The Berkeley contre-temps

This week I filed my third -- maybe fourth -- story about the recall of John Moghtader, the 21-year-old U.C. Berkeley student, Associated Students senator and ardent Zionist. I have a feeling it won't be my last.

Moghtader lost his bid to keep his seat, and by a wide margin, nearly 4-1. Of course, considering fewer than 4,000 students out of a 35,000-member student body actually voted, his loss takes on a different perspective. The way I see it, Moghtader was railroaded.

Start with the charges against him, which loosely stem from an altercation on campus last November. Though he was involved in that fight between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian students, he has denied throwing punches, denied any wrongdoing, and was not charged by the D.A. Yet the Students for Justice in Palestine and their supporters pressed ahead with a recall petition and then, this past week, successfully had him removed from office.

I don't know if Moghtader is telling the truth about his actions that November night. I do know he has not been charged with a crime, and I do know the recall measure was so vaguely worded (it said nothing at all about his performance as a senator) that it would never have passed muster in a civic election. Moreover, I have had enough conversations with John Moghtader to form an opinion of him, He strikes me as honest and trustworthy, fundamentally decent. On fire about Israel; in love with the Jewish people? Yes. And being a 21-year-old male, he certainly may be prone to excesses, especially regarding causes in which he believes.

But absent clear violations of the senate code of conduct, absent criminal charges, and absent an overwhelming desire on the part of UC Berkeley students to toss him from office, I have to conclude Moghtader's opponents worked the system and pulled off a coup. That stinks, and they should be ashamed of themselves. It's perfectly fine for SJP members to press their case on campus, to debate with opponents issues that concern them, and protest Israel to their hearts' content. But to drain the student fund of $20,000 for a one-off election that drew a pathetic turnout, all just to stick it to the university's posterboy for Zionism, is a hollow victory indeed.

Yes I am a Jewish supporter of Israel. No reason to expect a reporter from a Jewish newspaper to be otherwise. But as a journalist, I try to keep my b.s. detector extended at all times, and I don't like disingenuousness from Jews or non-Jews. This recall was a steaming pile of b.s., and though John Moghtader may have run out of options (he says he may sue), I hope Cal gets its act together to prevent a shonda like this from happening again.

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