A prominent civil rights group in the United States has urged colleges and universities to respect free speech and resist calls to investigate or disband student organisations rallying on behalf of Palestinian rights. In an open letter to academic institutions, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) warned against politically motivated efforts to police speech on campus, which could destroy the foundation on which academic communities are built.
The letter has recently surfaced in the media amid heightened tensions in US academia, scholarly circles and the media as the Israel-Hamas war enters its fourth week, anti-Israel protest demonstrations against reckless bombardment and airstrikes on civilian populations continued without any pause following October 7 incidents in Israeli occupied territory. Some US academic campuses are reporting pressure to crack down on critics of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, where an estimated 8,796 Palestinians have been killed so far. Meanwhile several media houses have banned their Muslim anchorpersons and journalists from reporting/ hosting talk shows, and started censoring their articles/ programs for any breach of instructions or airing of any anti-Israel comments from their platform that might displease the Jewish state or their supporters in the west. Similarly, several social media platforms blocked accounts of Muslim journalists who highlighted Israeli war crimes or posted pro-palestinians material on their accounts.
The ACLU urged the colleges,and universities that the mission of learning and tutoring can not be accomplished by a forum without debate and discussion while sane criticism helps mankind to correct its mistakes and address its course if one takes it positively. According to human rights group, baseless investigations into those who express disfavored or even loathsome views chill speech, foster an atmosphere of mutual suspicion, and betray the spirit of free inquiry, which is based on the power to persuade rather than the power to punish.
Historically, human morals have not yet capitulated such rottenness and people still owe kind hearts that feel regret and express displeasure over injustice, suppression and violent aggression against unarmed innocent civilians who so ever perpetuates, advocate or support such machismo in this world. Presently, western leaders’ have turned a blind eye and blatantly supported Israel’s war crimes and inhumane bombardment in Gaza, while a majority of western scholars, unbiased journalists and common public raise their voice against such grave crimes against humanity. Although those sane voices have no impact on leaders’ culpability yet this moral support instils courage and hope in bereaved Palestinians against the aggressors.
