Christiane Lewis
Membership Secretary
AUT
Dear Christiane
I'm writing to resign my membership of the AUT.
I've been a member for more years than I care to remember, joining shortly after I became a member of the Mathematics Department of what was then Bedford College. I can't say I've been a very active member, although I usually vote in AUT elections and, since Mike Laird retired, have been the AUT rep in the Mathematics Department at KCL.
Over the years I have become increasingly disillusioned with AUT policies, not least with the AUT's obsession with political correctness; often, my personal copy of the AUT magazine (which I distribute in the department) goes straight into my re-cycling box - and I expect this is true of many of my colleagues. However, until now, I never felt sufficiently annoyed by AUT actions to consider tendering my resignation; after all, I have to retire next year, so why make a fuss?
Things came to a head for me when I heard that the AUT had decided to implement a boycott of various universities in Israel. I agree with the spokesman from the Israel Embassy who described the decision as 'perverse'. Yes, it is utterly perverse. All the evidence shows that Jewish academics in Israel, in line with the liberal tradition of the Jewish people, have done a great deal to help colleagues in Palestinian universities, more than the AUT will ever be able to accomplish through its boycotts, as the embassy spokesman pointed out.
The AUT's decision will further fan the embers of anti-semitism, which are beginning to glow ever more strongly in the UK and thoughout Europe, largely because of the dishonest and biased portrayal of Israel in the media. I refuse to remain a member of an organisation which, whilst purporting to stand for truth, liberty, and freedom of speech, is actually encouraging the dictatorial and totalitarian elements which are coming more and more to the fore in our country.
Yours sincerely
Hamish Rae
Dr H C Rae
Department of Mathematics
King's College
Strand
London WC2R 2LS