Metro
Tutu Rebuked
MSU's choice of commencement speaker stirs ire of some Israel supporters.
Robert Sklar
Editor
East Lansing
p
art of the Jewish community, led
by the Anti-Defamation League,
has branded Archbishop
Desmond Tutu a poor choice to deliver the
commencement address at Michigan State
University and the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Tutu, 77, is a 1984 Nobel Peace Prize
winner for his reconciliation work in
South Africa while serving as the first
black General Secretary of the South
African Council of Churches.
He has accused Israel of practicing
apartheid toward the Palestinians. In 2002,
he said in a U.S. speech that his visit to the
Holy Land "reminded me so much of what
happened to us black people in South
Africa!' He said Israel would "never get
true security and safety through oppress-
ing another people!'
The ADL cited Tutu's "long history as
a strident critic of Israel and his vocal
support for anti-Israel boycotts!' It
acknowledged his "odious anti-Israel and
anti-Jewish expressions" alone would not
disqualify him as a speaker at MSU or the
UNC-Chapel Hill.
The ADL has asked MSU's president, Dr.
Lou Anna K. Simon, a friend of the Jewish
community, to reconsider the invitation
extended to Tutu unless he "publicly repu-
diates" his support for an academic and
cultural boycott of Israel.
"Archbishop Tutu has unequivocally
endorsed an academic boycott based on
ideas that are anti-Semitic and should
be anathema to any institution of higher
learning truly committed to academic
freedom," ADL National Director Abraham
Foxman and Michigan Regional Director
Betsy Kellman wrote in an April 3 letter to
MSU.
The ADL sent a similar letter to Dr.
Holden Thorp, chancellor of the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
On April 6, President Simon reiterated
that she and MSU oppose the academic
and cultural boycott of Israel, but would
not rescind the invitation and will still
award Tutu an honorary degree, according
to Ken Waltzer, MSU Jewish Studies direc-
"His
deepening
involve-
ment in
the anti-Israel boycott
effort should have
raised a red flag."
- ADL's Abraham Foxman
Archbishop Tutu
of Israeli academic institutions!"
tor. Simon hopes Tutu's visit will highlight
It seeks divestment, political sanctions
his important role in the African freedom
and the immediate halt to all military aid,
struggle. MSU will work to allow the cam-
sales and deliveries to Israel.
pus community to hear alternative views.
In a statement Monday, Foxman elabo-
Simon told the campus newspaper, the
rated on Tutu's ties to the campaign. "His
State News: "Welcoming Desmond Tutu
deepening involvement in the anti-
to Michigan State University is
Israel boycott effort should have
yet another step forward in the
raised a red flag," Foxman said.
ongoing and positive relation-
"This is not someone to be held
ship between our campus com-
up
as a model or awarded an hon-
munity and Africa."
orary
degree, given his history of
In a statement Tuesday, the
bombastic
rhetoric and unceasing
Jewish Studies program called
support
for
the anti-Israel boycott
Tutu "an outstanding global
effort."
figure" and "a continuing voice
Ken Wal tzer
The MSU Jewish Studies pro-
for the oppressed!' It envisions
gram
will welcome Tutu, but also
Tutu's appearance highlighting
urge
him
to open his eyes. It main-
"MSU's record of commitment
tains:
"The
freedom
struggle in South
to development and freedom in Africa!"
Africa cannot serve as a guide to settling
the Middle East conflict, which is a differ-
Israel's Challenge
ent conflict and which requires willing-
Simon and Thorp were among more than
ness for peace by all participants!'
300 U.S. campus presidents who, in 2007,
Jewish Studies faculty are united in
issued an unequivocal statement against
opposing
the planned academic and
university-led boycotts.
cultural
boycott
of Israel, which, Waltzer
Tutu is a member of the newly
said, "is morally simplistic in understand-
announced Advisory Board of the U.S.
ing the Middle East conflict and a biased
Campaign for the Academic and Cultural
effort to demonize one side!'
Boycott of Israel, which is in partner-
ship with the International Global Day of
Continuing Debate
Action for Palestine. The campaign refers
Executive Director Robert Cohen of the
to Israel's "illegal occupation of Palestine
Jewish Community Relations Council of
and its apartheid system" and calls for the
Metropolitan Detroit was disappointed
"complete academic and cultural boycott
that Tutu, "whose courage and leadership
achieved so much for South Africa, holds
naive and prejudicial views of Israel's
struggle for peace with
her Arab neighbors!'
"The proposed aca-
demic boycott of Israel
that he supports," Cohen
told the IN, "would result
in an undermining of
academic freedom, deny
the world — especially
Robert Cohen
the developing world
— access to Israeli
research in such fields as
medicine and clean energy and hard dip-
lomatic efforts that actually have a chance
of making progress towards peace."
For decades, Tutu has combined per-
sonal charisma with moral conscience and
spiritual leadership in becoming one of
the world's foremost peace activists, Peter
Alegi, an assistant history professor and a
faculty member of MSU's African Studies
Center, told the State News.
"I think Desmond Tutu is probably
on the same level as Nelson Mandella in
South Africa',' Alegi said. "He is arguably
the moral conscience of the anti-apartheid
struggle in South Africa."
Like the university itself, the Lester and
Jewell Morris Hillel Jewish Student Center
at MSU believes deeply in the free exchange
of ideas on campus and in the academic
community, Hillel President Patrice Phillips
told the ]N.
"The principal of academic freedom
applies to the university's right to invite
the speaker it chooses',' Phillips said, "even
if that speaker voices opinions contrary to
academic freedom."
But she strongly questioned awarding
Tutu an honorary degree. As she put it: "We
view with concern Bishop Tutu's unfair
and unfounded criticism of Israel and
hope that his commencement message
will be one that brings people together
rather than a platform for hate and the
academic boycott of Israel!' 111
Desmond Tutu is scheduled to speak
at spring commencement at 1 p.m.
Friday, May 8, at MSU's Breslin
Center. There is no charge to attend.
April 9. 2009
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