The University of Southern California has cancelled a scheduled commencement speech by Asna Tabassum, citing unnamed security concerns after her selection as valedictorian was met with a wave of online attacks directed at her pro-Palestinian views.
“I am not surprised by those who attempt to propagate hatred. I am surprised that my own university - my home for four years - has abandoned me,” Tabassum said in a statement shared online.
On 6 April, USC announced that Tabassum was selected as valedictorian, a student with the highest academic achievements in her year, for the graduating class of 2024.
After the announcement was published on social media, Tabassum began receiving online attacks from an account named, “We Are Tov”, a group that describes itself as “dedicated to combating antisemitism”.
The university released a statement on Monday, saying that Tabassum would retain her position as valedictorian, but would not be allowed to give her commencement speech. The school said that the move was made to maintain safety on campus.
I think you’re making a reasonable point about keeping people safe. I can see the merit, but I don’t like the school’s choice because a) it feels like letting the bullies win and b) there’s a national context of failing to protect or support pro-Palestinian voices or even suppressing them. This girl was specifically targeted for harassment and there’s no mention that USC tried to intervene on her behalf. Now, whether it’s actually a security or political concern, she won’t be allowed to speak as valedictorian because she’s Palestinian and pro-Palestine.
Also, I won’t pretend that I’m an expert on speaker security, but there definitely are other controversial figures that are allowed to speak at public events including at universities. USC is a major educational organization and should have the resources to provide safeguards. It doesn’t sound like they’re even going to try, and (just my opinion from context) I suspect the reasons to be political with their excuse being a convenient lie.
It’s not letting the bullies win.
It’s letting the terrorists win
to your first point:
yes, it does, and that sucks. but i just don’t see how it’s reasonable to risk the lives of possibly thousands of attendees for the sake of a graduation speech.
secondly:
that very well may be, and i don’t really know enough to comment about it. others have mentioned this, and, if so, that really is shitty. the school really ought to have done more to protect her and take action against those who have threatened her, as well as considered making this an online/virtual speech, as has also been suggested by others.
lastly:
given that this is a graduation speech by a student, not a major speaking engagement by, say, a world leader or other major social/political figure that might attract national/global attention and, perhaps, a gigantic -paying - crowd, i wouldn’t expect any university to shell out the big bucks for a major security presence beyond standard campus safety officers. but i see your point.
one last thing…
i think it’s more likely that they just don’t want the trouble of dealing with any of it and the potential liabilities, but it could easily be a mix of both.
It’s not my opinion, but it’s fair, your points are logical, and I have no reason to believe you are motivated by anything unethical :) We’ve just come to different conclusions about this one specific event, which is A-OK in my books. I don’t even agree all the time with the people I agree with the most. For what it’s worth I’ve given you upvotes both times for making sense.
i appreciate that.
You’re essentially agreeing with everyone here: they don’t want to deal with it, for whatever reason. It’s not that they can’t (which is the reason they’ve given) it’s that they don’t want to.
And that’s seemingly everyone’s problem here. Which begs the question: why? This is their graduation ceremony. It’s tradition that the valedictorian give a speech. If they can secure it, as they’ve proven multiple times in the past of being capable of doing, then there is some other reason why they aren’t doing it.
I think any reasonable person not blinded by their own bias in this case can see why: the pro-israeli bloc in this country is many orders of magnitude more powerful than the pro-palenstinian bloc. It’s a calculated economic/political position…take the heat from a small group of passionate people for a short while, or anger a large powerful group.
“Safety” is just a good excuse that allows them to mask the real reason. As we all agree, including you, that they are perfectly capable of actually securing it.