Committee for Open Discussion of Zionism

In August of 2007, the University of Michigan Press Executive Director, Phillip Pochoda, suspended distribution of the book Overcoming Zionism, by Professor Joel Kovel of Bard College, published by Pluto Press, an independent left-wing publisher in London, U.K. His action was the result of a campaign of vilification of the book and Pluto Press orchestrated by a group called StandWithUs, an offshoot of the Zionist self-styled "watchdog" organization, Campus Watch.

Following protests from supporters of Professor Kovel and Pluto Press, the University of Michigan Press Executive Board, on September 11, 2007, resumed distribution of Overcoming Zionism but announced it would "review" its distribution contract with Pluto Press at its next meeting on October 19, 2007.

The Committee for the Open Discussion of Zionism (CODZ) was formed.in early September, 2007, Its immediate goal was to support Professor Kovel and Pluto Press and to resist the suppression of their publications. CODZ contacted thousands of progressive individuals and organizations and successfully solicited hundreds of letters in support of continuing the distribution agreement with Pluto Press Publications. Letters were sent to the University Press Executive Board by writers, scholars, academics, University of Michigan faculty and alumni, and people in all walks of life from all over the world, urging the University to continue the distribution agreement with Pluto Press, consistent with the principles of academic freedom, free speech and intellectual discourse.

On October 19, 2007, the University of Michigan Press Executive Board met and on Oct. 22, 2007, announced its decision to continue distribution of Pluto Press publications.

In the course of its efforts to resist the suppression of Pluto Press publications and Professor. Kovel's book, CODZ ran an ad in the Michigan Daily, the University's venerable and highly regarded student newspaper. On October 30, 2007, the entire seventeen member editorial board of the Daily signed an editorial denouncing the University of Michigan Press for suspending distribution of Overcoming Zionism and threatening the distribution contract with Pluto Press in the first place.

This has been a rare and important victory of rapidly organized, grassroots protest over well-funded Zionists attempting to suppress criticism of Zionism and of Israeli government policy.

As will be further detailed on its website, www.codz.org, CODZ is planning to hold a conference and debate in New York in 2008 that will address both the issue of suppression and Zionism itself. Such a conference will require substantial funding for media, speaker expenses, facility rental, materials, publicity, etc. Most urgent is the need to pay a part-time conference organizer.

Contributions should be sent to:

CODZ
Church Street Station
PO Box 374
New York, New York 10008-0374

Checks in the amount of $250 or more can be made out to the Institute for Media Analysis. Please write the word CODZ on the memo line. The Institute is a 501(c)(3) organization so donations are tax deductible.

Checks in an amount less than $250 should be made out to CODZ. We do not vouch for their tax deductibility.

The struggle continues. Representatives of the Anti-Defamation League, the B'nai B'rith, and StandWithUs appeared at the monthly meeting of the University of Michigan Board of Regents to continue their demand that the University cease distribution of Pluto Press Publications. They persuaded three of the eight Regents in advance to support their position and, although the vote went against them, it was a close thing. They will not stop at that. They want a book burning. We expect to fight them at the next Regents meeting, alongside our ally Jewish Voice for Peace.

If you believe Zionism and suppression of critics are issues that need to be publicly examined, discussed and debated, then we ask you to contribute as generously to CODZ.

Thank you.