A chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), known as the Upper Valley Democratic Socialists of America (UVDSA), has sparked controversy by seemingly advocating for the demise of America and Israel.
This contentious statement was made during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Dartmouth College's commencement ceremony on Sunday, as reported by the Daily Caller.
The UVDSA, a recognized chapter of the DSA, participated in the demonstration, which saw several graduating seniors walk out as college President Sian Leah Beilock began her speech. The UVDSA subsequently posted images of the protest on Instagram, concluding the caption with the words, "Palestine will be freed in our lifetime. D**** to America and Israel."
The UVDSA later edited the caption to remove the contentious phrase after the Daily Caller News Foundation contacted them for comment. However, the group defended their use of the phrase in a separate post, stating, "D**** to America is a phrase used around the world to call for the abolition of US imperialism; from North Korea to Iran, from Al-Quds to Dearborn."
Following the walkout, the pro-Palestine student protestors joined UVDSA protesters on the college's main quad. They marched with their "comrades," held up political signs, and used megaphones to disrupt the commencement address, according to The Dartmouth, a student newspaper, and eyewitnesses who spoke with the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Graduating senior Miller Hawkesby expressed his disappointment with the protest, stating, "I wasnt able to hear exactly what was being chanted, but it seemed like their intention was more geared towards disrupting the event rather than expressing a specific message." He added that while he understood the protestors' passion, he felt that the commencement ceremony was not the appropriate time or place for such a demonstration.
Another graduating senior, Elliot Kim, described the protestors as circling the crowd and the stage, shouting rhythmic chants through megaphones. He noted that even when he couldn't discern the exact words, the protestors' angry, passionate tones were clearly perceptible.
The UVDSA's Instagram post seemed to advocate for the destruction of Israel and the United States, a sentiment that some Dartmouth students found deeply disturbing. Malcolm Mahoney, a member of Dartmouths Class of 2026, told the Daily Caller News Foundation, "The language they [UVDSA] used is deeply disturbing and disgusting. We are lucky enough to live in a country that tolerates even the offensive language advocating for its own demise."
This incident comes in the wake of protests at over 140 college campuses following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which resulted in more than 1,200 fatalities. John Coleman, another member of Dartmouth's Class of 2026, expressed concern about the UVDSA's stance, stating, "The post closes with Death to America and Israel I think [the caption] is a pretty good indication as to how DSA views this conflict and our country, which is particularly scary because DSA is affiliated with some members of congress."
Both the UVDSA and Dartmouth College have yet to respond to requests for comment. This incident underscores the ongoing tension between free speech rights and the need for respectful discourse on college campuses, particularly when it comes to contentious political issues.
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