Recently, I posted an article about how the UCLA Department of Asian-American Studies was scheduling a class on "Palestine" that was blatantly biased in its condemnation of Israel and promotion of the pro-Palestinian narrative.
In addition, the same department at UCLA has posted a statement in solidarity with the Palestinians vis-a-vis Israel. That has drawn sharp criticism from a group of UCLA professors who point out that while the department and its professors have the right of free speech, they are violating university policy by putting the entire department, if not the university itself, behind a political position. They have written a letter of protest to University of California President Michael Drake.
I agree fully with the letter to Drake. Those individuals within the Asian-American Studies Department who drafted and signed that statement are free to feel any way they wish and say whatever they wish about the Israel-Palestinian conflict or any other issue. But even if such statement expresses the unanimous opinion of every single individual in the department, are they free to put the university stamp of approval on that opinion-or to imply such? No. Standing in solidarity with the Palestinians is not the official policy of the University of California or UCLA.
I say let these Asian-American Studies activists climb onto their soapboxes and say whatever they want, but they should make their statements and sign their letters as individuals.
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