Not reinventing the conservative message. Just making it spicier.
May 20, 2012 Leave a comment
Good news: I will be guest blogging for Prager University.
In my first post, I debunked the claim that Israel is an “apartheid” state.
Below is the entire post, as found on the Prager University Facebook page:
By: Gabriella Hoffman, Contributor and College Senior
———————
This past week, my university – UC-San Diego – played host to “Israel Apartheid Week.” The Muslim Students Association (MSA) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) clubs unveiled an “apartheid” wall that displayed alleged human rights abuses in Israel. The wall—which can be found on college campuses—claims Israel oppresses non-Jews, commits genocide, and behaves like Nazi Germany. Moreover, the organizers of this week-long event invite notorious anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist speakers to advance their cause. Without a doubt, it’s the most hostile week on campus each school year.
Supporters of the Palestinian cause are keen to undermine the Jewish state by painting it as an “apartheid” state. While this comparison is illusory and illogical at best, it’s imperative to counter it with the truth.
The MSA’s and SJP’s use of the word “apartheid” is misleading and offensive, says the Vanguard Leadership Group – a coalition of black students that supports Israel’s right to exist and defend itself. In an article in IsraelNationalNews.com, the group said: “We request that you immediately stop referring to Israel as an apartheid society and to acknowledge that the Arab minority in Israel enjoys full citizenship with voting rights and representation in the government.” (http://bit.ly/KzS52w)
Additionally, if Israel were an apartheid state, Arabs wouldn’t hold the same rights as Jews and Christians. Arabs vote, practice their religion, hold office, and live peacefully in Israel much to the chagrin of the MSA and SJP.
Dennis Prager’s video about the subject further illustrates why Israel is not an apartheid state: http://bit.ly/n5c7YE
(Note: you can follow Ms. Hoffman on Twitter at @gabby_hoffman)
Follow Prager University @prageru and “Like” the Facebook page.
May 20, 2012 Leave a comment
If you live in Southern California and are looking for an event to attend, then check out EFSD’s “Rise Up” Convention.
Speakers include Dinesh D’Souza, Brian Brown, Frank Gaffney, and more!
The event will take place at Skyline Church in San Diego from 4-9pm on June 1, 2012.
Register for the event here. Tickets cost $20. (Bring your children!)
If you’re interested in having a booth there, inquire here.
“Like” the event page and RSVP on Facebook.
Hope to see you there!
May 6, 2012 2 Comments
Last night, I had the pleasure of attending an event with comedian Adam Carolla and conservative broadcaster Dennis Prager. Prager University’s RJ Moeller was kind enough to invite me as his guest. I would never pass up an opportunity to spend time in beautiful downtown San Diego, especially when coupled with a show like this. (Thank you, RJ! Everyone – If you aren’t aware of Prager University, then please acquaint yourself with it.)
“An Evening with Adam Carolla and Dennis Prager” stopped here in America’s Finest City and left attendees satisfied. This show is part of a larger nationwide tour that is making rounds across the country. The San Diego show was held in historic Spreckles Theater in the heart of downtown – undoubtedly the perfect venue for this affair.
Overall, I had a great time. I was expecting crude jokes from Adam Carolla, given what I previously knew about him. I had my doubts about him until I heard him lambast “Occupy Wall Street” on his show back in December 2011. Astonishingly enough, he was funny and very quick-witted. (He gained a fan in me.) Prager balanced out the rough edges, making the two-man show enjoyable and fun. I was laughing at the jokes and commentary throughout the night. Who could ever see Carolla and Prager complementing one another? I didn’t until yesterday.
Here are some memorable quotes from last night’s event:
“The higher the self-esteem as a kid, the worse the adult you are.” – Dennis Prager
“Mom-nurturer, Dad-standard keeper.” – Dennis Prager
“The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.” – Dennis Prager
“If you grow up with constant praise, I don’t know if you can actually achieve anything.” – Dennis Prager
“I rushed a frat at Prager U.” – Adam Carolla
“Sometimes just saying “I love you” is an easy way for bad parents or people to get away with being bad” -Adam Carolla
“I wasn’t raised w/low self esteem. I was raised w/NO self esteem. And look at me!” – Adam Carolla
“Love is dangerous…I don’t care how you fell, I care how you act.” – Dennis Prager
“God is love, war, justice, evil.” – Dennis Prager
I am pictured here with Dennis Prager. Note: I’m 5’3” and am wearing 2-3” boots. Dennis Prager stands at 6’4″.
Among the many things I took away from the show, the discussion about relationships and marriage particularly caught my interest. (I learned that Dennis Prager dedicates an hour of his radio show each Wednesday to this subject in a segment called the “Male-Female Hour.”) During Q&A , one audience member asked both men their advice about breaking up with his girlfriend. The guy lamented that he isn’t in love with her, that they cohabitate, that she’s emotionally dependent on him, and that if he were to leave her she’d have to move back to Italy. Carolla joked that Italy has endless red wine, beautiful coasts, and other appealing things, so moving back there wouldn’t be unbearable. Then he seriously remarked that he should end it. Prager affirmed the notion that cohabitation leads to divorce, and that live-in couples are more doomed to fail. (Ding ding ding!) People, especially those in my age group, need to learn the truth about cohabitation and the ills of hooking-up. I’m confident that others would have found this bit enlightening, as well.
All in all, seeing Carolla and Prager made my day. I couldn’t ask for a better way to spend a Saturday night before the heyday of my last-ever college midterms.
May 4, 2012 4 Comments
This past evening, Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul delivered a speech here on campus. Amid the pot smoke (gotta love those pot smokers!) and warm sun, San Diegans congregated at Warren Mall to see the colorful and equally lively perennial presidential candidate.
Ron Paul – best known for his die-hard college fans – addressed several thousand students and community members.
Interestingly enough, Ron Paul has a theme song:
Here are some pictures from the event:
Many of you know I do not support a Ron Paul candidacy. For one, Mitt Romney will be the Republican presidential nominee (I will be holding my nose. I’m voting non-Marxist and against Obama). And two – his anti-Israelism, support for drug legalization, and libertine social policies run counter to my views.
The Israel issue sticks out the most. Paul is ignorant when it comes to Iran’s nuclear program and radical Islam. During his speech he said, “I think sanctions [on Iran] are wrong…are an act of war.” Also, he previously lamented American military involvement in freeing Holocaust victims and has blamed Israel for the creation of Hamas. I cannot compromise on my support for Israel; I simply won’t budge.
Oddly enough, I agree with most of Ron Paul’s economic views. I believe we should do away with the United Nations; Departments of Education, Commerce, Energy; and the EPA – best known as the “Employment Prevention Agency.” I also agree with auditing (and even abolishing) the Fed. I’m opposed to governmental waste and globalist, hypocritical international bodies abusing our tax dollars. If Paul weren’t so hostile to Israel and libertine on social issues, I might reconsider. Alas, I won’t.
The reality is this: Ron Paul will not secure the nomination. If his supporters are determined to defeat Obama, then they must vote for the eventual GOP nominee (I know, it pains me to write this – but we have no other choice but Romney). Please don’t split the vote, guys!
I will concede that Ron Paul knows how to energize a crowd. It still amazes me that he attracts so many people to his events. His young followers worship him like God, which is a tad odd. (Never EVER put a politician on a pedestal.) And he’s quite the sensationalist. That aside, he put on quite the show last night.
Without a doubt, this event will go down in UCSD history. Kudos to the event organizers.
May 1, 2012 1 Comment
Admit it. You’ve swooned over Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) like the rest of us. Females like myself are enchanted by those blue eyes, that perfectly parted hair, and those pearly whites. And males admire him for his fortitude, manliness, and business acumen.
Who could deny Ryan’s greatness? He’s very attractive. And not only that – he’s articulate, family-oriented, and knowledgeable about finances. He is… the Most Interesting Republican in America!
“Hey Girl, Its Paul Ryan“ lets the whole blogosphere see what we’re raving about.
If you’re familiar with “Newt Judges You,” “Texts from Hillary,” and “Dogs Against Obama,” then you’ll like this. It’s a play off of the “Hey Girl, Its Ryan Gosling” meme.
Check out some of these memes:
And my personal favorite.
So, who are the masterminds behind this awesome tumblr account and correspondent meme? None other than CRAFT DC’s Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) and Naked D.C. Editor-in-Chief Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti)
Girls – Let not your heart be troubled. Thanks to “Hey Girl, It’s Paul Ryan,” now you can swoon over Paul Ryan every day. And guys – you might find these to be useful pickup lines. Just sayin’.
Check http://heygirlitspaulryan.tumblr.com/ for new memes each day.
April 30, 2012 1 Comment
I have a new article out in today’s edition of TheCollegeConservative entitled “Jews and Conservatism: An Interview with YJC President David Milstein.” In it, I write about conservatism and Jewish voters. More importantly, I interview David Milstein – a colleague and fellow conservative activist about Jews moving to the Right. Milstein is the president of Young Jewish Conservatives – a newly formed group that caters to young Jewish conservatives.
Many are unaware of this, but Young Jewish Conservatives’ co-founders reached out to me and asked for my advice during the first planning stages. I willingly obliged and offered whatever suggestions I could give. That being said, I fully support their efforts.
You see, like conservative activism, Israel advocacy is a cause near and dear to my heart. Many of my dad’s relatives live in Israel and several of my parents’ friends immigrated to Israel from Lithuania. I live vicariously through them and their stories about Israel. Although Israel-haters will accuse me of being an Israeli propagandist (my allegiance lies with America, silly knuckleheads), many will agree with me that it’s good to morally support Israel. In fact, we should treat this ally of ours with the utmost respect…Paging the Obama administration?
Although I’ve yet to experience the Holy Land (I fully dedicate my time to conservative politics, so my ability to travel is limited right now), I do plan to go and visit it one day. It’s a beautiful country full of wonder and rich history. All the pictures I’ve seen and stories I’ve heard point to this. I’ve read enough to understand why Israel is unique. You should visit if you get the chance.
People always ask me about my support for Israel. First and foremost, I support a healthy U.S.-Israel relationship. Israel is our only friend in the Middle East, and it has a lot in common with the United States. Second, I support Israel’s right to exist because it is the only democracy in the Middle East. Terrorists in Hamas and Hezbollah want to destroy this beacon of freedom in this hostile region. Call me crazy, but I have no sympathy for the “Palestinian” cause after one of its proponents and suicide bombers blew up my second cousin and 20 other young Russian Jews in the Tel Aviv Dolphinarium discotheque terrorist attack in June 2001. When these militants personally get under your skin, you cannot forgive them. End of story. And third, this affinity for Israel led me to bring David Horowitz to UCSD in May 2010. You can see the infamous clip that made national headlines here:
Like conservatism, Israel advocacy is something I will never compromise on. As someone with Jewish roots, I’m proud to support a group like Young Jewish Conservatives. People need to understand why it’s important for Jews to vote Republican and be conservative.
To learn more about YJC, please read my article:
Jews and Conservatism: An Interview with YJC President David Milstein
American Jews are re-evaluating their support for President Obama and the Democrat Party. Although Jewish voters historically gravitate to the American Left, there is a noticeable shift in their voting behavior of late.
What best explains this?
Many Jews are disgruntled with Obama’s poor treatment of Israel. In 2011, President Obama called for Israel to return to pre-1967 borders – a move criticized by many for suggesting Israel return to “indefensible ‘Auschwitz’ borders.” This sentiment was affirmed in NY-09’s special election to replace disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner – a contest in a heavily Jewish, pro-Israel district. Bob Turner campaigned as the pro-Israel candidate and later went on to defeat his Democrat challenger.
Israel is not the only issue concerning American Jews. Although Jews voted for Barack Obama over John McCain 78% to 21% in 2008, the American Jewish Committee’s 2011 survey of Jewish opinion revealed that many are abandoning Obama. Here is a summation of the survey’s findings: Jewish voters disapproved of Obama’s job performance 48% to 45%, disapproved of his handling of the economy 60% to 37%, disapproved of his handling of immigration 49% to 43%, and disapproved of his treatment of U.S.-Israel relations 53% to 40%.
April 30, 2012 1 Comment
Week 5 promises to be an exciting time here at UC-San Diego. Two prominent figures – Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon and presidential candidate Ron Paul – are coming to campus this week.
Danny Ayalon Lecture – May 3, 2012 – 6-8pm – Price Center Theater
Danny Ayalon‘s lecture is sponsored by Tritons for Israel. It will be held in Price Center Theater from 6pm to 8pm. Doors open at 5pm. More details can be found on the Facebook event page. Tickets are free from the UCSD Box Office. Will-call tickets available.
Ron Paul Speech – May 4, 2012 – 7-8:30pm – Warren Mall
Students for Ron Paul of UCSD is sponsoring this event. According to the Facebook event, over 1,000 people are “Attending.” Tickets are free, but you must reserve them ahead of time. Go here to reserve your ticket before they run out.
Whether or not you agree with these speakers (I certainly don’t agree with many of Ron Paul’s policy positions), go hear them speak on campus. Why not take advantage of this opportunity?
I will be blogging about both events this week. Stay tuned!
April 21, 2012 Leave a comment
This past Monday, my sister Anna Maria Hoffman and I went to the 4th Stop Taxing Us Tax Day Tea Party in Oceanside, CA.
Anna Maria (right) and I (left) are pictured here. (Thanks to Dr. Gary for taking this priceless photo.)
Like good young conservatives, we decided to go to the event and assist our political godparents – Donna and Woody Woodrum – with the Eagle Forum of San Diego booth. A cameraman approached us and asked why we were at the event. You can see what we said starting at the 0:32 mark:
