USC says it is canceling its valedictorian speech because of safety concerns
Source: NPR
The University of Southern California will no longer have its valedictorian speak at its commencement ceremony because of safety concerns, the school said Monday.
Asna Tabassum was selected as this year's valedictorian. But student groups called for the decision to be reconsidered due to Tabassum's social media content on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Tabassum's Instagram page links to a slideshow that says "learn about what's happening in Palestine, and how to help," and criticizes Zionism as "a racist settler-colonial ideology that advocates for a jewish ethnostate built on palestinian land." The slideshow calls for a "one-state solution" that "would mean palestinian liberation, and the complete abolishment of the state of israel."
Tabassum's social media activity has drawn criticism, with student groups, such as the organization Trojans for Israel, calling the content "antisemitic bigotry." Other social media users, however, denounced USC's decision and said Tabassum should be able to speak freely.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2024/04/16/1244990599/usc-valedictorian-speech-canceled
emulatorloo
(44,133 posts)https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218868476
University of Southern Calif (USC) is not going to allow its valedictorian to deliver the graduation speech this year
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218866744
OldBaldy1701E
(5,138 posts)The concern is that this person will continue to say what she has already been saying. They don't want that.
Now, this is USC's choice, as it is their school and their commencement ceremony. But, I hope the piranha pool does its job as well. One can do whatever one wants to on one's own property (within reason) but one cannot remove the right of other to call them out for it. Otherwise, we might as well tear that Constitution thing up.