The University of Pennsylvania Rejects BDS

Karam

Penn Statement on Planned BDS Conference

University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann:

A campus student group, Penn BDS, is planning a national conference in February that will encourage boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel.

This is not an event sponsored by the University. The event is being sponsored by a registered student group, as is permitted of any student group on campus.

The University of Pennsylvania has clearly stated on numerous occasions that it does not support sanctions or boycotts against Israel. Indeed, Penn has important and successful scholarly collaborations with Israeli institutions that touch on many areas of our academic enterprise.

Penn has always supported free expression and the free exchange of ideas. These are essential elements of a great university. These principles apply to this event, as they would any other student event, whether or not we agree with or condone the message BDS seeks to communicate.

.
.
.

Seems reasonable enough to me. The university rejects the BDS and a few students get to a hold an anti-Israel hate-fest. What counts, though, is that the university, via the office of the president of that school, has made a stand.

Oh, and by the way, "Gutmann," huh? University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann.

Well, I guess this is why it is good that we make little Jewish kids study hard.

.