SJP's Responce to "end the violence"

SJP's response to Ralph Hexter's call "to end violence"

Ralph Hexter’s response to the Israeli War on Gaza was passive, centrist, and repulsive. His personal statement, posted on his presidential blog, failed to condemn the attacks on Gaza and the occupation of Palestine in general, which demonstrates that Hampshire College administration is complicit in the occupation.  This is just another example of supposedly responsible leaders perpetuating the apolitical and condescending frame of discourse that has led to no progress in the struggle for “peace in the Middle East.”
While claiming to be making a “personal statement,” he nonetheless acknowledged that, as president of the college, he is our “shepherd”—somehow making us his sheep—and therefore claims institutional representation. Hexter made the statement about himself and his career and refused to acknowledge Hampshire’s direct investment in the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Hexter insists that he understands the problems with “philosophizing in the midst of disaster.”  Indeed, he has done just that by opting for his own political safety rather than by joining the global movement against Israeli violence.  Consequently, he side stepped the obligation of all institutions of higher education to resist genocide—an imperative more urgent than personal musings. It took 2,370 words for Hexter to condemn “violence, terrorism, and racism,” and yet he still will not decide which side to take on the occupation, which is violent, terroristic, and racist. Hexter is complacent along with other shameful leaders who fail to take concrete action against genocide.  He does not represent Hampshire College and cannot be taken seriously.
    Over 800 students, staff, faculty, and alumni endorsed Students for Justice in Palestine’s institutional statement, which calls on Hampshire to divest from corporations that enable and profit from Israel’s military actions in Palestine and to denounce the occupation explicitly in a formal statement. When Hexter remains neutral on the massacres in Palestine, the entire Hampshire community takes a stand for the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. How many white phosphorous bombs have to be dropped on universities, hospitals, or UN schools before we express our outrage as a community? The time has passed to remain silent.

SJP's response to Ralph Hexter's call "to end violence"

Ralph Hexter’s response to the Israeli War on Gaza was passive, centrist, and repulsive. His personal statement, posted on his presidential blog, failed to condemn the attacks on Gaza and the occupation of Palestine in general, which demonstrates that Hampshire College administration is complicit in the occupation.  This is just another example of supposedly responsible leaders perpetuating the apolitical and condescending frame of discourse that has led to no progress in the struggle for “peace in the Middle East.”
While claiming to be making a “personal statement,” he nonetheless acknowledged that, as president of the college, he is our “shepherd”—somehow making us his sheep—and therefore claims institutional representation. Hexter made the statement about himself and his career and refused to acknowledge Hampshire’s direct investment in the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Hexter insists that he understands the problems with “philosophizing in the midst of disaster.”  Indeed, he has done just that by opting for his own political safety rather than by joining the global movement against Israeli violence.  Consequently, he side stepped the obligation of all institutions of higher education to resist genocide—an imperative more urgent than personal musings. It took 2,370 words for Hexter to condemn “violence, terrorism, and racism,” and yet he still will not decide which side to take on the occupation, which is violent, terroristic, and racist. Hexter is complacent along with other shameful leaders who fail to take concrete action against genocide.  He does not represent Hampshire College and cannot be taken seriously.
    Over 800 students, staff, faculty, and alumni endorsed Students for Justice in Palestine’s institutional statement, which calls on Hampshire to divest from corporations that enable and profit from Israel’s military actions in Palestine and to denounce the occupation explicitly in a formal statement. When Hexter remains neutral on the massacres in Palestine, the entire Hampshire community takes a stand for the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. How many white phosphorous bombs have to be dropped on universities, hospitals, or UN schools before we express our outrage as a community? The time has passed to remain silent.