بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
News Right Now: Campus Cries
Over the past week, pro-Palestinian protests against the American-” Israel” oppression has gripped the nation and made international headlines. Whilst students have been protesting since the beginning of 7th October, the new wave which started in the University of Columbia spreading far and wide across the nation, as well as committing to a “complete divestment” of its funds from entities connected to the Zionist entity, or simply declaring money received from them and what its being used for, among other demands! Amongst the universities, with students standing firm in solidarity are prestigious universities with Yale in Connecticut, Harvard on the East Coast besides Emerson College in downtown Boston, Princeton in New Jersey, and Brown University in Rhode Island. There’s George Washington University in the nation's capital, multiple universities of North Carolina campuses, as well as Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. In the Midwest region, there is University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University in Illinois, Washington University, University of Colorado in Denver, Ohio State University and Indiana University. Further south, you have University of Texas. As for the West Coast, there are the campuses for University of California in LA and Berkeley.
These students, as well as staff members, have shown true bravery to stand firm against what they believe in passionately. Even though this has led to confrontation with riot police, many arrests and even suspensions. Many have directed their anger and disappointment in the leaderships for the continued relationship with the zionist entity and therefore complacency with the genocide which unfolds in Palestine. Their actions have hugely impacted emotions worldwide with occupations and sit-ins springing up from France to New Zealand. Universities in Australia, Canada, France, UK, Italy and New Zealand have all shown their solidarity expressing an end to the genocide. The world witnesses the inhumane behaviours of the occupied territory and as proven, anyone with an ounce of humanity and compassion, can’t help but move to take action!
The reactions and scenes we have witnessed from some of the universities in the US have been appalling! While some have been negotiating with their universities, having allowed them the space to protest peacefully, others have quickly turned to the law enforcements preventing and obstructing any progression, in other words, wanting to quash the gatherings. Police were seen with shields and batons shoved into protesters, tearing down tents, forcefully removing people from sites and violently arresting students- professors even- in their hundreds! No mercy shown even though, from the students there was no violence or sign of violence wanting to be used.
The Gaza genocide 2024 has shook the world! Every person living in this era has witnessed DAILY if not hourly or by the minute, how a MASSACRE unfolds, how humans, completely innocent have been slaughtered and butchered LIVE on their screens, watching as it takes place, watching as crimes are recounting, and the people of power, authority and military, The world leaders of US, Europe and UK, all their bunkum institutions, THE ARAB and MUSLIM leaders!!.. SIT, watch along and DO NOTHING is Bizarre and astonishing! The ordinary people, Us, Muslims and non-Muslims alike see this, raise our worry and concern for this! Rightfully so. Speak up and account for them – confront them, remind them of what they are for. But we are met with hostility, we are told we are anti-Semitic, we are terrorist supporters, and we are this we are that. The list is very long. But what is very CLEAR and the world must also accept this NOW- more than ever - that these rights, freedoms, values that are so highly rated and the West VAUNTS and BOASTS are no more than FALLACIES and DELUSIONS! They claim to uphold and promote freedom of speech and freedom to express YET in the same breath they PUNISH anyone who wishes to use them against them.
The biggest let down and disappointment in all of this for the university leadership, law enforcements and government is ALL of these sit-ins, occupations, protests and demonstrations were done for Gaza. This has truly exposed their hypocrisy and clear animosity of Islam and Muslims. For this reason, the mistreatment and discrimination we have and will continue to face was and is inevitable.
[یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَتَّخِذُوۡا بِطَانَۃً مِّنۡ دُوۡنِکُمۡ لَا یَاۡلُوۡنَکُمۡ خَبَالًا ؕ وَدُّوۡا مَا عَنِتُّمۡ ۚ قَدۡ بَدَتِ الۡبَغۡضَآءُ مِنۡ اَفۡوَاہِہِمۡ ۚۖ وَ مَا تُخۡفِیۡ صُدُوۡرُہُمۡ اَکۡبَرُ ؕ قَدۡ بَیَّنَّا لَکُمُ الۡاٰیٰتِ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡقِلُوۡنَ]
“...Their prejudice has become evident from what they say—and what their hearts hide is far worse. We have made Our revelations clear to you, if only you understood.” [Surah Ale Emraan: Aya 118]
May Allah keep us steadfast on the truth and right path and hasten his justice for the whole of humanity, Ameen.
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