Today, Asna Tabassum, a first-generation Muslim student and USC seminary major, would have delivered her speech in front of thousands of her classmates at this year's graduation ceremony. Instead, amid pressure from pro-Israel groups citing her social media support for the Palestinians, university leaders opted to cancel her commencement address, citing security concerns.
Instead of what would have been her speech to the class of 2024, Tabassum released a heavily redacted version of the speech she had hoped to give at 8 a.m. Friday, around the time she would have taken the stage at the main stage ceremony. .
Posted by Annenberg Media and Daily Trojan, USC's student publications noted in an Instagram post that Tabassum's speech “is being published as written and shared by Tabassum. Annenberg Media and the Daily Trojan did not write, edit or change the speech or its presentation.”
“President Folt, Prost [Andrew] Guzman, faculty, staff, families and colleagues of the class of 2024: It is an honor to stand before you today as your valedictorian,” it begins before being cut off by several deleted paragraphs.
“Congratulations, Class of 2024,” the speech ends, before more blackened text. “Thanks.”
On Friday, as Tabassum — a biomedical engineering major whose paper included a “minor in genocide resistance” — received a standing ovation as she received her diploma during the Viterbi School of Engineering's graduation ceremony, Los Angeles Times mentionted.
Although the university cited security concerns as the reason behind canceling the seminarian's speech last month, it declined to elaborate on what threats led to the security concerns.
“I am so shocked by this decision and deeply disappointed that the University is succumbing to a hate campaign designed to silence my voice. I am not surprised by those who attempt to spread hate. I am surprised that my own university – my home for four years – abandoned me,” Tabassum wrote in a statement after the decision, adding that “serious doubts remain as to whether USC's decision to revoke my invitation to speak was made solely with security in mind.”
As USC reeled from backlash over the cancellation, student protests demanding the university withdraw from Israel amid its ongoing siege of Gaza plunged the school into further controversy. Soon after, USC announced that it had canceled the graduation ceremony on the main stage for students, but that individual school ceremonies would still take place with additional security measures in place.
from our partners at https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/usc-valedictorian-asna-tabassum-commencement-speech-1235018974/
