URGENT: Take action to support Brooklyn College SJP against smear campaign

The Students for Justice in Palestine at Brooklyn College in New York have been under attack by media, elected officials and infamous lawyer-celebrity Alan Dershowitz becuase of an event highlighting Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions against Israel they're holding on Feb. 7. Though the university president is standing by academic speech and has withstood outside pressure to cancel the event, these very public forces have been relentless in their smear campaign against the students who, together with the political science department, will be hosting Omar Barghouti and Judith Butler to discuss the BDS movement.

We must take action to support these students  from those who would stop free speech in their unyielding support for Israel's occupation policies that deprive Palestinians of their basic human rights and that violate international law. Brooklyn SJP students are asking us to participate in any number of actions listed below.

BACKGROUND:

At first, the demand from Dershowitz and a handful of city politicians was for the Brooklyn College political science department to rescind their cosponsorship (Glenn Greenwald wrote a comprehensive article, highlighting Dershowitz's double standard). Now, Lewis Fidler, Assistant Majority Leader of the NYC Council, and several other members of the City Council are threatening to pull Brooklyn College's funding unless the school administration is cancelled or condemned. 

Please join us in showing support for our school administration, and encouraging them to continue to support academic freedom and expression on campus. Below you can find the contact details of school admins and sample letters to send, and a statement individuals and groups can sign on to.

We appreciate you continued support. We will be having a press conference on Tuesday and we encourage you to stay in the loop by visiting www.brooklynsjp.com. 

In solidarity,

Brooklyn College  Students for Justice in Palestine

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

TWITTER USING HASHTAG -  #sjpfree2bds

CALL THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS:

President Karen Gould - 718.951.5671

Provost William Tramontano - 718.951.5864

Director of Communications and Public Relations Jeremy Thompson - 718.951.5882

Political Science Dept Chairperson Paisley Currah - 718.951.5306 

MESSAGE FOR WHEN YOU CALL

My name is ____________________. I am calling to express my support for the BDS event with Judith Butler and Omar Barghouti organized by Students for Justice in Palestine.

I stand behind the decision made by the Political Science Department to co-sponsor/endorse the BDS event being organized by Students for Justice in Palestine on February 7th

As a student at Brooklyn College, it is fundamental that my school upholds the right to academic freedom as IT IS part of the First Amendment rights of the US Constitution.

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters' statement of support

SIGN THE LETTER OF SUPPORT

http://al-awdany.org/2013/02/sign-on-statement-of-support-for-brooklyn-college-students-for-justice-in-palestine/

EMAIL THE LETTER BELOW TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE

President Karen Gould - [email protected]

Provost William Tramontano - [email protected]

Director of Communications and Public Relations Jeremy Thompson - [email protected]

Political Science Dept chairperson Paisley Currah - [email protected]

LETTER

To whom it may concern,

My name is ____________________. I am emailing you to express my support for the event on BDS with Judith Butler and Omar Barghouti organized by Brooklyn College Students for Justice in Palestine.

As the most multi-cultural borough in the city of New York, Brooklyn prides itself in its diversity and understanding of different cultures and its ability to connect different struggles and bring people together under one roof.

Brooklyn College is a public institution of higher education that is known for its excellence in academic freedom and learning. As we all know, human rights and equality for all is something that should matter to everyone regardless of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation. 

As a student/faculty/staff of Brooklyn College, it is imperative that my school upholds the right to academic freedom as IT IS part of the First Amendment rights enshrined in the United States Constitution.

Academic freedom is a component of freedom of speech which is part of the Bill or Rights in our Constitution. The Supreme Court made it evident with the decision made in the case of Keyishian v. Board of Regents (1967) where they stated: "Our Nation is deeply committed to safeguarding academic freedom, which is of transcendent value to all of us and not merely to the teachers concerned. That freedom is therefore a special concern of the First Amendment, which does not tolerate laws that cast a pall of orthodoxy over the classroom. The vigilant protection of constitutional freedoms is nowhere more vital than in the community of American schools."

In addition, the Court has drawn a clear link between the importance of academic freedom and the health of our modern liberal democracy. In Sweezy v. New Hampshire (1957), the Court observed: The essentiality of freedom in the community of American universities is almost self-evident... Teachers and students must always remain free to inquire, to study and to evaluate, to gain new maturity and understanding; otherwise our civilization will stagnate and die."

As a student/faculty/staff of Brooklyn College I stand behind the decision made by the Political Science Department to co-sponsor/endorse the BDS event being organized by Students for Justice in Palestine and other New York based community groups on February 7th.

This event will educate people on why the Israeli-Palestinian issue is a global issue and why so many individuals from all backgrounds support the non-violent BDS campaign to pressure Israel to comply with international and humanitarian law.

Sincerely

your name

visit: http://www.brooklynsjp.com/pink-floyds-roger-waters-letter-of-support.html