Informed discussions should happen on both sides of the table — that is healthy. Imposing the silence of opinion by intimidation and threat of violence should be prosecuted by the law. It is high time that Universities return to a model of free speech and civil exchange for students, rather than being a model of moral and intellectual cowardice. Time to enforce “bully-free” zones by using our laws to support free speech instead of suppress it.
Remember back in 2002 when Israeli lobbyists in the United States government like Wolfowitz alleged that Iraq had WMDs and encouraged war against Iraq. What was achieved? Not democracy, not prosperity; just thousands of dead and destroyed families and one less Israeli rival in the Middle East.
Iraq is down, next is Iran and Syria. So before the military strike they must demonize Iran and glorify Israel. The fact is that Iran has no nuclear weapons and Israel has 200.
Another Israeli propaganda campaign to manipulate peoples view on war.
jmw what you say about iranian people is nice and I agree but it is not what was in the movie. the movie was one hour war propaganda by israel. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO PROMOTE WAR AGAINST IRAN because before any one else the iranian people will pay for it.
and those who are talking about freedom of speech. what kind of freedom of speech is this that pro war students have it, and also are free to hire 11 police and bring those cops with their guns on the campus against pro peace , anti war students of the university. and the pro peace ones assumed as a threat?!! and a security guard with his camera start taking photos of peace demonstartors?! so please don’t talk about freedom of speech and this stuff, and take your cops out of our campus. university is for students! and every one has freedom of speech. and at the end, war promotion should consider as hate speech just like promotion of fascism.
Shirin, who are you to decide if someone has the right to promote propaganda or not?