From the Forward: L.A. Federation president Jay Sanderson, out of town on a visit to Israel, claimed to be unaware that the ZOA, a tenant with offices in the Federation building, was sponsoring the event featuring Geller.
“We were unaware until Friday that this was happening.” He said his concern was that families visited the children’s museum, located in the building’s first floor, on Sunday mornings, “and we didn’t want the children and their families to be disrupted by politics.”
ZOA officials, which sponsored the event, noted that the event was posted on the federation’s web site.
“Sanderson should read his own web site,” said Steve Goldberg, ZOA’s national vice chairman, who said he’d spoken with Sanderson that morning and was unable to persuade Sanderson to allow ZOA to res-schedule the event. “The event has been posted there for the past two weeks.”
An interfaith coalition had earlier in the week issued a statement condemning the Federation for allowing Geller to speak, branding her an Islamophobe.
The coalition included American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Council on American-Islamic Relations – Greater Los Angeles (CAIR-LA), Islamic Circle of North America – Southern California (ICNA), Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, Jewish Voice for Peace – Los Angeles (JVP-LA), LA Jews for Peace, Muslim American Society – Greater Los Angeles (MAS-LA), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), and Progressive Christians Uniting (PCU).
Read more: http://forward.com/articles/158381/anti-islamic-activist-blocked-from-la-speech/#ixzz1yp9zKBWd
