Eighty organizations across the political spectrum have written to the University of Massachusetts chancellor asking him to rescind a university-sponsored, anti-Semitic event.
Other than speaking out, there’s little those who signed the letter can do to stop the pro-Palestinian event scheduled for Saturday, May 4.
The panel discussion is entitled, “Not Backing Down: Israel, Free Speech, and the Battle for Palestinian Human Rights,” and will feature Linda Sarsour, Marc Lamont Hill, and Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters.
Andrea Levin of the Committee for Accurate Middle East Reporting in America says the issue is not about free speech but about a one-sided panel that is disparaging Israel.
“This is really the violation of core principles of academia,” she insists, “that professors and lecturers and departments would simply become political mouthpieces, which destroys the opportunity for learning.”
The letter asks Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy to provide assurances that UMASS will not be permitted to provide sponsorships of this kind in the future.