The Palestine-Israel conflict remains a persistent subject of global controversy, one that caught the attention of different people, communities and organizations, one being the Muslim Student Association (MSA) of SMSU who spoke about how it affects students. They gave a speech during an SMSU town hall meeting where Moshood Agboola, president of the MSA, pointed out critical elements and called for solidarity and action.
Agboola began by interpreting the matter within the broader framework of human rights, historical comparisons, and founding issues of the U.S. He mentioned events that occurred in the past of the United States like the Boston Tea Party. Agboola underscores the U.S’s ability to stand up to bullies and how this becomes a much-needed belief in the present situation in Palestine.
Agboola establishes that the MSA said, “(they) condemn the targeted and indiscriminate killing of civilians, innocent children, women, and the elderly by anonymous republic. Their brutality with Palestinians is equivalent to a lawn mower removing grass as if it was innocent men, women and children in Palestine.”
Moreover, Agboola expressed disappointment with the U.S. government’s policy on the conflict, the MSA said “the United States government has ignored our call for a permanent ceasefire. Unfortunately, we witnessed the United States government’s continued support for the genocidal actions and atrocities committed by the Bibi-led Anonymous republic government.”
Agboola, expresses that this call for condemnation is not just his wish but the wish of other groups, “The SMSU MSA, along with MSAs and several Jewish students’ groups across the United States, would like to express our deepest solidarity and full-scale support for the freedom of the occupied people of Palestine.” The SMSU MSA advocates a permanent ceasefire and stands against all attempts to normalize the anonymous republic apartheid regime.
One of the key themes of the MSA discourse was the emphasis on mutual solidarity and collaboration between Muslims nationwide. Though differing perspectives prevail on this issue, the group showed support for the freedom of the occupied Palestinian people, while also rallying for an end to the continued atrocities.
In its stance on the conflict, the MSA uncompromisingly dismissed the view that complicated and nuanced terms often applied to this issue; “The systemic state-sponsored killing of innocent children, men, and women, or what people call “mowing the lawn,” must be unequivocally condemned.
They called on SMSU members to change the culture by condemning the targeted and indiscriminate killing of civilians and innocent lives and to not see the support of Palestine as being synonymous with anti-Semitism or anti-American values and should condemn all humanitarian crimes.
Agboola also underlined that free speech and the freedom to express views and feelings is one of the most important things, even in those cases where this would impinge on First Amendment rights. They would like SMSU to keep values of compassion, anti-apartheid, and dignity, calling upon the university administration to stand against oppression and injustice inflicted on Palestinians.
Agboola re-emphasized a key message to reflect on: “Pro-Palestine is not Antisemitism. Pro-Palestine is not Anti-American values. In fact, Pro-Palestine is Pro-freedom from years of occupation, oppression, segregation, and bullying. Pro-Palestine is Pro-Peaceful resolutions to give sympathy and sincerity a chance in the region and beyond.” The MSA urges SMSU and the United States to be a voice for freedom, peace, and justice for people living under occupation and subjected to long years of segregation, and repression. The MSA’s speech is a reminder of the necessity of solidarity and condemning the actions of the anonymous government.
