In a dramatic display of dissent, a significant number of students at Duke University staged a walkout during the commencement ceremony, expressing their disapproval of guest speaker Jerry Seinfeld.
The 70-year-old comedian, known for his unwavering support of Israel, was met with a mixed response of cheers and boos as he was introduced. The protesting students, carrying flags and chanting 'free, free Palestine,' exited the Wallace Wade Stadium on Sunday.
This incident at Duke University is part of a broader wave of antiwar protests sweeping across American universities. A flyer circulated on the Duke campus prior to the ceremony encouraged students to join the walkout, according to a report by WRAL.
Seinfeld, a vocal supporter of Israel, had previously visited the country to meet with families affected by the October 7 attack by Hamas, which resulted in the death of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 252 more. Despite the walkouts, Seinfeld, who has been described as 'uncharacteristically vocal' in his support for Jews in Israel, refrained from addressing the contentious issue at the heart of the protests during his speech.
In his address, Seinfeld touched on his Jewish heritage, a comment that was met with applause from the audience. He also defended the concept of privilege, stating, "Privilege is a word that has taken quite a beating lately. Privilege today seems to be the worst thing you can have. I would like to take a moment to defend it." He encouraged the students to leverage their privilege and the education they had earned, stating, "You went to Duke, that is an unbelievable privilege."
Seinfeld also shared his three keys to life: hard work, paying attention, and falling in love. He urged the students to make an effort in everything they do, even if the outcome is not as desired. He also encouraged them to find joy in the small things in life, stating, "Every chance you get, fall in love with your coffee. Your sneakers. Your Blue Zone parking space. I've had a lot of fun in life falling in love with stupid, meaningless physical objects."
He concluded his speech by reminding the students of the importance of humor in navigating life and the need to work hard to make the world a better place. He expressed his confidence that the world would be a much better place because of them, even though it might not make a lot of sense.
The protest at Duke University is part of a larger wave of pro-Palestine demonstrations that have been taking place on college campuses recently. Howard University had to shut down its College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences graduation in the middle of the ceremony due to a disturbance caused by a visitor who was unable to enter the facility, which had reached maximum capacity.
Columbia University also canceled its university-wide graduation ceremony following weeks of campus protests over the ongoing war in Gaza. Instead, the university will hold smaller celebrations based in individual colleges within the university. The New York Police Department had to intervene at Columbia to break up a tent encampment, resulting in the arrest of over 100 people.
Similar protests were seen at the University of Michigan's graduation ceremony on May 4, with student-demonstrators waving Palestinian flags and chanting anti-war messages. The University of Southern California also had to cancel its main stage commencement ceremony due to the extra time needed to process the large number of guests coming to campus who would be subjected to increased safety measures.
This decision followed days of unrest on the campus after the cancelation of the class of 2024's valedictorian address, which had been bestowed upon a Muslim student with explicitly anti-Israel views.
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