On Feb. 20, Northeastern Univ. Students for Justice in Palestine received a memo from the student government cabinet disqualifying a proposed divestment referendum on the grounds that it would create….
On Feb. 20, Northeastern Univ. Students for Justice in Palestine received a memo from the student government cabinet disqualifying a proposed divestment referendum on the grounds that it would create a “hostile, threatening, intimidating, humiliating, or otherwise abusive environment” for students. We know that the opposite is true — divestment is a time-honored, nonviolent tool to rectify gross injustice. The full student government will decide Mar 16 whether to allow a divestment vote or not. Sign and share this petition defending the right to a fair vote on divestment!
To President Noah Carville and Members of the NU Student Government:
We are writing to urge you to allow Northeastern students the opportunity to decide for themselves whether they support divestment from Israel’s occupation.
Divestment is a time-honored tool for oppressed communities who seek to nonviolently pursue justice. Student activists have used divestment to address issues from climate change to civil rights. Divestment was instrumental in ending South African apartheid. Palestinian-led divestment initiatives have led corporations like Veolia, G4S, and SodaStream to question their involvement in Israel’s illegal occupation and have sparked interfaith, multi-racial collaborations among Jews, Muslims, Christians, and others to work for a just peace together.
Northeastern students deserve an opportunity to engage in a growing international conversation on the role of academic institutions in upholding human rights. By preventing SJP’s referendum from appearing on the ballot, you would censor the conversation and uphold the status quo support for Israel’s continued injustices.
Democracy cannot survive if practiced only when it is easy and uncontroversial. Free speech is a fundamental right that must be respected and protected. You have an amazing opportunity and a responsibility to empower students to become responsible citizens.
In order for campus to feel safe for students of all backgrounds, students must be allowed to address the injustices that directly impact them and their families. Please allow the referendum to go forward.