Students for Justice in Palestine @ CU

10/31/23

To President Todd Saliman, Chancellor DiStefano, and the University of Colorado Boulder,

We, the members of Students for Justice in Palestine @ CU, stand in unwavering support of the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of Colorado Boulder for their Palestine solidarity statement released on October 23rd, 2023. The Ethnic Studies department's commitment to justice, human rights, and academic freedom is commendable and aligns with our values as a student group dedicated to advocating for the rights of the oppressed.

The Ethnic Studies Department's Palestine solidarity statement is a testament to their dedication to promoting open discourse, critical thinking, and informed understanding. We believe that universities, as institutions of higher learning, should be spaces where compassionate and just perspectives are embraced and where social justice issues are addressed with intellectual rigor.

It is deeply troubling, however, that the university has chosen to distance itself from the department's statement, and to instead align itself with the Israeli occupation and its ongoing massacre of the Palestinian people. This stance by the university prioritizes political considerations over the fundamental values of education, justice, and human rights.

Students for Justice in Palestine @ CU has taken it upon ourselves to educate ourselves about the Israeli Occupation of Palestine, and we refuse to stand complicit in any form of oppression or violence, including the ongoing injustices faced by the Palestinian people. We firmly believe that standing in solidarity with those who suffer at the hands of oppression is a moral imperative, not a matter of political bias.

In addition, we condemn the racist and Zionist attacks on professors within the Ethnic Studies Department for expressing their freedom of speech. Academic institutions should be spaces where scholars are free to explore and express their ideas without fear of harassment or threats. It is deeply distressing that these attacks have taken place, and we expect the university to take every necessary measure to ensure the safety and academic freedom of its professors. The university’s refusal to protect its professors is active endangerment.

We call on the University of Colorado Boulder to reconsider its position and stand behind the Department of Ethnic Studies’ statement in solidarity with the people of Palestine. We implore the university to act upon the principles of justice, human rights, and academic freedom that it prides itself on. It is incumbent upon this institution to protect its professors and provide a safe and inclusive environment for all members of its academic community.

Sincerely,

Students for Justice in Palestine @ CU