(NewsWorthy.news) – An American university has announced its valedictorian will not give a commencement speech due to security concerns that she had advocated for Palestine on social media.
On Monday April 15, the University of Southern California (USC) Provost Andrew Guzman stated that Asna Tabassum was no longer permitted to speak at her upcoming graduation exercises. According to the statement, the “intensity of feelings” about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas “has escalated” and led to the development of “substantial risks relating to security.”
Guzman added that there is a possibility that there will be “disruption at commencement” and cited “similar risks” having resulted in “harassment and even violence” on other college campuses.
The American tension surrounding the conflict in the Middle East began as soon as the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas massacred more than a thousand innocents in Israeli towns, sparking an onslaught of counter offenses from the Israeli military, which has subsequently killed and displaced thousands more innocents in the Gaza Strip. In the United States—and especially on college campuses—citizens continue to argue about whether Israel is justified in its attacks.
Tabassum received backlash after her social media accounts were found to contain links to sites advocating for a one-state Palestine solution to the war. Guzman said that the decision from the university not to allow the valedictorian to speak comes “after careful consideration” and is not related to the First Amendment, but rather campus “security and safety.” He added that commencement speeches are not a “free-speech entitlement.”
In response, Tabassum said in a statement that she is unaware of “specific threats” having been lodged at herself of the school, citing a rejection of her request for more information about the threat assessment. She added that she is hesitant to believe that the university’s decision was “made solely” because of safety concerns.
The statement from Guzman sparked major backlash against the university for singling out Tabassum as ineligible to speak at the upcoming commencement ceremony.
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