Rashida Tlaib: “The ACLU statement says: ``As you fashion responses to the activism of your students (and faculty and staff), it is…”

“The ACLU statement says: ``As you fashion responses to the activism of your students (and faculty and staff), it is essential that you not sacrifice principles of academic freedom and free speech that are core to the educational mission of your respected institution.'' From Bend the Arc's statement: ``Protest is essential to our movement work and must be protected, and we firmly stand against anti-Semitism being used as an excuse to threaten free speech and criticism of university and U.S. policy. To be clear, criticism of American policy towards Israel is not inherently anti-Semitic.'' Mr. Speaker, dissent is a fundamental American value, from the civil rights movement to antiwar protests to the movement for Black lives, immigrant rights, our country has a long history of students leading movements for change and challenging the status quo that oppresses and normalizes genocide across the world. I am deeply moved by the courageous young people in more than 100 encampments at colleges across our Nation that are demanding divestment in support of a genocide in Gaza and apartheid Government of Israel. I had the opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to visit an encampment at the University of Michigan that has public programming. They put it online for families on various issues. The day I went, they were recognizing the anniversary of the Armenian genocide and having someone also speak about the connectivity to the Palestinian Nakba.…”