SDSU CONDEMNS COMMENTS
San Diego State University President Adela de la Torre issues a statement criticizing anti-semitic and racial remarks made during a demonstration on campus.
San Diego State University on Thursday condemned antisemitic and racial remarks purportedly made by political activists outside the student center, but upheld their First Amendment right to free speech.
President Adela de la Torre directed her criticism at members of Uhuru, a black nationalist movement that publicly accused SDSU Wednesday of excluding the group’s founder, Omali Yeshitela, from speaking at a proposed slavery reparations summit on campus.
Jewish groups have accused yes hi tel a of making antisemitic remarks.
Yeshitela was not present during Uhuru’s demonstration on Wednesday. But roughly eight representatives of the group protested outside the student union. One of the group’s members accused SDSU of being “controlled by Zionist masters,” according to Luke Wood, the university’s chief diversity officer. He attended the event as a campus observer.
“A number of community members have raised concern about an event held (Wednesday) by an outside group on campus, during which anti
semitic and racial terms were used,” de la Torre said in a statement Thursday night.
“An important truth exists: we have a responsibility to protect free speech, even when certain speech seeks to defame or demean. Nevertheless, speech that is anti-semitic or encourages hatred of a particular group, is reprehensible and counter to the inclusive environment we support at SDSU.”
Representatives of Uhuru could not be reached for comment by email Thursday night.
The controversy dates back to December, when SDSU publicly praised four graduate students who have been working to improve the experience of black students. They were jointly awarded $170,000 to fund their work.
One of the students, Terry Sivers, proposed a summit on reparations. A short time later, faculty members noticed that Sivers’ proposed list of speakers included Yeshitela, as well as Ava Muhammad, who speaks on behalf of Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam.
The Anti-defamation League has accused Muhammad of making anti-semitic remarks. The Southern Poverty Law Center has made the same accusation against Farrakhan.
SDSU literature professor Peter Herman pressed the issue, asking, “Should people who espouse hate be invited to speak at SDSU?”
The issue appeared to fade after Sivers decided not to invite Yeshitela and Muhammad to the summit. But Uhuru members showed up on campus Wednesday and publicly rebuked SDSU over the matter.
Wood observed the demonstration and said a representative of the group made “jarring remarks” about the Jewish community.
Risa Levitt, director of SDSU’S Jewish Studies program, caught the end of the gathering and said, “the demonstrators made some pretty horrific anti-semitic, antijewish tropes. It was along the lines that the university was run by Zionist masters. It was pretty ugly and hateful.
“I don’t think there is any room for hate at a public university that touts itself as an open and diverse community.”
Wednesday’s demonstration also was criticized by the SDSU Jewish Campus Leaders group, which said in a statement, “(Wednesday), SDSU students were confronted with antisemitic hate speech on campus. A small group of protesters representing an outside organization, used antisemitic slurs to protest the cancellation of a speaker with a long history of hateful, antisemitic remarks ...
“We support free speech and value academic freedom, but statements that are hateful, antisemitic, or bigoted violate our core values as SDSU leaders.”
SDSU officials said Thursday night that they are still reviewing details of the proposed reparations summit. The review will include an assessment of the proposed speakers.