The Oscars: Glazer’s Speech

Somebody was going to mention Palestine. This we knew. After all, the Academy asked a room of cynical film executives and incisive artists to celebrate themselves in front of a live television audience. What more could we expect than a spitting contest of performative agendas? We should concede, first, that the Oscars have always been a charade.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Israelis Must Give Palestinians the Right to Thrive

Re “Palestinians and Israelis Both Deserve to Thrive” (opinion, Feb. 17)

Prof. Joseph Margulies, government and law, was part of Cornell’s Collective for Justice in Palestine, a group dedicated to the freedom of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people (Israeli and Palestinian) from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. In his Guest Room submission, “Palestinians and Israelis Both Deserve to Thrive,” Margulies hits on many liberal Zionist talking points without explaining the reality of the current situation for both of our groups. In his submission, Margulies reveals himself as a typical liberal, with one notable exception: his stance on Palestine. I completely agree with Margulies’s assertion that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve to thrive, but we must examine why this is currently not the case.

GUEST ROOM | Where’s ‘Free Expression’ for Pro-Palestinian Cornellians?

The Cornell Alumni for Palestine firmly oppose Cornell University’s Interim Expressive Activity Policy, which inhibits free expression and goes against the University’s self-ascribed values of free speech, debate and protest. 

Cornell follows in the footsteps of other U.S. institutions that are on the warpath to silence and suppress pro-Palestine speech on campus. In response to students rising up to defend Palestinian lives, University administrations have introduced “interim policies,” or defined new ones, aimed at policing political speech on campus. These policies are being used disproportionately against SJP chapters and other Palestinian solidarity organizations. According to the interim policy, outdoor events and demonstrations with over 50 participants must be registered in advance. Even candles — often used in vigils and other peaceful gatherings — are no longer permitted without prior approval.