Demonstrate

To the Brandeis Community:

The Brandeis administration’s choice of Michael Oren as this year’s commencement speaker has brought division to what should be a unifying event.  If you are upset about this choice and would like an opportunity to voice your opinion, come to a demonstration against campus division tomorrow beginning at 4:45 p.m between Spingold and the Rose near Pollack.  The demonstration will coincide with the opening ceremony of the Festival of the Arts, but is not intended to disrupt the event.

The Source/ReSource project was created by artist in residence Michael Dowling in order to speak to “the continuing cycle of generations who come to Brandeis– the source– and return to the world as a resource for vision, justice, creativity, and social change.”  Dowling realizes the unity of the Brandeis community and its beauty.  Unfortunately, our administration has chosen to divide our community through its selection of Michael Oren as the speaker for our most sacred ceremony–commencement.

This demonstration is not against Michael Oren as a speaker or individual; it is against the administration’s choice to bring him to commencement and fuel the deep political divisions of the community.

In the event of rain, we will be meeting at the same time in the atrium of Shapiro Campus Center.

Author

  • I am a sophomore at Brandeis University, originally from Wilbraham, Massachusetts. At Brandeis I have contributed to the activist community by serving as Campus Coordinator for Democracy for America, a student group that supports fiscally responsible, socially progressive candidates. I was also co-director for Brandeis Students for Barack Obama. After Brandeis, I will pursue a master's degree in urban planning.

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Author: Phil LaCombe

I am a sophomore at Brandeis University, originally from Wilbraham, Massachusetts. At Brandeis I have contributed to the activist community by serving as Campus Coordinator for Democracy for America, a student group that supports fiscally responsible, socially progressive candidates. I was also co-director for Brandeis Students for Barack Obama. After Brandeis, I will pursue a master's degree in urban planning.

12 thoughts on “Demonstrate”

  1. Alex, it is inappropriate for you to say such things. People like me are genuinely pissed off, this is America goddammit. This isn’t just fashionable, this is an actual protest about an evil man with his evil plans. For christ sake, He TOOK MAH JERB!

  2. I think it’s a good time to protest for the following reason:

    1. You can piggy back on the art project’s publicity

    That being said, I think that nobody really cares about this. They’re not going to change the speaker. It’s rainy and cold today, so most people probably won’t come.

    I don’t think that the campus is divided at all. I think that people take this stance because it’s fashionable, like Palestinian scarves.

  3. Honestly, given that a major (and pretty cool, if I say so myself) art project will be taking place then, it seems really inconsiderate to protest today. There are numerous other days to do this. Tomorrow sounds great. There’s really no imperative to do this today and saying no offense was intended doesn’t do anything to ameliorate the harm you’ll cause. Sorry, this is really stupid.

  4. Hi,

    It will be easier to understand and debate this call to action if a more concrete description of the students-who-dislike-Oren is provided. Phil’s decision to conceal whether he himself has been offended by the choice of commencement speaker is understandable, but some people seem to be wondering, “well, is the campus really divided? Who has been offended?”

  5. Art, you think none of us have ever heard of Michael Oren before??

    Maybe it will shock you, but many of us are very well-educated on the conflict in Israel-Palestine.

  6. “Unfortunately, our administration has chosen to divide our community through its selection of Michael Oren as the speaker for our most sacred ceremony–commencement.”

    And we’re gonna let them by whining and crying all the way until we get handed our diplomas!

  7. Jon, I propose that’s right. Had the press release simply have said the man was an ambassador, would you have thought twice?

  8. Wow, this so unbelievably disrespectful. As an Art lover and a member of the Brandeis community I would be disgusted if you used that as a forum for your exaggerated and ridiculous protests. Anyone who partakes in this is so disrespectful and has a complete disregard for anyone and anything and you should be ashamed of yourself.

  9. When the ceremony starts and people start pouring water for the art installation, we intend to drop our protest and participate–because we believe in Dowling’s vision.

  10. While you may not intend to disrupt the opening ceremony of the Festival of the Arts, you inevitably will. How is that fair to Dowling and all of the members of the Brandeis community who have been working towards the festival for probably a good part of the last year?

    isn’t it a bit hypocritical to organize this demonstration that will surely divide the Brandeis community at a time and place that will coincide with an event that has been specifically designed to unite the entire community in celebration?

  12. The university’s mistake in all of this is mentioning his having been the IDF spokesman during those years in the press release.

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