Selective Outrage: Hundreds Back U Michigan Professor Peterson While President Grasso Remains Silent On Alleged Poisoning Case of Former University Employee
Black Star News Editorial Photos: YouTube Screenshots|Wikimedia Commons The attacks history Professor Derek Peterson has been receiving because of the commencement speech, that he gave at the University of Michigan graduation ceremony, on May 2, highlights the glaring hypocrisy we witness when it comes to telling the truth regarding the continuing genocide in Palestine–at the hands of the Israeli government. Professor Peterson’s speech is only objectionable to those who believe that Palestinian lives don’t matter, and to those who feel Israel’s government can do no wrong even when they are clearly engaged in the mass murder of Palestinians. Any honest person, who listens to Professor Peterson’s speech, or reads it, will see that it was an inclusive, truthful, speech. Professor Peterson first talked about women’s rights, and sexism, by referencing the 1858 story of Sarah Burger, who applied to the University of Michigan, at a time when there were no women students or faculty. He talked about the fact that Burger was repeatedly denied entry into the university highlighting her struggle and the eventual opening up of admissions to women. He next talked about Jewish Professor Moritz Levi saying that he was “the first Jewish professor at the University of Michigan” who opened “the doors of this great university to generations of Jewish students who found in Ann Arbor a safe haven from the anti-Semitism of east coast universities.” Professor Peterson then mentioned “the students of the Black Action Movement whose members demanded a curriculum that reflect the experience and identity of Black people in the country.” But, then he said this: “Sing for the pro-Palestinian student activists who have over these past two years opened our hearts to the injustice and inhumanity of Israel’s Gaza war.” If Professor Peterson had edited out that last part we would not even be talking about this. Ask yourself this question is it not inhumane that politicians, and others, are calling students protesting genocide terrorists while the government in Israel is committing actual genocide in Palestine, in Lebanon, and murdering journalists trying to report these atrocities? In the last two years, the American two-party political system has shown us they can be bi-partisan, in some things, like: backing genocide, to the tune of billions. The Republicans, and Democrats, are both complicit in the ongoing slaughters perpetrated against Palestinians. And they are silent on this because their bank accounts are bulging with the donor blood money from those who lobby for Israel–like the now toxic AIPAC. Indeed, we can say today that Kamala Harris likely lost the 2024 Election because she continued the talking points of former President Joe Biden, who said nothing about the crimes of the Netanyahu government. The Democrats’ own internal election investigation “autopsy” (that they have reneged on releasing publicly) reportedly details this. And what happened to First Amendment, and Free Speech, rights in America? When we have students and professors being attacked, on college campuses, for expressing their opinions, about genocide, we must all ask ourselves some tough questions about this America–and its political relationship to Israel. If one can’t speak honestly, particularly, on a college campus where can we? The University of Michigan officials who are reproaching Professor Peterson are a disgrace to the positions they hold in a supposed institution of higher learning. The same should be said for all the spineless university presidents and deans, across America, who have attacked American students to satisfy the warped worldview of people who are advocating for a foreign power. What happened to “America First?” We also find it ironic, deeply insensitive, and even inhumane that university president Domenico Grasso (shown below) was quick to condemn and repudiate a faculty member whose speech was cheered by students, yet this same “leader” has not issued a statement since the university fired Dr. Paul Gregory St. Claire on February 28, 2024. The Meridian Township Police Department in Okemos recommended criminal charges against the former University of Michigan employee for allegedly poisoning his Haitian immigrant wife over a nine-year period at UM Health-Sparrow. It should also be noted that hundreds of professors, and thousands of students, have rallied to support and defend Professor Peterson. There was absolutely nothing wrong in the speech given by Professor Derek Peterson. But what is wrong is that we have “leaders” in politics, education and business, who have no moral compass and are willing to sell their souls, while genocide is being committed, with guns and munitions marked “made in America.”
Black News Black Star News Editorial
Photos: YouTube Screenshots|Wikimedia Commons
The attacks history Professor Derek Peterson has been receiving because of the commencement speech, that he gave at the University of Michigan graduation ceremony, on May 2, highlights the glaring hypocrisy we witness when it comes to telling the truth regarding the continuing genocide in Palestine–at the hands of the Israeli government.
Professor Peterson’s speech is only objectionable to those who believe that Palestinian lives don’t matter, and to those who feel Israel’s government can do no wrong even when they are clearly engaged in the mass murder of Palestinians.
Any honest person, who listens to Professor Peterson’s speech, or reads it, will see that it was an inclusive, truthful, speech.
Professor Peterson first talked about women’s rights, and sexism, by referencing the 1858 story of Sarah Burger, who applied to the University of Michigan, at a time when there were no women students or faculty. He talked about the fact that Burger was repeatedly denied entry into the university highlighting her struggle and the eventual opening up of admissions to women.
He next talked about Jewish Professor Moritz Levi saying that he was “the first Jewish professor at the University of Michigan” who opened “the doors of this great university to generations of Jewish students who found in Ann Arbor a safe haven from the anti-Semitism of east coast universities.”
Professor Peterson then mentioned “the students of the Black Action Movement whose members demanded a curriculum that reflect the experience and identity of Black people in the country.”
But, then he said this: “Sing for the pro-Palestinian student activists who have over these past two years opened our hearts to the injustice and inhumanity of Israel’s Gaza war.”
If Professor Peterson had edited out that last part we would not even be talking about this.
Ask yourself this question is it not inhumane that politicians, and others, are calling students protesting genocide terrorists while the government in Israel is committing actual genocide in Palestine, in Lebanon, and murdering journalists trying to report these atrocities?
In the last two years, the American two-party political system has shown us they can be bi-partisan, in some things, like: backing genocide, to the tune of billions. The Republicans, and Democrats, are both complicit in the ongoing slaughters perpetrated against Palestinians. And they are silent on this because their bank accounts are bulging with the donor blood money from those who lobby for Israel–like the now toxic AIPAC.
Indeed, we can say today that Kamala Harris likely lost the 2024 Election because she continued the talking points of former President Joe Biden, who said nothing about the crimes of the Netanyahu government. The Democrats’ own internal election investigation “autopsy” (that they have reneged on releasing publicly) reportedly details this.
And what happened to First Amendment, and Free Speech, rights in America?
When we have students and professors being attacked, on college campuses, for expressing their opinions, about genocide, we must all ask ourselves some tough questions about this America–and its political relationship to Israel. If one can’t speak honestly, particularly, on a college campus where can we?
The University of Michigan officials who are reproaching Professor Peterson are a disgrace to the positions they hold in a supposed institution of higher learning. The same should be said for all the spineless university presidents and deans, across America, who have attacked American students to satisfy the warped worldview of people who are advocating for a foreign power. What happened to “America First?”
We also find it ironic, deeply insensitive, and even inhumane that university president Domenico Grasso (shown below) was quick to condemn and repudiate a faculty member whose speech was cheered by students, yet this same “leader” has not issued a statement since the university fired Dr. Paul Gregory St. Claire on February 28, 2024.
The Meridian Township Police Department in Okemos recommended criminal charges against the former University of Michigan employee for allegedly poisoning his Haitian immigrant wife over a nine-year period at UM Health-Sparrow.
It should also be noted that hundreds of professors, and thousands of students, have rallied to support and defend Professor Peterson.
There was absolutely nothing wrong in the speech given by Professor Derek Peterson. But what is wrong is that we have “leaders” in politics, education and business, who have no moral compass and are willing to sell their souls, while genocide is being committed, with guns and munitions marked “made in America.”
