College states that it wants” a safe place for genuine discourse and understanding.”
Immediately after the leader of Montgomery College condemned the organization, the event’s organizers decided to cancel.
The movie” Occupation of the American Mind” was criticized by President Jermaine Williams in an email that “depicts racist themes and fosters antisemitism.”
After saying that the Virginia community college wants to “foster a lively academic environment where different viewpoints are presented and thoroughly examined,” he wrote this in an extensive email to campus. However, it is necessary to conduct the discussion with politeness and create a secure haven for genuine conversation and understanding.
The Middle East conflict is criticized by media sources like Fox News and MSNBC for how they cover it, according to the 2016 film.
The information states:
The film, which was written by Roger Waters and features prominent observers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and British media society, explores how the Israeli government, the U.S. state, and the pro-Israel entrance have collaborated, frequently with very different goals, to influence Israeli media policy of the conflict in Israel’s favor.
Williams ( pictured ) did not specifically forbid the screening, but he wrote in an email from April 16 that” the organizers of this event should forgo its viewing.” The screening’s administrators did postpone the film’s scheduled showing that same day. The government’s feedback drew condemnation from a nationwide free speech class.
A notice from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression to Williams was just released on May 10. FIRE wrote in an accompanying blog that Williams had recently told the group he supports free speech, after he criticized a professor’s panel, titled” Palestine and Africa ]: ] the historical relationship”.
On May 13, Hearth reported:
Unfortunately, or perhaps not, the withdrawal occurred less than two weeks after Williams assured Hearth he was committed to protecting completely speech on college and would think about adopting an administrative neutral position. After we wrote Williams to condemn his March deposition of participants, explaining that his speech would probably stifle speech on college because it implied that such remark would not be tolerated, we wrote him.
” Cancellation of the screen was an obvious target and effect of your school- wide email”, FIRE wrote, quoting Williams ‘ email which said the university would not” tolerate racism, Islamophobia, or any narratives or actions that breed hate”.
FIRE offered to help with better policies by offering assurances of support for free speech.
MORE: Check out the Campus Cancel Culture Database
IMAGES: Montgomery College, OccupationMovie. org
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