MIT bans class president from graduation commencement after pro-Palestinian speech

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mit-bans-class-president-graduation-
commencement-palestinian-speech-rcna210023

The speech was shared online by the Palestinian Youth Movement, which 
named the student as Megha Vemuri. Vemuri wore a Keffiyeh during the 
speech, and called out MIT for having research ties with the Israel army 
and "aiding and abetting" the country with its "assault on the Palestinian 
people."

Israel's war in Gaza has killed over 52,000 people since Oct. 7, 2023, 
when Hamas militants killed some 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 
people hostage. Israel has received intense criticism from around the 
world, including from the United Nations, for its actions in Gaza, which 
include cutting off aid to the enclave.

"As scientists, engineers, academics and leaders, we have a commitment to 
support life, support aid efforts and call for an arms embargo and keep 
demanding now as alumni, that MIT cuts the ties," Vemuri said.

Her speech was met by cheers and applause from her fellow classmates, some 
of whom held up a Palestinian flag.

"Right now, while we prepare to graduate and move forward with our lives, 
there are no universities left in Gaza," Vemuri said. "We are watching 
Israel try to wipe out Palestine off the face of the earth, and it is a 
shame that MIT is a part of it."

Vemuri mentioned that the undergraduate body voted in favor of the 
university cutting ties with Israel, and faced "threats, intimidation and 
suppression coming from all directions, especially your own university 
officials."

"But you prevailed because the MIT community that I know would never 
tolerate a genocide," Vemuri said.

Vemuri then called on her fellow classmates to partake in the MIT 
tradition of turning their class rings that bear university mascot "Tim 
the Beaver."

"And as you lift it off your fingers, notice that the beaver is no longer 
facing you, it is now facing the world," Temuri said. "This is a world 
that we will be entering with an immeasurable responsibility. We will 
carry with us the stamp of the MIT name, the same name that is directly 
complicit in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.And so we 
carry with us the obligation to do everything we can to stop it."

NBC News has reached out to Vemuri for comment.

On Friday, MIT President Sally Kornbluth made her remarks at the 
commencement for the class of 2025, encouraging them to become ambassadors 
for scientific thinking and discovery. Kornbluth said that the university 
allows "a lot of room for disagreement, whether the subject is scientific, 
personal, or political," but encouraged the new grads to rely on the 
"beauty and power of the scientific method."

"I need you all to become ambassadors for the way we think and work and 
thrive at MIT," Kornbluth said.

Kornbluth did not mention any specific incident during her remarks, 
including the one involving Vemuri. It's not clear at this time if Vemuri 
was officially allowed to graduate from MIT.

Vemuri is not the only graduate who has been penalized for her political 
views.

Earlier this month, New York University withheld student Logan Rozos' 
diploma after he delivered an unapproved commencement speech to address 
what he called the “atrocities currently happening in Palestine” during 
the Israel-Hamas war.

NYU condemned Rozos' speech, calling it an expression of "his personal and 
one-sided political views." 


-- 
November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump.  We look 
forward to America being great again.

We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that 
stupid people won't be offended.

Every day is an IQ test. Some pass, some, not so much.

Thank you for cleaning up the disasters of the 2008-2017, 2020-2024 Obama 
/ Biden / Harris fiascos, President Trump.

Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the 
The World According To Garp.  Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood 
queer liberal democrat donors.