No free speech for pro-Palestine group at UC Berkeley

Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a student group at UC Berkeley, was suspended by the University after helping to organize a demonstration on April 9th in solidarity with the Palestinian people and demanding that the University of California divest from Israel. More than a thousand students participated in the demonstration which culminated in a sitin in Wheeler Hall. Seventy-nine people were arrested, and all are facing criminal charges. The 41 students arrested are also facing student conduct charges and potential suspension for up to one year. The suspension of Students for Justice in Palestine, pending an investigation, means that SJP is barred from holding events on campus, tabling, distributing literature, and organizing. The investigation may conclude that SJP should be banned as a student organization at Berkeley.

As SJP has pointed out: "No other student group that has participated in non-violent civil disobedience has been suspended and no students have faced charges of this severity in the past several years at UC Berkeley. We believe that this is a systematic attempt to silence pro- Palestinian voices on campus and to intimidate students from being activists...In fact, the policy that makes SJP subject to these charges (the Chancellor's so-called 'zero tolerance' policy) was implemented only a few days before the protest, specifically to make SJP subject to higher standards and harsher consequences."

In another statement the SJP points out: "the Chancellor's so-called 'zero tolerance' policy, threatens students and student groups with expulsion for participating in actions. The interesting thing about the 'zero tolerance' policy is its sudden appearance, without oversight, and without student or faculty review. This policy, along with the targeting of SJP, have the effect of chilling speech, especially speech by activists in defense of reforms and change in university policy."

In response to protest letters in support of SJP, the Assistant Chancellor's office sent a form letter stating that the suspension of the SJP is not punishment for political demonstrations, it is punishment for "taking over classroom buildings and depriving the right of other students to an education." What this fails to recognize is that education is not devoid of political content. In fact the political organizations on campuses provide much needed education to students who are otherwise inundated with mainstream media and textbook Amerikan chauvinist information.

Perhaps anticipating the current standoff with SJP, Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl made a statement on April 8, the day before the building occupation: "This University has a proud history in the defense of free expression. It is our responsibility to provide a neutral forum for individuals and groups to advocate their cause. ... Most importantly, it is our responsibility to protect the rights of all members of the campus community to pursue their reason for being here - the work of teaching, learning, and research - uninterrupted by anyone."

Again MIM points out, there is no such thing as a "neutral forum" in the context of imperialist educational institutions. The Chancellor makes this clear by passing judgment on what counts as education by suspending SJP while continuing to supervise nuclear weapons development at Lawrence-Livermore and Los Alamos labs. (See also "UCLA professor defends 'Black Book of Communism' lies," in this issue.) Taking part in organizing for social change, fighting to save lives around the world, and educating the general public about issues of life and death are crucial elements of teaching and learning. Protecting the rights of all members of the campus community to pursue these activities should mean not only allowing political organizing, but promoting and protecting it.

Further, as the SJP points out, the UC's view of education rights are limited to the privileged few who live in this country: "the University of California's investments in Israel have done nothing but interrupt the education of thousands of students in Palestine, whose universities and colleges and schools have been closed as a result of the Israeli occupation." They go on in another statement: "Berkeley's sister school, Bethlehem University, lies in ruins. Bir Zeit University has been closed for months. Thousands of students in Palestine have had their education disrupted by the Israeli occupation.

Meanwhile, the Chancellor and the Assistant Chancellor continue to pretend as if 'uninterrupted education' is something more than a fiction financed by the Israeli occupation and the US support of it."

On April 29, in defiance of the suspension, SJP set up a table in the center of campus. About 40 students turned out to stand by the table and distribute literature while other student groups tabling in the area also displayed signs reading "We are all Student for Justice in Palestine." Within an hour of setting up the table, Student Judicial Affairs Director Neal Rajmaira handdelivered a letter that threatened the group with "further and additional" sanctions if they continued to table.

SJP is associated with the International Socialist Organization (ISO). Although the MIM-launched divestment campaign (see page one) is not affiliated with SJP or ISO, we urge readers to fight against this crackdown on free speech at Berkeley continues and send protest letters to the administration at the addresses below (also send a copy to MIM).

Chancellor Robert Berdahl MAIL: 200 California Hall #1500 Berkeley, CA 94720-1500 TEL: (510) 642-7464 FAX: (510) 643-5499 Assistant Chancellor John Cummins
EMAIL:
jcummins@uclink4.berkeley.edu MAIL: Office of the Chancellor 200 California Hall Berkeley, CA 94720-1500 TEL: (510) 642-7516 FAX: (510) 643-5499