Gaza War, Part 3

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pro Israelis got another one!

U.S.C. Cancels Valedictorian’s Speech After Jewish Groups Object
The university cited security concerns at the graduation. But the student, who is Muslim, said the school was “succumbing to a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice.”

The University of Southern California said it has canceled plans for a graduation speech by this year’s valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, who is Muslim. The school said the decision stemmed from security concerns, after several pro-Israeli groups objected to her social media posts supporting Palestinians.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/us/usc-valedictorian-speech-gaza-war.html

Can’t have those Muslims speaking up! They have to know their place.

This is appalling. Imagine the outrage if the same has been done to a Jewish student— there would be hearings before
Congress.

Imagine if she had publicly supported the elimination of Taiwan. Or the Ukraine.

Not a chance she would be allowed to speak.

Same deal.

Cite your source please. All I see is a student with a high GPA who supports blood drives. Show her calling for the elimination of Israel, because the articles sure don’t.

That’s the underlying controversy here.

She had pinned/liked a statement calling for the abolition of Israel, which led some pro-Israel groups to protest.

This is the only thing she had on her social media, a link to a pro-Palestine website:



Here's the link to that website: https://free-palestine.carrd.co/

She had no other social media posts identified. Apparently she "liked" some posts on Instagram that were posted by the @TrojansForPalestine account, but her Instagram was deactivated so there's no real proof.

I think the bigger issue - though USC will NEVER admit it - is that she wears the hijab. There's also a massive cultural divide at USC - rich kids that dominate Greek life with wealthy parents who donate large sums of money and then the grinder kids who dominate STEM programs and get heavily discounted tuition + are often 1st generation Americans.

Personally, I think she should be allowed to speak. The administration can ask her to explicitly leave out this issue as a condition of speaking, given the security concerns and harsh rhetoric coming from all sides. But they would never have canceled a Jewish student over security concerns; the optics are horrific.

Re: "proof", here's what the Guardian reported:

At the top of Tabassum’s Instagram account, a link directs users to a slideshow encouraging readers “to learn about what’s happening in Palestine and how to help”. The presentation also advocates for “one Palestinian state”, saying that “would mean Palestinian liberation and the complete abolishment of the state of Israel”.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/16/usc-valedictorian-speech-palestine

[Anonymous]

I suspect what happened was a discussion in advance of the topics she planned to discuss in her valedictorian speech in which she revealed that she planned to discuss Gaza and the University said no, then a logjam ensued.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pro Israelis got another one!

U.S.C. Cancels Valedictorian’s Speech After Jewish Groups Object
The university cited security concerns at the graduation. But the student, who is Muslim, said the school was “succumbing to a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice.”

The University of Southern California said it has canceled plans for a graduation speech by this year’s valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, who is Muslim. The school said the decision stemmed from security concerns, after several pro-Israeli groups objected to her social media posts supporting Palestinians.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/us/usc-valedictorian-speech-gaza-war.html

Can’t have those Muslims speaking up! They have to know their place.

This is appalling. Imagine the outrage if the same has been done to a Jewish student— there would be hearings before
Congress.

Imagine if she had publicly supported the elimination of Taiwan. Or the Ukraine.

Not a chance she would be allowed to speak.

Same deal.

Cite your source please. All I see is a student with a high GPA who supports blood drives. Show her calling for the elimination of Israel, because the articles sure don’t.

That’s the underlying controversy here.

She had pinned/liked a statement calling for the abolition of Israel, which led some pro-Israel groups to protest.

Cite that source. That is not reported anywhere in the article.

The Guardian. Google it.

Calling for a one state solution is also done by Jewish intellectuals like Peter Beinert. Should they also be denied Valedictory recognition, or is that a special punishment you save for young brown women?

She also supported the “abolition” of Israel.

That’s ambiguous, to be charitable.

Again, if she called for the abolition of Taiwan or the Ukraine, no way that she’d be allowed to speak.

Same deal.

And my daughters are young brown women, so your accusation of racism is…misplaced.

So you defend and endorse her treatment without evidence. You just think she does not support Israel therefore she loses her rights? Why do you need to force people to support Israel?

I’m opposed to people who call for the abolition of nations.

And speaking at a commencement ceremony is not a right, it’s a privilege.

Does that opposition hold true when applied to Palestine and the Palestinians or just for everyone else? I mean isn’t supporting Israel by default supporting the abolition of a nation? I’m so confused. And there is NO WAY this would fly if the speaker was Pro Israeli or Jewish.

The pro-Palestinian side has zero sense of time, place or decency: they block roads, invade train stations, they pour red paint on cars, they prevent learning on campuses, they deface posters and walls, they scream they want Jews dead and America dead. This would never happen with the pro-Israeli side in the US. We know this because we see how both sides behave in public spaces. So no, a campus should not trust a Palestinian activist with a track record of being antisemitic and volatile to speak at a large event like a graduation so they can ruin the event for anyone. Behave like a horrendous narcissistic untrustworthy child, get treated like one.

Some of the "pro-Palestinian side" do these things. Most do not. There are also crazies on the pro-Israel side, such as the person who stabbed a 6yo to death in Chicago and the chemical weapons attackers at Columbia University. Bear in mind that the pro-Israeli side does not (yet) have as much to protest against in the U.S. They have been getting what they want (massive donations from the U.S. to Israel, and, of course, Israelis remain on stolen land). If the Palestinians began to gain the upper hand militarily, you might see more vigorous pro-Israel protests, just as we did when the King David Hotel was bombed, and Zionist terrorist groups and the early incarnation of the IDF rampaged through Palestinian villages, killing, raping, and looting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I think Israel has a right to exist as a country. I would not say that makes me “pro Israel”. I am “pro permanent ceasefire” and “pro two state solution, release all of Palestinians held in Israel jail without charge, and release of all Israeli hostages”. I am also pro kicking settlers out, eliminating the air and seas blockades, aid to help rebuild Gaza and some sort of reparations plan.

Seems like wishful thinking. Eliminating settlers brings in more weapons. What happens when more rockets are launched by Hamas?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I think Israel has a right to exist as a country. I would not say that makes me “pro Israel”. I am “pro permanent ceasefire” and “pro two state solution, release all of Palestinians held in Israel jail without charge, and release of all Israeli hostages”. I am also pro kicking settlers out, eliminating the air and seas blockades, aid to help rebuild Gaza and some sort of reparations plan.

Seems like wishful thinking. Eliminating settlers brings in more weapons. What happens when more rockets are launched by Hamas?

Supporting pogroms. A new low.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pro Israelis got another one!

U.S.C. Cancels Valedictorian’s Speech After Jewish Groups Object
The university cited security concerns at the graduation. But the student, who is Muslim, said the school was “succumbing to a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice.”

The University of Southern California said it has canceled plans for a graduation speech by this year’s valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, who is Muslim. The school said the decision stemmed from security concerns, after several pro-Israeli groups objected to her social media posts supporting Palestinians.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/us/usc-valedictorian-speech-gaza-war.html

Can’t have those Muslims speaking up! They have to know their place.

This is appalling. Imagine the outrage if the same has been done to a Jewish student— there would be hearings before
Congress.

Imagine if she had publicly supported the elimination of Taiwan. Or the Ukraine.

Not a chance she would be allowed to speak.

Same deal.

Cite your source please. All I see is a student with a high GPA who supports blood drives. Show her calling for the elimination of Israel, because the articles sure don’t.

That’s the underlying controversy here.

She had pinned/liked a statement calling for the abolition of Israel, which led some pro-Israel groups to protest.

This is the only thing she had on her social media, a link to a pro-Palestine website:



Here's the link to that website: https://free-palestine.carrd.co/

She had no other social media posts identified. Apparently she "liked" some posts on Instagram that were posted by the @TrojansForPalestine account, but her Instagram was deactivated so there's no real proof.

I think the bigger issue - though USC will NEVER admit it - is that she wears the hijab. There's also a massive cultural divide at USC - rich kids that dominate Greek life with wealthy parents who donate large sums of money and then the grinder kids who dominate STEM programs and get heavily discounted tuition + are often 1st generation Americans.

Personally, I think she should be allowed to speak. The administration can ask her to explicitly leave out this issue as a condition of speaking, given the security concerns and harsh rhetoric coming from all sides. But they would never have canceled a Jewish student over security concerns; the optics are horrific.

Re: "proof", here's what the Guardian reported:

At the top of Tabassum’s Instagram account, a link directs users to a slideshow encouraging readers “to learn about what’s happening in Palestine and how to help”. The presentation also advocates for “one Palestinian state”, saying that “would mean Palestinian liberation and the complete abolishment of the state of Israel”.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/16/usc-valedictorian-speech-palestine

The photo attached in my previous post is of her IG page, which has the link posted to an external website. Folks can read for themselves what it says on that website. Your quote is on that website, which is presumably created by someone who is not Tabassum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I suspect what happened was a discussion in advance of the topics she planned to discuss in her valedictorian speech in which she revealed that she planned to discuss Gaza and the University said no, then a logjam ensued.

Not sure I buy that. Tabassum would be leaning more heavily into the "free speech" argument if that was the case. It looks like she was preemptively shut down by USC security and the administration once the faculty came out with their pick of the valedictorian. Honestly, the "security" argument is A LOT worse for USC because they definitely would not cancel a Jewish or Christian student due to "security" concerns. And then the school wouldn't even allow Tabassum to review the supposed threats...so she's basically taking their word for it.

It's pretty amazing to see this student get canceled after 10+ years of the rightwing bleating about "free speech!" on campus.

[Anonymous]

USC has to thread this very carefully. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Dept of Ed opens up a Title IV investigation and DoJ is asked to open a religious discrimination investigation. At the very least, these will need to be opened to review any information about "security threats" to the graduation ceremony and the valedictorian.

If they were so concerned about security, why wouldn't they just have the valedictorian present from a remote location via live stream?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would it be possible for the pro Israel posters here to acknowledge that Israel was founded on land where Palestinians lived for generations? And that Palestinians are people with all the same rights that Jews should be allowed?

And would it be possible for pro Palestinian posters to acknowledge that Israel is now a U.N. recognized country for 70years and they cannot go back to their ancestral homes?

That is what both sides need to acknowledge to move forward. If not, I do not want my IS tax dollars going to either side in the region.

I, and most “pro-Israel” posters, not only acknowledge but actively agree with your first paragraph.

Most of us despise the current Israeli government and deplore many of its choices.

Good luck with your second paragraph.

Basically, “Yeah, I agree that I broke into your home, changed the locks, and killed your family. There, you got me. Now you must agree to a bygones truce where I remain here and we both move on”.

How charitable of you to agree to 1 and mock the fact that 2 ALSO benefits you?

Thank you for proving the point! Many of the pro Palestinians seek only the annihilation of Israel.

How, in that demented Zionist mind of yours, does THAT prove your point? It mocks your point, but certainly doesn't prove it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would it be possible for the pro Israel posters here to acknowledge that Israel was founded on land where Palestinians lived for generations? And that Palestinians are people with all the same rights that Jews should be allowed?

And would it be possible for pro Palestinian posters to acknowledge that Israel is now a U.N. recognized country for 70years and they cannot go back to their ancestral homes?

That is what both sides need to acknowledge to move forward. If not, I do not want my IS tax dollars going to either side in the region.

I, and most “pro-Israel” posters, not only acknowledge but actively agree with your first paragraph.

Most of us despise the current Israeli government and deplore many of its choices.

Good luck with your second paragraph.

Basically, “Yeah, I agree that I broke into your home, changed the locks, and killed your family. There, you got me. Now you must agree to a bygones truce where I remain here and we both move on”.

How charitable of you to agree to 1 and mock the fact that 2 ALSO benefits you?

Thank you for proving the point! Many of the pro Palestinians seek only the annihilation of Israel.

How, in that demented Zionist mind of yours, does THAT prove your point? It mocks your point, but certainly doesn't prove it.

You're back! Hooray!

Where would this thread by without you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would it be possible for the pro Israel posters here to acknowledge that Israel was founded on land where Palestinians lived for generations? And that Palestinians are people with all the same rights that Jews should be allowed?

And would it be possible for pro Palestinian posters to acknowledge that Israel is now a U.N. recognized country for 70years and they cannot go back to their ancestral homes?

That is what both sides need to acknowledge to move forward. If not, I do not want my IS tax dollars going to either side in the region.

I, and most “pro-Israel” posters, not only acknowledge but actively agree with your first paragraph.

Most of us despise the current Israeli government and deplore many of its choices.

Good luck with your second paragraph.

Basically, “Yeah, I agree that I broke into your home, changed the locks, and killed your family. There, you got me. Now you must agree to a bygones truce where I remain here and we both move on”.

How charitable of you to agree to 1 and mock the fact that 2 ALSO benefits you?

Thank you for proving the point! Many of the pro Palestinians seek only the annihilation of Israel.

How, in that demented Zionist mind of yours, does THAT prove your point? It mocks your point, but certainly doesn't prove it.

You're back! Hooray!

Where would this thread by without you?

Well, of course we know that answer! You and the other members of the Zionazi racist brigade would have had Jeff cowed into shutting down this thread and this discourse LONG AGO, if left to your feeble, shit-stained druthers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:USC has to thread this very carefully. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Dept of Ed opens up a Title IV investigation and DoJ is asked to open a religious discrimination investigation. At the very least, these will need to be opened to review any information about "security threats" to the graduation ceremony and the valedictorian.

If they were so concerned about security, why wouldn't they just have the valedictorian present from a remote location via live stream?

Why are the sources of the supposed security threats not currently under investigation for hate crimes? Perhaps they are. Shouldn't they be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:USC has to thread this very carefully. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Dept of Ed opens up a Title IV investigation and DoJ is asked to open a religious discrimination investigation. At the very least, these will need to be opened to review any information about "security threats" to the graduation ceremony and the valedictorian.

If they were so concerned about security, why wouldn't they just have the valedictorian present from a remote location via live stream?

No they do not have to thread this very carefully. She is muslim and therefore all Jews “feel” threaten. I have heard that she will be expelled from school and not be able to graduate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pro Israelis got another one!

U.S.C. Cancels Valedictorian’s Speech After Jewish Groups Object
The university cited security concerns at the graduation. But the student, who is Muslim, said the school was “succumbing to a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice.”

The University of Southern California said it has canceled plans for a graduation speech by this year’s valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, who is Muslim. The school said the decision stemmed from security concerns, after several pro-Israeli groups objected to her social media posts supporting Palestinians.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/us/usc-valedictorian-speech-gaza-war.html

Can’t have those Muslims speaking up! They have to know their place.

This is appalling. Imagine the outrage if the same has been done to a Jewish student— there would be hearings before
Congress.

Imagine if she had publicly supported the elimination of Taiwan. Or the Ukraine.

Not a chance she would be allowed to speak.

Same deal.

Cite your source please. All I see is a student with a high GPA who supports blood drives. Show her calling for the elimination of Israel, because the articles sure don’t.

That’s the underlying controversy here.

She had pinned/liked a statement calling for the abolition of Israel, which led some pro-Israel groups to protest.

This is the only thing she had on her social media, a link to a pro-Palestine website:



Here's the link to that website: https://free-palestine.carrd.co/

She had no other social media posts identified. Apparently she "liked" some posts on Instagram that were posted by the @TrojansForPalestine account, but her Instagram was deactivated so there's no real proof.

I think the bigger issue - though USC will NEVER admit it - is that she wears the hijab. There's also a massive cultural divide at USC - rich kids that dominate Greek life with wealthy parents who donate large sums of money and then the grinder kids who dominate STEM programs and get heavily discounted tuition + are often 1st generation Americans.

Personally, I think she should be allowed to speak. The administration can ask her to explicitly leave out this issue as a condition of speaking, given the security concerns and harsh rhetoric coming from all sides. But they would never have canceled a Jewish student over security concerns; the optics are horrific.

Re: "proof", here's what the Guardian reported:

At the top of Tabassum’s Instagram account, a link directs users to a slideshow encouraging readers “to learn about what’s happening in Palestine and how to help”. The presentation also advocates for “one Palestinian state”, saying that “would mean Palestinian liberation and the complete abolishment of the state of Israel”.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/16/usc-valedictorian-speech-palestine

A one or two state solution is the end of Israel? Lol what a load of sh#t you are peddling. Though this kind of crap is par for the course for pro Israelis. You all have cry wolf way too many times.

[Anonymous]

Shai Davidai - instead of promoting this terrorist's toxic content, why isn't Bill Ackman on the case to lead the charge in having this guy discharged from Columbia already?

Davidai is an unequivocal Islamophobe who has no right to his job, nor is his hate speech protected. Right? Right?