Growing call for CUNY to be stripped of government funding after commencement speech
Voices are mounting for CUNY to lose its government funding after the opening speech of a pro-Palestinian graduating student who used the word to belittle Israel, the NYPD, the US armed forces and local politicians after she received her subsidized education.
Fatima Mousa Mohammed was chosen by her classmates as the speaker for the beginning of 2023 at CUNY Law’s graduation ceremony on May 12.
Her 13-minute speech has only now become public after CUNY uploaded it to YouTube. Initially, the school kept it private.
In her comments, Mohammed — whose family is Yemeni but who grew up in Queens — called the NYPD “fascist,” accused NYC Mayor Eric Adams of endorsing “murder,” branded the law a “manifestation of white supremacy,” and accused Israelis of ‘settler colonialism’.
Fatima Mousa Mohammed was chosen by her classmates as the 2023 kick-off speaker at CUNY Law’s graduation ceremony on May 12. Her remarks about Israel, Palestine, the NYPD and the armed forces caused an uproar
Her remarks sparked anger and fear among Jewish groups, who are now demanding to know why CUNY allowed such pro-Palestinian comments at the commencement ceremony for a second year.
Last year’s speaker, Nerdeen Kiswani, is also a pro-Palestinian activist who used her remarks to comment on the conflict with similar vehemence.
“I have faced a campaign of Zionist intimidation by well-funded organizations associated with the Israeli government and military,” she said.
She then called a school-organized trip to Israel “an affront to everyone at CUNY fighting for liberation.”
CUNY has yet to disapprove of both rulings.
In a statement, a school spokesperson said only that the opening comments reflected the views of the students, but not the school’s.
The first speaker in 2022 was Nerdeen Kiswani, a pro-Palestinian activist who used her remarks to comment on the conflict with similar vehemence. “I have faced a campaign of Zionist intimidation by well-funded organizations associated with the Israeli government and military,” she said. She then called a school-organized trip to Israel “an affront to everyone at CUNY fighting for liberation.”
Kiswani thanked the school for letting her use her speech last year to make the remarks
Kiswani is a passionate pro-Palestinian activist who has demonstrated alongside Bella Hadid. Hadid, whose father Mohammed Hadid was born to a Palestinian Muslim family in Nazareth, ran into trouble for commenting on the conflict
Both Mohammed (left) and Kiswani (right) were chosen by classmates to speak. CUNY has yet to denounce both women’s comments. The school’s only explanation so far is that their comments represented their own opinion, but not the university’s
CUNY’s 2023 Operating Budget Request revealed the university will receive $2.8 billion from the three levels of government
There are now growing calls among taxpayers and New York politicians to strip CUNY of its funding.
The annual cost of tuition at CUNY Law is $15,000. The national average is $50,000.
The grant is largely due to the funding that CUNY receives for its 25 colleges from all three government branches.
In 2022, CUNY received $2.8 billion in government funding; $2 billion from New York State, $527 million from New York City and $312 million from federal education programs, according to CUNY’s 2023 budget request.
Administrators asked for an additional $400 million in total for this year and also proposed a fee freeze.
Both New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York Mayor Eric Adams proposed budget cuts earlier this year, before the start of the speech saga.
Outraged by her comments, CUNY professor Jeffrey Lax is among those demanding action.
In an interview with Newsmax this weekend, he called Mohammed’s speech “the most disturbing opening speech” he had ever heard.
To my ears it was a blatant call for American revolt. She calls for anger. She uses the word anger as fuel for the fight against capitalism and Zionism.
Outrage: Many are calling for CUNY to lose the billions it receives in funding
‘A whole nation. That is one step away from calling for violence. If any violence results from this, the CUNY law is to blame.
‘Students have a right to freedom of expression, even if they are terribly wrong. But I hold the administration responsible here, all because.
“The administration reviews almost every student’s graduation speech I’ve ever heard of.
“I’m sure it happened here, too, and they justified and published this speech.
“They are responsible.”
He is part of the group SAFE CUNY, a group that “stands up for Zionist Jews who are systematically discriminated against and excluded by CUNY and the faculty union.”
Others, including Republican New York politicians, are also calling for budget cuts.
“It is beyond despicable that blatant anti-Semitism has taken hold at a taxpayer-funded university here in New York,” said Representative Anthony D’Esposito.
Councilman Ari Kagan called the comments “despicable,” “anti-American” and “anti-Israel.”
Completely unacceptable graduation speech for a taxpayer funded institution. CUNY must immediately condemn this hate speech and take all necessary steps to address such dangerous rhetoric.”
“This hate-filled and dangerous speech was brought to you by CUNY and paid for by the New York taxpayer.
“Keep this in mind the next time our elected leaders highlight their commitment to fighting anti-Semitism,” New York State Representative Himcha Eisenstein said.