False symmetry

This column is about false symmetry. This is when two things that are completely unequal are nonetheless considered equal. For example, an expert and a science denier facing off in a talk show. Regardless of what is said, the science denier wins as he is now taken just as seriously as the expert. The two individuals should never have been considered equal in the first place.

False symmetry is very common in politics. The far right regurgitates the most horrible things and then someone from the so-called political centre says that both sides shouldn’t polarise so much. The result: a resounding victory for the far right. False symmetry invariably works in favour of the status quo and reinforces existing trends.

But there are very few situations where false symmetry takes on such grotesque forms as in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Rarely was a fight so unequal. The Palestinian people are systematically oppressed, expelled and starved. There seems to be no end to Israel’s misdeeds, with recent lows being a racist death penalty law (in Dutch) for Palestinians and military prisons (in Dutch) where Palestinian children are tortured and abused. Anyone who thinks they can still recognise symmetry in these situations has no place at a technical university.

And so, the false symmetry remains and at every subsequent protest we can say that we are perfectly neutral

Yet, TU Delft seems to see this differently. Recently, Gil Troy, a Zionist activist, was invited for a lecture. His conviction is described extensively in his new book: criticism of the state of Israel cannot be separated from anti-Semitism. A fallacy at an astonishing level. Anti-Semitism is some sort of magic card that can be played at any time and shields the player from all criticism. Anne Frank would turn in her grave if she knew how the injustice done to her is abused here to justify the most horrific crimes.

On the eve of Troy’s lecture, windows were smashed at the Echo building. The damage may amount to a million euros. Deliberate destruction, especially of this magnitude, must be condemned and punished. That is beyond discussion. Yet, to me the broken glass signifies more than just vandalism. I see anger, sadness and powerlessness. I see a desperate call to finally acknowledge that the situation is not symmetrical. That someone like Troy does not deserve a stage. That TU Delft must dare to take a stand.

That, however, seems too much to ask. “We will continue to provide space for everyone who wants to make their voice heard,” a spokesperson for the Executive Board said, explaining the decision to allow the lecture to go ahead anyway. “In doing so, we are upholding freedom of expression, as we consistently do.”

And so, the false symmetry remains. And at every subsequent protest we can say that we are perfectly neutral and are so very open to everyone’s opinion. And then react indignantly when someone gets angry and shouts that that is not fair and that there is a moral lower limit. And then say pityingly that that person takes it all too seriously, and that we shouldn’t polarise so much. As we consistently do.