The University of Southern California has canceled a valedictory speech due to security concerns after the valedictorian attracted online controversy with a social media post criticizing Zionism.
Asna Tabassum, who is Muslim, linked on her social media to a site which characterized Zionism as a “racist settler-colonial ideology that advocates for a Jewish ethnostate built on Palestinian land,” according to ABC News . The University cited fears for her safety in announcing the speech’s cancellation.
“After careful consideration, we have decided that our student valedictorian will not deliver a speech at commencement,” said Provost Andrew Guzman. “While this is disappointing, tradition must give way to safety.”
“The intensity of feelings, fueled by both 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 risks relating to security and disruption at commencement,” he added. “This […]
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