Asna Tabassum Showed Courage in the Face of Zionist Hatred

 By David Starr

The University of Southern California (USC) just may be showing favoritism to reassure the feelings of Zionist zealots. 

 

Asna Tabassum is a first-generation South Asian-American Muslim who has excelled at USC. She majored in biomedical engineering and also had a minor in genocide studies. She was selected as valedictorian and was to make a speech at commencement. 

 

But USC Provost Andrew Guzman expressed alarm, citing safety concerns and thinking that her speech would be inflammatory. Edith Olmsted quoted Guzman in an article published in the Daily Beast. Guzman wrote in an email that even Tabassum’s appointment was of an “alarming tenor,” and also wrote that her speech would be “escalated to the point of creating substantial risks to security and disruption at commencement.”

 

Guzman continued: “After careful consideration, we have decided that our student valedictorian will not deliver a speech at commencement. Tradition must give way to safety.”

 

Guzman then tried to reassure the readers of his email, writing, “To be clear: this decision has nothing to do with freedom of speech. There is no free speech entitlement to speak at a commencement. The issue here is how best to maintain campus security and safety, period.”

 

But the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) publicized a reply from Tabassum  saying that she “had serious doubts” that the university’s decision was based on fairness and sincerity. Tabassum added that there were attempts to intimidate her with “racist hatred” from “anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim voices because of my belief in human rights for all.” 

 

Here are more excerpts from Tabassum’s statement: 

 

“…USC administrators informed me that the university will no longer allow me to speak at commencement due to supposed security concerns. I am both shocked by this decision and profoundly disappointed that the university is succumbing to a campaign of hate to silence my voice. 

 

“Because I’m not aware of any specific threats against me or the university, because my request for the details underlying the university’s threat assessment has been denied, and because I am not being provided any increased safety to be able to speak at commencement, there remains serious doubts about whether USC’s decision to revoke my invitation to speak is made solely on the basis of safety.

 

“My identities and experiences inspired me to think outside the box–a mindset I cultivated at USC, and it is the very quality that contributed to my selection as USC Valedictorian.

 

“As your Valedictorian, I implore my USC classmates to think outside the box–to work towards a world where cries for equality and human dignity are not manipulated to be expressions of hate. I challenge us to respond to ideological discomfort with dialogue and learning, not bigotry and censorship. And I urge us to see past our deepest fears and recognize the need to support justice for all people, including the Palestinian people.

 

“I am a student of history who chose to minor in resistance to genocide, and have learned that ordinary people are capable of unspeakable acts of violence when they are taught hate fueled by fear. And due to widespread fear, I was hoping to use my commencement speech to inspire my classmates with a message of hope. By canceling my speech, USC is only caving to fear and rewarding hatred.”  

 

Rather than being inflammatory, Tabassum expresses inclusiveness and the idea to understand that people are equal. But fears and hatred, as she citied, only get in the way of being empathetic and to support justice.

 

Guzman’s email, to reiterate, emphasized that “Tradition must give way to safety.” Would Guzman take the same position if there was a Zionist valedictorian scheduled to speak? And what message would this person express? Justice and equality? Or the reflection of what the fascists in the Israeli government have said regarding the status of Palestinians? Would tradition be just as important as safety?

 

In the publication, Slate, David Kaye writes that on the one hand, “There is no question that universities have a duty to maintain campus safety during graduation ceremonies.” But on the other hand, “For as much as Guzman asserted ‘the decision has nothing to do with freedom of speech,’ he failed to demonstrate the necessity of this draconian measure. As such, the action is clearly an interference with free speech…”

 

Tabassum is like many youth today. There is an emphasis on equality and justice. The genocide in Gaza has galvanized many people to express outrage worldwide. The youth are at the forefront of this movement. It’s so obvious that Israel has expressed hatred of the Palestinians. That can be thanked to the right-wing in Israel, whether in the government or in society in general.

 

Kaye spells out the USC’s decision: 

 

“The question is not whether the university has a significant interest in a safe celebration–it obviously does. The question is whether it has shown that the steps it took were necessary and proportionate to ensure that kind of environment. And here is where USC administrators have failed. They did not demonstrate that it was necessary to cancel Tabassum’s speech. They did not show, or even allege, that Tabassum would use the moment to incite any kind of disruption. There is no evidence that it considered or offer alternatives to canceling her speech altogether.”

 

And according to Sharon Rolle, writing for The Wrap, there was a petition that came out and 41,000 signed it in a matter of two days. Tabassum thus has significant backing from her supporters. This was important considering that pro-Israel groups established a campaign to censor her; and she received threats from unnamed individuals. (Probably Zionists.)

 

Asna Tabassum has been a successful student at USC, receiving high grades and working hard at her studies. Thus, she does qualify to be a valedictorian.

 

Kaye points out that “In short, Tabassum has been penalized while those making threats won a victory. USC’s choice came with obvious costs, depriving Tabassum of a speaking role and her classmates of hearing one of their most academically successful members.”

 

USC administrators caving to Zionist hatred shows that Zionists got preferential treatment. And Zionists played the anti-Semitic card to accomplish this. But the Zionists, and Israel itself, are not exempt from criticism…or condemnation.