Re: California valedictorian will no longer give graduation speech over 'alarming' discussion

On 4/17/2024 6:17 PM, Josh Rosenbluth wrote:
> On 4/17/2024 3:58 PM, Just Wondering wrote:
>> On 4/17/2024 5:20 AM, NoBody wrote:
>>> On Wed, 17 Apr 2024 06:23:36 -0000 (UTC), useapen
>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> The University of Southern California said its valedictorian will no
>>>> longer deliver a graduation speech this year, citing "substantial risks
>>>> relating to security" over social media chatter surrounding the Israel-
>>>> Hamas conflict.
>>>>
>>>> The Los Angeles school revealed that Asna Tabassum, a fourth-year student
>>>> from Chino Hills, California, was selected as the valedictorian and would 
>>>> give a speech alongside two salutatorians. In a news release Monday, the
>>>> university said she would no longer speak at the ceremony after the
>>>> discussion about her selection took on "an alarming tenor."
>>>>
>>>> The move comes after some students, alumni and others complained to the
>>>> university about Tabassum's social media, which includes an Instagram bio
>>>> that links to a pro-Palestine website.
>>>>
>>>> https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2024/04/15/usc-cancels-
>>>> valedictorian-graduation-speech-israel-hamas/73336731007/
>>>
>>> Nothing like silencing free speech.
>>>
>> If she avoids politics she should be allowed to speak.
>> But the valedictorian speech should not give her a platform
>> for a pro-Palestinian anti-Israel speech.  She should be
>> allowed to say whatever she wants on the subject, but there
>> is a time and place for everything and her college graduation
>> ceremony is not the time and place for that sort of thing.
> 
> That's not how freedom of speech ought to work.

I think canceling the woman's valedictory address is bad and wrong. However, 
it's a private university and they don't have to play by the same rules as state 
schools.