Morgan Powers’ “Letter to the Editor” is paradigmatic of the consequences of writing on a subject that one has no prior knowledge of.

The comparison between Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) echoes the longstanding historical habit of sociopolitical opposition toward and delegitimization of all resistance movements. The movement for Palestinian liberation is no stranger to this phenomenon. Not only is this comparison an egregiously incorrect and uninformed assertion, but it is also rooted in Islamophobia and xenophobia. Equating the moral fight against injustice to notorious instances of racist extremism reflects a blatant misunderstanding of the two organizations’ drastically different objectives and backgrounds. Accusations like these serve one purpose: to distract us from advocating for a permanent ceasefire and instead use our time to refute these false claims.

SJP is a student society, established in 1993, that provides a space for students on university campuses to advocate for Palestinians’ inalienable right to self-determination. The KKK, on the other hand, is a known extremist and ultra-right hate group founded in 1865 with the goal of establishing and maintaining a white supremacist state. SJP does not emulate any of their rhetoric, nor do they enforce any of their sentiments. Had the concerned party known this, they would not have drawn such a deeply erroneous likeness between the two groups.

The United Nations has stated that Palestine is illegally occupied under international law, so why is it controversial or “aggressive” to demand self-determination and liberation for Palestinians through advocacy and boycotts? To insinuate any equivalence between a group that aims to liberate an oppressed people from illegal settler occupation to an extremist group that employs the abhorrent actions of lynching and barbarism to perpetuate violent racism is an affront to justice everywhere. Additionally, the baseless labeling of SJP as an “aggressive activist group” is not only direct misinformation but a deliberate falsehood for which the author failed to back up with any specific acts of said aggression. These reckless accusations display a complete disregard for factual integrity, commitment to reading comprehension and critical thinking.

In the letter, Powers argues against former Harvard University president, Claudine Gay. It is acknowledged that there is a good faith case for her resignation and that academic integrity is important and should be valued. There is not, however, a reason to believe that the accusations were made in good faith. Gay was the first Black female president of a prestigious institution and was “subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus,” as stated by Gay herself. The attacks Gay received following the accusation were steeped in racial bias and are indicative of the systemic barriers set in place for people of color in positions of power and academia.

The true reason for Gay’s resignation was not plagiarism in her dissertation; it was far-right conservatives searching for an excuse to expel Gay from her position as a result of her response during her testimony before Congress on antisemitism. To discredit Gay’s entire amazing career over a “wholly inconsequential” act of plagiarism, as described by D. Stephen Voss in an interview with the New Yorker, demonstrates a clear lack of understanding of the imbalanced racial and gender dynamics so deeply woven into the fabric of American society.

Furthermore, there is a double standard at play here. Bill Ackman, billionaire investor and Harvard board member, has been vocal in calling for Gay’s resignation. He is also known for his vehement opposition to Harvard’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) office. In the midst of all of this, his own wife is being accused of plagiarism in her doctoral thesis and the anti-plagiarism attitude he wielded so proudly has ceased to exist. This is because minor instances of forgetfulness should not be held against academics whose contributions to the development of society exponentially outweigh one or two unintentionally forgotten citations.

Please read our Ceasefire Statement, endorsed by 26 student organizations at Trinity and counting, that sheds light on the ongoing events in Palestine. Moreover, we task the concerned parties with acquainting themselves with the facts before making polarizing, fictitious and unsubstantiated claims.
So long as there is an occupation, there will be resistance. Glory to our martyrs.

In solidarity,
The TU MSA Executive Board