USC should let its valedictorian speak or be honest about why it isn’t

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Reasonable people can disagree about whether Asna Tabassum, who has expressed the view that the state of Israel should be destroyed, ought to be the University of Southern California’s duly appointed commencement speaker.

There are prominent conservative voices such as Mary Katherine Ham, David Harsanyi, and Guy Benson, firm supporters of the Jewish state of Israel all, who say let her speak, in part because sunlight is the best disinfectant for ignorance or hate.

I agree with them.

USC CANCELS VALEDICTORIAN’S GRADUATION SPEECH AFTER ANTI-ISRAEL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, SECURITY CONCERNS EMERGE

But there are others who say calling for Israel’s demise is just as disqualifying as the unrepentant use of a racial slur, and I can certainly understand that perspective as well.

But what we should all agree on, what is utterly obvious and staring us in the face, is that USC’s explanation as to why they canceled the valedictorian’s speech is a sack of disingenuous dunnage. And worse, it all but scapegoats Jews.

Here was the school’s pathetic explanation, “The intensity of feelings, fueled by both social media and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, has grown to include many voices outside of USC and has escalated

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