Staff Reports
President Biden’s recent speech regarding chaos on college campuses has received criticism from the Council for American-Islamic Relations. The group expressed disappointment that the President did not explicitly condemn attacks on protesters by law enforcement and supporters of Israel. Edward Ahmed Mitchell, the group’s national deputy director, stated that the President’s speech failed to address the violent attacks against students protesting the Gaza genocide at UCLA and other schools across the country.
Muslim group Council for American-Islamic Relations blasts Biden speech addressing chaos on college campushttps://t.co/6TTBJvK6F3 pic.twitter.com/f6mQSxDbpE
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) May 2, 2024
They further criticized President Biden for not holding Israel accountable for causing the protests and for failing to address incidents of Islamophobia and “anti-Palestinian racism.” The group suggested that if the President is genuinely concerned about unrest on college campuses, he should specifically condemn attacks on peaceful protesters and cease funding the genocide that has led to student protests. Until then, according to Mr. Mitchell, he is part of the problem.
In response, President Biden delivered a speech reiterating the importance of maintaining order on college campuses while acknowledging the right to peaceful demonstrations. He also condemned all forms of hate speech and violence, including antisemitism, Islamophobia, and discrimination against Arab-Americans or Palestinian Americans.
The administration’s stance on the issue has drawn criticism from conservative circles, with some questioning the President’s failure to address attacks on pro-Israel supporters and law enforcement officers. It is clear that there is a sharp divide in opinions when it comes to how the current administration is handling the situation on college campuses.
