Last week, San Francisco State University president Les Wong issued a pusillanimous statement regarding the inciteful images and messages that have been appearing on his campus regarding the killing of Israeli soldiers. In response, the AMCHA Initiative has sent the below letter to President Wong asking him very specific questions.
_________________________________________________________________
Dear President Wong,
Last week you issued a
public statement regarding an on-campus General Union of Palestine Students (GUPS) event
glorifying the murder of Jews and numerous antisemitic social media postings by GUPS President Mohammad G. Hammad, including postings expressing his desire to
murder an Israeli soldier and "
all others who support the IDF" In your statement, you say that "first and foremost" the University community must be "firmly committed to free speech," although you also claim to work hard "to achieve a balance where both expression and safety are fostered."
Therefore, we ask you to clarify your position on this matter:
Is it acceptable for a registered student organization receiving university funding to display or use rhetoric that glorifies or promotes violence against Jews?
Is it acceptable for a registered student organization receiving university funding to display or use rhetoric that glorifies or promotes violence against African Americans, Hispanics, or Muslims?
We look forward to your prompt response. Unless we hear otherwise, we will assume that your answer to these questions is "YES," and we will inform the Jewish community that Jewish students, and all supporters of Israel, are not safe at San Francisco State University.
Sincerely,
Tammi Rossman-Benjamin
Co-founder, AMCHA Initiative
Leila Beckwith
Co-founder, AMCHA Initiative
CC:
CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White
CSU Board of Trustees
CSU Interim General Counsel Andrew Jones
Kenneth Monteiro, Dean of College of Ethnic Studies at SFSU
California State Senator Leland Y. Yee (San Francisco)
California State Senator Mark Leno (San Francisco)
California Assembly Member Philip Y. Ting (San Francisco)
California Senator Carol Liu, Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Education
California Assembly Member Joan Buchanan, Chair of the Assembly Education Committee
California Assembly Member Marc Levine
California State Senator Marty Block
California Assembly Member Das Williams
California Assembly Member Jose Medina
California Senator Lois Wolk
California Assembly Member Richard Bloom
California Assembly Member Steve Fox
California Jewish community leaders
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What about it, President Wong? Is this type of behavior acceptable on your campus? If so, we must conclude that SFSU is not safe for Jewish students.
Here's how you can get involved:
AMCHA Initiative asks SFSU President:
Are Jewish Students Safe on Your Campus?
Take Action Now to Support Jewish Students at SFSU
We urge you to follow up on AMCHA Initiative’s open letter to President Wong below regarding recent virulently antisemitic activity at SFSU. Please call President Wong at (415) 338-1381 or email at president@sfsu.edu. A registered student organization that receives university funding should not be permitted to hold events that glorify and promote violence against anyone, including Jews. When freedom of speech overrides the safety of students – it clearly crosses a line.
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