BY THE NYU-AAUP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
10/23/2020
Today, Zoom unilaterally shut down a webinar hosted by the NYU chapter of the AAUP, and co-sponsored by several NYU departments and institutes. The webinar was scheduled to discuss the censorship, by Zoom and other big tech platforms, of an open classroom session last month at SFSU, featuring the Palestinian rights advocate Leila Khaled.
Of course, we recognize that it is an act of sick comedy to censor an event about censorship, but it raises serious questions about the capacity of a corporate, third-party vendor to decide what is acceptable academic speech and what is not.
The shutdown of a campus event is a clear violation of the principle of academic freedom that universities are obliged to observe. Allowing Zoom to override this bedrock principle, at the behest of organized, politically motivated groups, is a grave error for any university administration to make, and it should not escape censure from faculty and students.
The NYU administration has told us they knew nothing about Zoom’s decision, and that they have taken up the issue with the company’s representatives. We urge the administration to issue a strong statement denouncing this act, and to revisit the terms of its contract with Zoom.
If Zoom will not walk back its policy of canceling webinars featuring Palestinian speech and advocacy, college presidents should break their agreements with the company.
The AAUP chapter is committed to organizing an event for the NYU community to discuss this appalling breach of academic norms.
A recording of the webinar, conducted without attendees, is forthcoming.
Why give a covicted terrorist a stage?
Who are you to decide that. Free speech is FREE SPEECH
Not free speech when you call to kill a specific person or group. Thanks for playing!
It is ironic in the extreme that this platform sees fit to censor comments while complaining about their own “Free Speech” rights being trod upon, simply because a convicted terrorist has not been given a soapbox to preach her hate and incite others to sign up and share it.
“Later, the Irgun fought the Arabs during the 1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine and its chief Begin was also noted as “leader of the notorious terrorist organisation” by British government and banned from entering the United Kingdom.[3]” This guy became Prime Minister in Israel. So save us the nonsense about hijacking and terrorism.
Even more to the point, who is Zoom to decide that?
Zoom has a right to decide who uses its platform and what for–in this case it clearly excludes support for terrorism in violation of us laws. As a former terrorist and current leader of a vicious terrorist organization Khaled clearly falls into this prohibited category.
I dont see whats wrong with censoring a plane hijacker
Pingback: Zoom Censors Online Session on Zoom Censorship - Daily Nous
” Palestinian rights advocate” don’t you mean a convicted hijacker?
NYU’s SJP chapter is under investigation by the Department of Education for harassing and abusing Jewish students supporting Israel. Apparently the environment at NYU, like that at Columbia, is supportive of radical Palestinians and deeply hostile to Israel. The resultant anti-Semitism needs to be addressed from the top down, just as the Administrations are bending over backwards for BLM.
Pingback: Professors Demand Colleges Ditch Zoom After Company Shuts Down Palestinian Hijacker Events - LaCorte News
Pingback: American Association of University Professors knowingly lies about Zoom, loses its credibility – 24/6 Magazine
Nice nonsensical statement. Zoom is a private company and can boot you off at their will just like Twitter and Facebook do all the time. Bet you don’t mind when they censor Trump and the like?
Also, I’m guessing you’re fine with BDS which is a movement to silence discussion from ONLY the Israeli side of the Arab-Israeli conflict. So, you’re completely hypocritical.
Why don’t you next invite Ahlam Ahmad Al-Tamimi to speak? I’m sure she’d have much more insight into how to maximize kill-count in a terrorist attack than Leila Khaled.
I would offer this observation: If the “NYU AAUP committee” had the courage and character to match their “outrage”, they would have signed their names to their public statement.
Pingback: Zoom Shuts Down NYU Event To Discuss Whether Zoom Should Be Shutting Down Events Based On Content | Love Africa News
Pingback: Zoom closes NYU to discuss whether content should be closed based on content – EVERYTHING WILL BE OK PROJECT
Pingback: Zoom Censorship of Palestine Seminars Sparks Fight Over Academic Freedom - G20 Intel
Pingback: Zoom Censorship of Palestine Seminars Sparks Fight Over Academic Freedom – Radio Free
Pingback: Zoom’s Censorship of Palestinian Events Sparks Outrage
Pingback: Zoom’s Censorship of Palestinian Events Sparks Outrage - Jonathan Cartu - International Relations and Communications Firm
Pingback: Zoom Refuses to Host NYU Event with Terrorist Leila Khaled - Conservative News Daily
Pingback: Zoom Refuses to Host NYU Event with Terrorist Leila Khaled | altnews.org