|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Edited by: TJVNews.com
The recent university commencement ceremonies across the United States have emerged as platforms for promulgating the most egregious manifestations of virulent anti-Semitism, reflecting a larger narrative of social and political upheaval. In a year marked by widespread pro-Hamas protests on college campuses, these events—symbolic milestones for students—have been infused with tension and controversy. This phenomenon was vividly illustrated at several notable institutions.
At the University of California, Berkeley, a renowned hub of student activism, the commencement ceremony was notably disrupted by a large group of graduates who chose to voice their dissent loudly, as was reported on Sunday in the New York Times. The ceremony, typically a celebratory event, turned into a scene of protest with chants and signs, disrupting the proceedings and drawing attention to the students’ animus towards Israel.
The commencement at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond showcased a different facet of student activism, focusing on domestic political issues and institutional policies. Approximately 60 students, led by Micah White, aged 26, staged a walkout during Governor Glenn Youngkin’s speech, as per the NYT report. White expressed disillusionment with VCU’s purported commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, juxtaposed with the decision to invite a commencement speaker whose political stances and actions they found contradictory to these values.
Governor Youngkin had recently been involved in controversies relevant to the student body, notably requesting to review course materials for proposed racial literacy classes and supporting actions leading to the dismantling of a peaceful encampment on campus. As was noted in the NYT report, this latter incident resulted in arrests and confrontations between protesters and police, further inflaming tensions within the student community. Sereen Haddad, a 19-year-old psychology student at VCU, reported being knocked to the ground during these clashes, highlighting the physical and emotional toll of these confrontations on students.
At the University of Wisconsin, the atmosphere was charged as a small group of graduates turned their backs on their chancellor during her address. The NYT report said that this act of protest, though quieter, was no less significant, symbolizing disapproval and dissatisfaction with the administration or its policies.
Anticipating disruptions, many university administrators had taken stringent measures to maintain order and decorum. This included increased security details, the establishment of designated free speech zones, and in some cases, the dismantling of protest encampments, the report in the NYT noted. These actions called attention to the delicate balance universities sought to achieve between upholding free expression and ensuring the ceremonies proceeded without significant hindrance.
The University of Wisconsin’s administration notably reached an agreement with protestors, agreeing to a meeting to discuss the university’s investments in return for clearing their encampment. This negotiation highlighted attempts at dialogue and compromise in the face of potential conflict.
For many students, the graduation ceremony held particular significance. Having missed their high school graduations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the university commencement represented a long-awaited opportunity for formal recognition and celebration, the NYT report indicated. The backdrop of protests added a layer of complexity and emotional weight to these events.
According to the NYT report, for students such as David Emuze, his graduation ceremony at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was a long-anticipated event, laden with personal and collective significance. Wearing his electric-blue mortarboard and orange sash, Emuze, a bachelor’s degree graduate in public health, experienced a ceremony that stood in stark contrast to his virtual high school graduation. The presence of his mother in the audience added to the emotive weight of the occasion.
The keynote speaker, Jeanne Gang, an esteemed architect and alumna of the University, delivered a speech that resonated deeply with the graduates. She addressed the current global challenges but emphasized the importance of unity and celebration at such a pivotal moment in the graduates’ lives, the NYT report noted. Her words, acknowledging the tumultuous global backdrop, aimed to galvanize the students into celebrating their accomplishments amidst adversity.
At the University of California, Berkeley, a notable demonstration unfolded during the commencement ceremonies. Ignoring warnings from school officials, a group of students commandeered a section of empty stadium seats behind the main stage. Their chants of “Hey hey, ho ho, the occupation has got to go” and “UC divest” resonated through the area, drawing an increasing number of participants. The NYT reported that the group, which eventually grew to about 500, made a significant impact with their vocal opposition to what they perceive as injustices associated with the university’s financial investments and its stance on global political issues. As the graduation neared its end, most of these protesters peacefully dispersed.
Greta Brown, a graduate in environmental science, adorned her cap and gown with a stole marked “Palestine,” standing out as a vocal participant in the protests, as per the information provided in the NYT report. Her actions, along with those of her fellow protesters, were driven by a belief that the university’s response to ongoing global issues, particularly the war in Gaza, was insufficiently proactive or too neutral.
The commencement began with a contentious tone as Chancellor Carol Christ faced boos upon taking the podium. However, her mention of the pro-Palestinian encampment near Sproul Hall shifted the crowd’s response to cheers, the NYT report noted. Acknowledging the students’ passion and her own concerns about the violence in Gaza, Dr. Christ’s words reflected a sensitive balance between administration and student advocacy.
The protests escalated during the ceremony. A significant number of students displayed signs advocating for divestment from companies doing business with Israel and waved Palestinian flags, culminating in a chant that disrupted the speech by student body president Sydney Roberts. The NYT reported that Roberts’ remark, “This wouldn’t be Berkeley without a protest,” captured the essence of the event.
In the days preceding several high-profile university commencements, the campuses of the University of Pennsylvania, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Arizona became focal points for pro-Palestinian protests. According to the NYT report, these demonstrations, characterized by the establishment of encampments, drew significant attention and prompted a firm response from university authorities. At MIT and Penn, encampments were systematically dismantled by officers, a move that mirrored actions taken at other institutions facing similar protests.
The situation escalated notably at the University of Arizona in Tucson, where authorities deployed “chemical munitions” to disperse protesters from an encampment just hours before the commencement ceremony, the NYT report added. This forceful response not only cleared the area but also set a tense backdrop for the graduation proceedings that evening.
The University of North Carolina’s commencement ceremony on Saturday night became a theater of conflicting sentiments and reactions, illuminating the deep divides within the student body and the broader community. The interim chancellor, Lee Roberts, faced vocal opposition from many students as a consequence of his decision to remove an encampment of pro-Hamas protesters the previous month, as per the NYT report.
The climax of the ceremony occurred when two students, carrying Palestinian flags, interrupted Chancellor Roberts’s speech by walking onto the field. Indicated in the NYT report was that their demonstration, however, was not met with widespread support. Instead, a significant portion of the audience reacted negatively, booing the protesters and chanting “USA! USA!”
