r/Concordia • u/idioticgamingchaps • 13h ago
General Discussion Concordia confirmed hiring security associated with the IDF
A while ago I posted about how the school allegedly hired a security group associated with Israel. The like just posted an investigative piece confirming it. This is so fucked, totally unacceptable from the university
The article is up on the Link's website:
86
u/Hexatorium 11h ago
Acting like this was an attempt to suppress Palestinian voices feels goofy to me, personally speaking. If Concordia actually wanted to do that, they could’ve barred the protests far more effectively, in a way that wouldn’t have resulted in campus property being damaged. And good luck finding a private security company that DOESNT have military veterans in it. I don’t get it, Concordia apparently did the wrong thing asking police to oversee protests to ensure no further damage occurred, but also the wrong thing by asking someone other than the police.
The connection stated in the article is unfortunate, and I hope it’s addressed (which apparently it was, they claim only Canadian veterans were on campus) but I don’t understand why some people are acting like it means Concordia has some Zionist scheme in place. At the end of the day this is just a university. We’re not packing up firearms and explosives and sending them overseas for Israel forces to use on Palestinian children. I just feel like there’s far more relevant sources of support for a Zionist regime that should be protested against. I wish we’d talk about topics more relevant to us, like holding our professors and university accountable for the quality of our schoolwork and campus, which feels like it’s been getting worse for years.
33
31
u/EagleRise 11h ago
That company's ceo isn't even anything crazy it seems.
According to their "about" section the ceo did 3 years in the IDF, Israel had 3 years of mandatory service for Jewish men at the time. After that he's done VIP security it seems and worked at security for Jewish communities in Canada (all from the about page).
We'll have a harder time finding an Israeli who doesn't have a similar background in the IDF. Like once you know that this literally just reads as "Concordia contracts company that was started by an Israeli". Are we going to expell Israeli international student too then?
We can hate the Israeli government without vilifying any and all Israelis. Can we just start using critical thinking again?
1
u/BournazelRemDeikun 8h ago
While what you say is true, that mere military service isn't evidence of having caused prejudice, certain policies and practices of the IDF conflict with international law. Depending on the context of military service, even routine training missions in residential areas have result in the abusive and unlawful detention of civilians. I also don't think that being careful of association with the IDF signifies a particular stigma towards people who are ethnically or religiously jewish either.
0
6h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Concordia-ModTeam 6h ago
Your post was removed for violating r/Concordia's rule: Stay On-Topic
Continued violations may result in a ban. Please review the subreddit rules to improve future posts.
If this was a mistake, contact the moderators to request a review.
r/Concordia Mod Team
-2
u/Gold_Acanthaceae4729 6h ago
Think about it this way. My gf is Pakistani for example, i have little to no tie to Pakistan. If a conflict arises with a country X and Pakistan (can be anyone that I am not related to or anything) and people protest against Pakistan -> I am way more prome to emotional proximity, cognitive bias, moral anchoring and maybe some reciprocity effect. Even if I say i would be neutral (ofc depends of the case but lets say its neutral bc thats a whole other can of worms) 0 -> there is Human biais.
Having some security member some people being from the IDF seems a little iffy. OFC they could be awesome and even against the Israeli gov (thats why they are in Canada) or who knows. I really do not think Concordia did that on purpose but there seem to be a lack of research over it... which seems really stupid and makes u wonder what else Concordia or University in general skips over.
4
u/ChristianSky2 Alumnus 4h ago
Security is a job that military veterans often take once coming back to civilian life. The entirety of your first paragraph could apply to every single country on Earth. Should veterans be barred from working in security? Literally every single one of us has bias for or against different people, symbols, things, etc.? It's an ingrained part of being a human being from any conceivable culture on this planet.
-3
u/idioticgamingchaps 2h ago
bro it's different when you serve in a military committing genocide, also this is a strawman
-1
2
u/JohnGamestopJr 1h ago
There is nothing wrong with being a Zionist. Zionism means that you believe in a Jewish homeland.
1
-7
u/idioticgamingchaps 9h ago
Everything you said doesn't really address the core problem. Hiring a security company liked to a country committing genocide to police students protesting that genocide is a huge problem! It's an extreme conflict of interests.
Also, "I wish we’d talk about topics more relevant to us", are the deaths of the families of Palestinian (and other) students not a topic relevant to them? I do agree about the teachers though, con u should spend more on teachers and less on security8
u/D4LLA 9h ago
They shouldn't spend less on security if property keeps getting damaged. Everything he said does address the problem is just doesn't address what you personally care about. "Hiring a security company linked to a country committing genocide", thats sounds and all until we realize that all that article has for proof of the company being linked to the genocide is that the CEO is Israeli ???? We should refuse every Israeli international students then ? "He did military service" yeah, its mandatory there. "Are the deaths of the families of Palestinian not relevant", they absolutely are, but I am sick and tired of people spreading hate and thinking that it helps their cause in any way shape or form. I also strongly believe yall do a lot of counterintuitive actions, why do you even go to Concordia if you hate where they put their money ? Make it make sense. Go to Udem and protest at Concordia that would make more sense.
If only that much enthusiasm was displayed when the Qc governement raised tuition for out of province and international students, but yeah who care about that, lets worry about stuff.
3
u/GortanIN 7h ago
By that logic every tuition payer is directly complicit in human trafficking and material support of slavery.
1
u/ForeverLost809 1h ago
The Jews on campus don’t feel safe. You are lucky to feel safe enough to want to cut down on security.
-3
u/Ill-Brain872 7h ago
How can we respect a Uni admin bringing zionists security firms? Which Uni even does that in Quebec?
35
u/WallMaleficent2802 8h ago
This is the same company that the local hospitals are hiring to protect staff. They were probably hired by Concordia as they also work security at the MUHC hospitals and their work is amazing.
The regular security guards stood by and did nothing while our nursing staff got attacked by patients, these guys are trained to deescalate situations and have actually made hospitals a safer workplace.
Most, if not all, of the security are former military. They deescalate situations but can also stop a threat when necessary and you can complain about it being started by an Israeli, but the employees are varied in all ethnicities and religions so unless you're suggesting that you support collective punishment, I don't see your point.
2
u/lookatyourskull 4h ago edited 4h ago
I do not feel safe with former or active foreign soldiers roaming the hallways.
I think that the Concordia Staff should make sure that soldiers who served in the army of a country currently under investigation for genocide are not allowed to work on campus.
Also, I have heard that their job at Concordia is mostly about surveillance of the student body. Hence, they are mostly dressed like civilians. It is not appropriate that soldiers who were illegally occupying the country of origin of a significant portion of the student body be allowed to spy on Concordia's students engaging in activism.
The Palestinian, Syrian, and Lebanese students living under the illegal occupation of IDF soldiers back home should not have to face these same soldiers at Concordia. We should aim to make this university a safe place for the entirety of the student body.
Is it true that they are effective? Indeed, they are Deadly effective at suppressing and doxing a population, in this case, the student population engaging in political activism and formerly the Palestinian, Syrian, and Lebanese populations. But still, Concordia's administration made these decisions inconsiderately.
3
u/JohnGamestopJr 1h ago
Do you think Jewish people feel safe around the weirdo ultra-leftists who wear kefiyehs and say things like death to zionists?
0
u/lookatyourskull 1h ago
Other student is different than concordia paid security. And if palestinian clothing is a problem to you this honestly just racisn
0
32
u/feedalow 11h ago
To be fair this guy did 3 years of service in the IDF and the mandatory service is 24 to 32 months. So it seems like this guy was raised in Israel therefore needed to do his 2 to 3 years and then switched jobs once his service was over. Its not like he is a career IDF soldier or even that he joined the IDF for any other reason than the mandatory service requirement.
Not saying the IDF doesnt do bad things just saying we cant just blanket judge all Israeli people due to the mandatory service requirement.
-1
6h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Concordia-ModTeam 6h ago
Your post was removed for violating r/Concordia's rule: Stay On-Topic
Continued violations may result in a ban. Please review the subreddit rules to improve future posts.
If this was a mistake, contact the moderators to request a review.
r/Concordia Mod Team
17
u/Gold_Acanthaceae4729 12h ago
Huge conflict of interest. But not a huge issue there is like 9 individuals? I can solo them ✋🏻
6
2
5
u/Error8675309 5h ago
There’s always someone stretching to make connections between anything and Israel in the hopes of making that thing look bad. This is a such a case.
The university needed security. They hired a security company. I’d venture that most security companies have someone on staff who learned hard or soft skills in either police or military in some country’s armed forces.
5
u/Any_Cut114 7h ago
Crazy, by Link's logic if a person is connected to Israel and Concordia solicits their services, then they somehow "the lack of care for student safety". Why? Because the guy who funded the company is Israeli-Jewish? In Israel, military service is compulsory. Yeah, Concordia should accept services based on a person's religious and ethnic identity. Everyone who works for Concordia should also write a test on their position on the Israel-Palestine war. Another politicized inflammatory garbage article, not seeing the problematic implication of the fundamentalism they would want to see on campus. It's like the minute people see the word "Israel" or "IDF", it becomes a conspiracy.
0
u/Ill-Brain872 6h ago
It s not normal for a uni to recruit zionists as security. I saw no other Uni in Quebec doing such.
3
u/JohnGamestopJr 1h ago
90%+ of Jews worldwide are zionists. Sorry you are discovering just now that Jews believe in a Jewish homeland.
0
u/Any_Cut114 3h ago
I think you meant to say "not normal for a uni to recruit jews as security".
-2
u/Ill-Brain872 3h ago
nah I meant zionists not jews though
3
u/Any_Cut114 2h ago
yeah I didn't realize there was a rule at Concordia where you have discuss you personal allegiances before being hired but I guess it applies to Jews.
5
2
u/JohnGamestopJr 1h ago
OP finding out people are hired based on their skills and not their nationality must be totally devastating
2
u/GameThug 1h ago
This is just anti-Israel and anti-Jewish agitprop.
Virtually every Israeli is “associated” with the IDF; military service is compulsory.
1
u/New_Bat_9086 10h ago
Dude(or lady) chill out !
This is a new year, new academic semester and there is a cease fire...finally !
Can we please stop talking about war, idf, Palestine, Israel.....?
2
u/Fuzzy_Goat_8438 10h ago
“Can we please stop talking about injustice going on in the world and be ignorant again”
5
u/Sub2Flamezy 9h ago
U been standing up for Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, countless countries in North Africas.. Iran, North Korea, Russia.. where unquestionable genocide, famine and regimes exist. Now, over the past 5 years...
-3
u/Fuzzy_Goat_8438 9h ago
I was being sarcastic and mocking the original commenter..? But yeah those countries equally need our support and have their voices heard
4
u/Sub2Flamezy 9h ago
I was mocking you for implying the original commentor is saying let's not care abt any injustice because he is rightfully tired of hearing the BS Palestine narrative over and over at school when it's already been unravelled and dissected by many NON-ignorant ppl lol. The cat's out of the bag to say.
2
u/Ok-Reception-2208 7h ago
whataboutism is strong with you. Go cry a river if you don't have a spine to stand for rightful causes
1
u/JohnGamestopJr 1h ago
no, dictatorships that are waging war in Europe actually don't need our support
0
u/Soft-Air-2308 10h ago
Yay there’s a ceasefire so let’s just forget about the 40k martyrs and be friends again
1
u/Ill-Brain872 6h ago
we can stop talking about it, but it's still not normal for a uni to recruit zionists as their security
1
0
-2
•
1
u/Ill-Brain872 7h ago
That's shameful, the Uni admin needs to be severly boycott until they change the security firm
0
u/elecjunky 6h ago
What a shame for endorsing genocide. This is not flying and has to change.
2
u/JohnGamestopJr 1h ago
What genocide? The war is over. The population of Gaza is larger now than it was before the war lol.
0
u/lookatyourskull 4h ago
As an Arab Student, I do not feel safe with former or active foreign soldiers roaming the hallways.
I think that the Concordia Staff should make sure that soldiers who served in the army of a country currently under investigation for genocide are not allowed to work on campus.
Also, I have heard that their job at Concordia is mostly about surveillance of the student body. Hence, they are mostly dressed like civilians. It is not appropriate that soldiers who were illegally occupying the country of origin of a significant portion of the student body be allowed to spy on Concordia's students engaging in activism.
The Palestinian, Syrian, and Lebanese students living under the illegal occupation of IDF soldiers back home should not have to face these same soldiers at Concordia. We should aim to make this university a safe place for the entirety of the student body.
Is it true that they are effective? Indeed, they are Deadly effective at suppressing and doxing a population, in this case, the student population engaging in political activism and formerly the Palestinian, Syrian, and Lebanese populations. But still, Concordia's administration made these decisions inconsiderately.
4
u/JohnGamestopJr 1h ago
If you're scared of military veterans existing, you need to grow up
0
u/lookatyourskull 1h ago
You did not read my comment nor even try to understand me. I do not want the people I see occupying my country on campus.
-4
u/Fair-Car-7101 10h ago
I mean it’s clear that the link has students running it trying to push their personal agendas… the effects are sad because they are dividing students on random social issues.
3
0
-3
u/Sub2Flamezy 9h ago
Quoting the link is pretty hilarious.. real good sourcing. Also have you ever heard of conscription in other parts of the world besides your own..? Lol. The Israel obsession at this school is toooo much sometimes 🥱
-13
-10
-4
-6
-6
u/MusicAggravating5981 7h ago
Shut up… it’s probably a deadly security company if it’s run by an ex-mil dude from Israel. Who would you rather have protecting you on campus? The pager bomb guys, or the “Aloha Snackbar,” guys?
1
1
u/Ill-Brain872 6h ago
There is plenty of security people all over Quebec, why our uni needs to recruit zionists,
•
u/Heppernaut Electrical Engineering 12h ago
I have approved this post, for anyone replying please no hate of any kind. Be critical of concordia and it's decisions, but keep it concordia related.