Statement in Support of the General Union of Palestine Students, San Francisco State

The purpose of this statement is to express solidarity with the General Union of Palesetine Students and to counter the distortions in the letter President Corrigan has written concerning GUPS . All forms of protest and dissent against the policies of the United States and Israel which condemn the Palestinian people to lives of oppression and desperation should continue without reprisal from the university administration. On a campus which consistently prides itself on its diversity and history of progressive activism, the current witchhunt against the General Union of Palestine Students is nothing less than a politically motivated attack aimed at wiping out all forms of dissent at San Francisco State University.

As individuals and members of student organizations, first and foremost, we oppose all forms of racism, prejudice, and bigotry, including those directed against Jews, Arabs, and other members of oppressed groups. Anti-semitism in any and all forms is not only morally reprehensible, but creates huge barrier to building solidarity for the Palestinian cause and will only weaken and eventually destroy any movement that attempts to build resistance to the brutality of the Israeli government.
Standing up in opposition to the brutal, racist policies of the Israeli government is anti-Zionist, not anti-Semitic. Nonetheless, it is important to say that President Corrigan's primary concern is not to oppose anti-Semitism on this campus, but to clamp down on political dissent and civil liberties in all forms. The emerging Palestinian solidarity movement on this campus is his first target in a campaign that he would like to extend to all anti-war, progressive, and radical organizing that takes place AT SFSU. In order to make this school a friendly place for the private sector to set up shop, Corrigan wishes for it to remain as free from political protest as possible. He has taken a cue from the University of California at Berkeley administration in this current campaign against the General Union of Palestine Students and first and foremost wants to see this organization shut down for good.
This goes against the tradition of free speech, diversity, and opposition to injustice that has been part of San Francisco State University's activist history since the acheivement of the first Ethnic Studies program in the nation through a grassroots political campaign. In the face of the current attacks, we will continue this tradition proudly and refuse to be intimidated.

We, as San Francisco State University individuals, organizations, faculty, staff members, and community members support the following demands:
- No disciplinary measures should be taken against the General Union of Palestine Students, both as an organization and individuals within it by the administration. Corrigan's targeting GUPS for misconduct is a politically motivated attack that must be oppossed in all forms. Any complaints arising from the protest which took place on May 7th should be directed to Associated Students, the elected voice of the student body.
-Free speech and protest are a basic right, not a privilege, that all students should be able to express. It's a cruel irony that at a campus where plazas and conference rooms are named after political leaders such as
Rosa Parks and Malcolm X, students following in their tradition of speaking out against injustice such as the General Union of Palestine Students have been made the targets of a witchhunt. This is unjust and free speech should be encouraged, not repressed.
-We support the formation of a campaign calling for divestment of San Francisco State University from the state of Israel and will not be intimidated from that goal by the current attacks.
-We oppose all forms of racism and racist scapegoating, whether it's against Jews, Arabs, or any other oppressed groups.

If you know professors, organizations, prominent community members, people from trade unions, or individuals that would like to sign on, please send all endorsements to leticiaarellano [at] hotmail.com.