Rashida Tlaib: “From the university president to its board of regents, from the State attorney general to the White House, University of…”

“From the university president to its board of regents, from the State attorney general to the White House, University of Michigan students and faculty exercising their rights to speak out against genocide have been under attack from all sides. From selective prosecutions to eight faculty members being fired for attending protests, the university has damaged its reputation while putting its full weight into suppressing speech and First Amendment rights. Their courageous solidarity movement has been undaunted, and this past week has offered a ray of hope that the Constitution still applies on campus, Mr. Speaker. It doesn't end when you enter a campus. First, the university president responsible for suppressing student rights, gutting DEI, and rolling over for the Trump administration resigned and fled to another State. Then, the attorney general in Michigan was forced to drop felony charges against campus protesters before a judge could rule on whether to remove her from the cases due to bias. This coordinated smear campaign is especially outrageous and egregious as Michigan prides itself on being an incubator for protests and social justice movements, where students are inspired to hold the powerful accountable and make the world a better place, but there is an exception for Palestinians. All across campus, historic divestment campaigns, from apartheid in South Africa to fossil fuels, are celebrated.…”