Los Angeles, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 17th Apr, 2024 ) A leading American university has canceled plans for a Muslim student to give a graduation speech over what it says are security concerns, after pro-Israel groups criticized her choice.
The USC decision is the latest controversy to roil American higher education since the conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted in October.
Asna Tabassum, who was attacked online for her “anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric”, was chosen as the class valedictorian.
USC’s valedictorian is selected by college officials from a pool of applicants with high academic standing.
They represent the graduating class and will give a speech at graduation in front of up to 65,000 people.
But on Monday, university provost Andrew Guzman announced that the May 10 ceremony would go ahead without a speech.
“Unfortunately, over the past several days, the debate surrounding the selection of our valedictorian has taken on a disturbing nature,” Guzmán said in a statement.
“The intensity of feeling, fueled by social media and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, has grown to include many voices outside of USC and has escalated to the point of creating substantial security risks.”
Guzman’s statement gave no details, but the Los Angeles Times quoted Erroll Southers, the university’s associate vice president for security and risk assurance, as saying the institution had received threats by email, phone and letter.
Individuals “say they will come to campus,” he said.
Tabassum criticized the decision, which she said was the result of the university “succumbing to a campaign of hate aimed at silencing my voice”.
“Although it should have been a time of celebration for my family, friends, professors and classmates, anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices subjected me to a racist hate campaign because of my uncompromising belief in human rights for all,” she said. he said in a statement.
