Ed Koch speaks out against an anti-Semitic cartoon at Rutgers-Truth!

Letter From Ed Koch Protesting an Offensive Racial Cartoon at Rutgers University-Truth!

Summary of the eRumor
The message includes two letters said to have been written by former New York mayor Ed Koch in response to a controversial cartoon that was published in a student publication at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
The cartoon depicted a man suspended in a "carnival-style" contraption over a burning oven.
The caption says "Knock a Jew in the oven!"

The Truth
The cartoon did appear in a campus humor publication titled the Medium.
It calls itself “the entertainment weekly of giving birth to a retarded child.”
It's logo is a monkey at a typewriter.
Rutgers President Richard McCormick called for an apology from the editors of the paper, which they did later issue.
Former New York mayor Ed Koch, who is outspoken against anti-Semitism, wrote letters to both McCormick and the governor of New Jersey.

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

Anti-Semitism at Rutgers Edward I. Koch
Saturday, May 1, 2004
I am certain that you will be interested in the following correspondence.
April 23, 2004
Richard McCormick
President
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Old Queen’s College Avenue Campus
83 Somerset Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08902
Dear Mr. McCormick:
I read an article in today’s New York Sun entitled “Astonishment, Fury As
Anti-Semitism Rakes Rutgers. Knock a Jew in the Oven!” I am enclosing a
copy for your ready reference.
It reported that “The illustration featured on the cover of a Rutgers
University student newspaper shows a frightened Jewish man suspended on a
carnival-style contraption. Below him is a burning oven. ‘Knock a Jew in
the oven!’ reads the caption underneath the cartoon. ‘Three throws for one
dollar!’ A contestant is throwing a ball at a target. The headline reads:
‘Holocaust Remembrance Week: Springfest 2004.’”
In response, you are reported as saying that “though the cartoon
desecrates the memory of 6 million innocent Jewish people, the newspaper
is protected by the First Amendment.”
The article reports that the university would not consider cutting the
funding the paper receives from student activity fees. I assume that those
fees include payments by Jewish and non-Jewish students who are offended
by the cartoon simply because they do not support bigotry directed toward
Jews or any other ethnic or racial group. If you believe the student
newspaper is not subject to penalty because of this article and the First
Amendment, tell me please, is there any situation that would cause you to
take punitive action? If the article showed a black man hanging from a
tree and an exhortation to lynch more blacks, would it warrant the
imposition of a penalty by you? You have embarrassed by your inaction both
the university and the State of New Jersey.
Editors of the school paper defend themselves by saying that the paper is
“the entertainment weekly of giving birth to a retarded child.” That same
paper apparently printed in the past an anonymous personal ad that read:
“This personal is dedicated to all the darkies and sons of slaves out
there on Livingston campus…Don’t you have women to rape, or presidents to
mug.” Can you tell me what your response was to that anti-African American
ad? If you published a response, may I have the actual text? Frankly, I
don’t understand your point of view that student fees must be paid under
these circumstances to finance bigotry.
May I also remind you that free speech does not include the right to cry
"Fire!" in a crowded theater. It was less than 60 years ago that millions
of Jews were being "knocked" into real ovens. The cartoon and the attitude
that led to its creation do not simply dishonor the memories of those who
were murdered. By trivializing genocide, at a time when governments and
private backers are reviving "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" and
other hate propaganda that made the Holocaust possible, the cartoon
threatens Jews who are alive today.
I am writing to Governor McGreevey to ask if this situation isn’t
comparable to that involving Amiri Baraka, poet laureate of New Jersey,
who used his position to publish an anti-Semitic poem. The New Jersey
State Legislature took action against him at the Governor’s request,
ending the position. Perhaps it will take appropriate action regarding the
state’s ties with the university.
For a university to support with funding bigotry directed at blacks,
women, gays, Jews and other traditionally victimized groups is
unacceptable in my book.
Serendipitously, it happens that this weekend I will be leaving for a
conference in Berlin sponsored by the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The organization, made up of 55 nations,
will be addressing the issue of rising anti-Semitism in Europe which is
reaching heights not seen since the 30s. Apparently, it is also rising at
Rutgers University as well.
All the best.
Sincerely,
Edward I. Koch
Enclosure
****************
April 23, 2004
The Honorable James McGreevey
Governor
State Capital
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Dear Governor:
I read an article in today’s New York Sun which you may not have seen
concerning Rutgers University. I won’t repeat the text of the article,
other than to say that an anti-Semitic article attacking Jews and lauding
the Holocaust appeared in the college newspaper, Medium. Rutgers’
president, Richard McCormick, has declined to take action that would
include cutting off student fees used to finance the paper. My letter to
President McCormick in which I object to his failure of leadership is
enclosed, along with the New York Sun article.
I was particularly horrified by the reported incident because I am on my
way to Berlin to chair a conference on anti-Semitism. Secretary of State
Colin Powell will be attending, as will representatives from 55 countries
around the world who are members of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which is comprised of the member states of
NATO, the former Warsaw Pact and the European Union. When I address the
attendees in Berlin, and should I be asked about the Rutgers’ incident --
and some might with a smirk -- I will say that I am deeply ashamed of what
occurred at Rutgers and the inaction of its president, and I have brought
the incident to the attention of the Governor of New Jersey hoping he can
initiate remedial action.
Free speech does not include the right to cry "Fire!" in a crowded
theater. It was less than 60 years ago that millions of Jews were being
"knocked" into real ovens. The cartoon and the attitude that led to its
creation do not simply dishonor the memories of those who were murdered.
By trivializing genocide, at a time when governments and private backers
are reviving "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" and other hate
propaganda that made the Holocaust possible, the cartoon threatens Jews
who are alive today.
I hope that you will have someone examine the incident and actions of
President McCormick and determine what appropriate action should be taken
by you and the state legislature.
I hope that all is well.
All the best.
Sincerely,
Edward I. Koch
Enclosure