On Oct. 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel. In response, Israel placed the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip under heavy siege. Throughout the last week, colleges and universities across America have held heightened tensions over the latest conflicts in the Gaza Strip. Student groups on both sides of the conflict, pro-Israelian and pro-Palestinian groups alike, have been voicing their concerns on campuses nationwide. It's no longer just a civil discourse, but has erupted into violent and potentially violent situations.
The same day as Hamas’ surprise attack, 33 Harvard student groups signed a letter from the university’s Palestine Solidarity Committee, holding Israel entirely accountable for the violence. The letter was faced with tremendous backlash from students, faculty, politicians, and even the former Harvard president. But, it wasn’t just at Harvard where such events have unfolded.
Protests at Columbia University (Image Credits: NPR)
The president of New York University’s Student Bar Association drafted a similar statement, stating that “Israel bears full responsibility for this tremendous loss of life” (AP News). The response was similar to that of Harvard, with the loss of their title and law firm job offer.
Similarly in New York, on Oct. 11, an Israeli student at Columbia University was allegedly assaulted with a stick. The next day, out of safety concerns, the school closed its campus to the public for two conflicting, simultaneous protests only 100 feet, or 30 meters, away from each other. Students for Justice in Palestine held signs reading “Free Palestine” and “To Exist is Resist”. On the other side, Students Supporting Israel held posters of Hamas kidnapped Israeli hostages. Dueling rallies were mirrored on other campuses such as University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Indiana University.
Such heated student responses act as a parallel to the news of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. A Boston University student group had painted a rock blue and yellow in show of solidarity. Similar to the actions at Harvard and other campuses, it received major backlash.
While some college administrators, like the pro-Israel statement from University of Florida’s President Ben Sasse, have taken stances upon the issue, there has been a lack from many. Some, like Northwestern University, have refused to release an official statement. Others like Stanford, Vanderbilt, and Ohio State have stressed their neutrality. Alex Morey, director of campus rights advocacy at the civil liberties nonprofit Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, recommends that colleges stay neutral to “create an ideal climate for debate and discussion on campus” (AP News). Yet, there are many from both sides condemning the lack of a stance from colleges. In response to Stanford’s Oct. 9 recommitment to their neutrality, dozens of their faculty signed a letter that demanded “unambiguous condemnation” of Hamas’ attacks. Former Harvard president Larry Summers took to X, formerly known as twitter, to express his “sickness” at the silence of his alma mater. Many universities have faced criticism for their lack of condemnation.
Vigil for Israel at the University of Maryland (Image Credits: Wall Street Journal)
These demands come following a recent criticism of the alleged suppression of conservative opinions on campus. A Sept. public opinion poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the University of Chicago Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression, found that while 47% of adults say liberals have “a lot” of freedom to express themselves on college campuses, only 20% said the same of conservatives. The margin of error is plus/minus 4 percent. Under the Bill of Rights, freedom of speech is protected by the First Amendment. While protected at most public and private universities, many are scared of the ongoing situation. A September Ipsos poll revealed that 57% percent of Jewish college students have reported witnessing or experiencing an antisemitic event. Colleges and universities, already pressured on one end, struggle to take an opinionated stance upon the Israel-Hamas war. I believe that higher education campuses should be a safe haven, a platform for societal discourse. The personal connections of many participants have allowed the emotional aspect to enter into the public forum.
- Chin-Yi Kong
https://www.npr.org/2023/10/14/1205809697/israel-gaza-college-campus-protests-statements
https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-college-free-speech-543aff623d5f54ad6529fe598ae48271
https://apnews.com/article/free-speech-college-campuses-0b2811fb35c9c6288b7517da7c9affd3
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/10/10/colleges-react-israel-hamas-war/
15 comments:
Personally, I think it would be best if all colleges stayed neutral and didn't voice their opinions on this sensitive topic as it will only add to/create more violence and hatred that is already occurring in this world. For example, as Chin-Yi mentioned in her post, colleges, such as Harvard, that have already sided with Palestine or Israel, have already faced a lot of backlash regarding who they support. Moreover, Chin-Yi also mentioned that people are even starting to get violent and start assaulting people, such as the Israeli student at Columbia who was "assaulted with a stick". Instead, I believe everyone should be coming together and uniting over this devastating and tragic event that is currently happening to support victims from both sides. Both sides have done wrong by each other. According to NPR, there have been "16 years of brutal military siege" by Israeli forces in Gaza towards Palestinians. On the other hand, on October 7 alone the Hamas militants have "murdered more than 1,400 Israelis...[and] kidnapped at least 155 people -- a number that includes babies and elderly" (CNBC).
https://www.npr.org/2023/10/15/1205950932/israeli-troops-have-killed-several-dozen-palestinians-in-the-occupied-west-bank
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/15/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-and-latest-and-news-on-gaza.html#:~:text=Hamas%20militants%20stormed%20into%20Israel,holding%20them%20hostage%20in%20Gaza.
I also think that it would end up being better if these colleges weren't to voice their opinions. As you noted, the Israeli student who most likely voiced their strong opinion was beaten down at Columbia. If physical violence is involved, it shows the dangerous waters regarding the topic. Who knows what these tensions could develop in to. Actions such as physical violence should be avoided at all costs and risks should be minimized. This is a complicated topic as people deserve the freedom of speech but at the same time it leads to extremely heated conflicts. I find it difficult to define one "right" answer as there will always be criticism no matter the actions of the people. As stated, even if people stayed silent and tried to be as neutral as possible, the criticism is unavoidable. This remains as a sore topic for many but in the end I think that colleges as a whole should stay neutral whereas students should be treading carefully as they peacefully respect the opinions of others.
I do agree that stating neutrality is the best course of action for colleges because this would allow students to take their own stances. Especially since the Israel-Hamas War is such a sensitive and complicated topic, I think colleges taking a stance will simply add a layer of complication for students to voice their opinions. Furthermore, an organization taking sides can be a misrepresentation of its members. If colleges are taking a stance, how are they choosing a side? Are they factoring in the opinions of the students? Who is making the decision on the stance? This is why I think it is best for the colleges to remain neutral, this allows the individual members (students) to choose where they stand and support the side that they choose. Additionally, when it comes to the students taking a stance and fighting to support, violence is never the solution. I think any protests should be peaceful and respectful manner.
I think that once colleges try and voice their opinions, it will only cause more tension and complication on campus. I think that neutrality would be the best choice as it allows for all the students to do their research themselves, and gives them space to talk about what they think and learn from others. In the end you talked about how people may struggle to speak out right now as they are trying to process everything happening. I agree that it is important for people to stay up to date with the news but also take a moment to reflect emotionally as this time has been very stressful and overwhelming for everyone.
The problem colleges face is that there is no consensus correct answer in the conflict, it is an extremely messy war that, unlike the Ukraine-Russia war, is not generally agreed upon by the American public. While some sympathize with the Palestineans who have been silently built upon and silenced by Israel since its creation, others side with Israel over the cruel terrorist attacks by Hamas - an extremist terrorist organization carrying out attacks from the Gaza Strip. I can't cite a poll, but from personal experience in speaking with people, they are very split, and I have heard people with similar views taking different sides. Although it may seem like an easy way out, colleges should prioritize organizing these free expressions into peaceful protests to war not to any one side, and although tensions are high we can only hope that the conflict ends soon and that students and people stay peaceful in the US.
Because the Israel-Hamas is currently so incredibly polarized and emotionally charged, I think it's extremely important that at least for now, universities not only take a stance of neutrality but actively seek to invest in peaceful and civil debate. As Chin-Yi mentioned, the phenomenon of "dueling rallies" on campuses is almost assuredly going to lead to violent conflict. Freedom of speech is an undeniable right that must be protected, but not at the expense of maintaining the safe environment for academic discourse that universities are meant to be. The longstanding tension between Israel and Palestine makes this debate an especially tough one (as it's difficult to point to an actual aggressor as compared to the Russia-Ukraine war), and so at least in America, I believe the focus should be shifted to preventing the spread of anti-Semitism and anti-Palestinianism
Upon reading this, I was reminded of how the Vietnam antiwar movement was prevalent on college campuses and was fueled by the younger generation. However, this time, people are disagreeing over which side to take regarding the conflict rather than debating whether or not to enter the war...
Since this issue is very polarizing and there doesn't seem to be an obvious correct answer on which side to take for everybody, I believe colleges should enable both sides to voice their opinions as long as they stay peaceful and don't disrupt the learning of others. While people have first amendment rights, they must be held accountable.
What I find concerning is that people can't seem to grasp that several people have died on each side. To say that Hamas' actions were reprehensible is not Islamophobic, nor is it anti-semitic to say Israel's actions were reprehensible. I find it somewhat annoying when people purport that the blame lies entirely on a specific side. Israel and Netanyahu have done horrible things, but so have Hamas. I think people that are very quick to take a specific side are missing the point: both sides are bombing each other and killing each other's people (though right now, far more Palestinians have died than Israelis). Complicated events like these that have a huge historical context reveal the problems in the American political landscape. It's understandable that the issue is polarizing, but it seems that Harvard and NYU students that faced consequences for what they said took entirely non-nuanced viewpoint. We should absolutely hold Israel accountable for the atrocities they've committed, but they are not responsible for 100% of the death toll. I agree that the United States should not be supporting or funding the mass murder of Palestinians, but that does not mean that Hamas is innocent, and it certainly cannot be used to justify anti-semitism, or any anti-Jewish rhetoric. Peaceful protests and civil discourse are what we need right now.
I find it extreme that students lost jobs and that some even called for the clubs that signed the Harvard letter to be cut from the school. Extremely accomplished writers have signed a letter with similar sentiments (some of the signatories include acclaimed Atlantic correspondent Ta-Nehisi Coates and Pulitzer Prize Winner Natalie Diaz). The views these Harvard Students elucidated are not completely brainless and do have some merit (which is of course why such reputable writers put their names behind similar sentiments).
You can find the open letter here: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/10/14/an-open-letter-from-participants-in-the-palestine-festival-of-literature/
At any rate employers, university professors, and others ignoring the nuances of the issue and taking the extreme action immediately is odd, and frankly a bit counterproductive for their own institutions.
All that said, I do agree with the opinions others have voiced about institutions staying neutral, but allowing students, employees, faculty, etc. to discuss and form their own opinions on the crisis at hand.
I believe that college is the right place for many opinions to fester and conjure, however, when students or administration begin to impose opinions on other students, there is a thin line that must not be crossed. Recently, I took a trip to Boston University and actually saw this infamous blue and yellow rock. When asking my tour guide about it, she told me that the rock itself was under heavy scrutiny as it created a very hostile community regarding the Ukraine and Russia Situation a couple years ago. She told me that it made students afraid to share opinions. With regard to the Israel-Hamas war, I believe that the same thing could happen in all college campuses. So I agree with what Vishal said, Colleges in large should stay neutral in these matters as their students come from many different backgrounds. However, College should still be a safe place to discuss and share respective opinions on different political and social crisis.
Chin Yi's blog post on the war's effect on America's college campuses was extremely comprehensive and informative. I was surprised by a lot of the different statements from the different colleges.
I would disagree with some of the comments stating that colleges shouldn't voice their opinion. While yes, it is of utmost importance to recognize the diverse body of these institutions and the demographics/ deep ties these students and staff have to the people of Israel and Palestine (and other people in other situations), that doesn't mean that colleges shouldn't voice their opinion. Neutrality is acceptable as a governing body to some extent, yet a lack of attention on such a catastrophic event would be ignorance. Silence is complacency to the atrocities that occur. There may never be a "right" to a situation, but not bringing to light such important issues - especially to learning institutions- is a disgrace to what the function of a college is.
I believe that colleges should continue to remain neutral in their perspectives on the Israel and Hamas war. While it may cause backlash for them to do this, or be seen as ignoring such an impactful event, taking a stance on it would undoubtedly result in even more backlash, with some number of students most likely disagreeing with whichever stance that the college decides to take. Despite taking neutral stances however, colleges should not begin to deny student groups their freedom of expression, as long as the protests remain respectful and nonviolent. It is extremely understandable how an ongoing cycle of violence like the Israel-Hamas conflict has sparked such a political and emotional divide, and colleges should continue to foster a safe space for people's opinions to be heard. A part of this means that they need to crack down on the instances of antisemitism. That is something that doesn't need to warrant an opinion and should never be allowed.
I believe that although colleges taking a stance on one side or another could cause a backlash, deciding to stay silent or utterly neutral on the topic would be to not acknowledge the apparent imbalance in this conflict. There have been catastrophic and terrifying acts of violence and hatred on both sides, and there seems to be some narrative that those who point that imbalance out are suddenly anti-Semitic. Recently, the death toll of Palestinians since October 7th (only a month) has just surpassed 10,000, while the death poll of Israelis is around 1,400. Children have accounted for around half of those deaths of Palestinians as a large bulk of the Palestinian population in Gaza are children. I don't believe it's necessary for colleges to show exclusive support for one side or the other, as ignoring innocent deaths on either side would be an injustice to those victims and their families. Still, I think it is imperative when we talk about this situation to acknowledge that there is an unevenness in this conflict, and Israel (as well as Hamas) must be condemned for the atrocities that have been committed. Since this conflict has a significant divide in opinion and support, colleges will inevitably get backlash for whatever opinion they state. If they take complete neutrality, supporters of either side may call them out for not leaning more towards their side, and if colleges support either side (as seen in Chin-Yi's post), that will also cause a backlash. Regarding the violence towards the Israeli student at Columbia, I am a firm believer that any kind of violence as a result of people believing one thing or another is entirely unacceptable and terrible. This is an issue we've seen occur on both sides (the Palestinian child who was stabbed to death), and violence must be avoided at all costs.
I believe colleges should maintain a neutral stance on the Israel-Hamas war to avoid backlash and respect diverse opinions among students. While acknowledging the potential impact of such events, taking a specific stance could lead to even more controversy and disagreement. It's crucial for colleges to uphold freedom of expression for student groups, ensuring that protests are conducted in a respectful and nonviolent manner. Given the political and emotional divide arising from ongoing conflicts like the Israel-Hamas situation, colleges should continue fostering a safe space for diverse opinions. Additionally, cracking down on instances of antisemitism is essential and should be strictly prohibited.
Post a Comment