Yemeni US law graduate speaks up for Palestine at commencement

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
31 May 2023 17:45
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Fatima Mousa Mohammed draws parallels between the US and "Israel", highlighting human rights violations and racist practices and reminding the audience of their duty to stand up for the oppressed.

Fatima Mousa Mohammed, a City University New York graduate student from Queens with Yemeni roots, speaks on behalf of Palestine during a commencement ceremony speech at City University New York, US, on May 29, 2023 (Social media)

Fatima Mousa Mohammed, a City University New York graduate from Queens of Yemeni origin, created ripples after she gave a speech on “confronting the systems of oppression… created to feed an empire with a ravenous appetite for destruction and violence,” at her graduation ceremony, pointing her finger straight toward "Israel".

Mohammed commended her university for first and foremost defending students' right, publicly, to “organize and speak out against Israeli settler colonialism.”

During her speech, primarily addressed to an audience of graduating lawyers, faculty members, and friends and family of graduating colleagues, Mohammed urged that her words be used as “fuel for the fight against capitalism, racism, and Zionism around the world.”

“Israel continues to indiscriminately rain bullets and bombs on worshipers, murdering the old and the young, attacking funerals and graveyards as it encourages lynch mobs to target Palestinian homes and businesses; as it imprisons its children, and as it continues its project of settler colonialism expelling Palestinians from their homes,” she said.

The Yemeni graduate drew parallels between the US and "Israel" highlighting illegal practices and underscoring that "there are Palestinian political prisoners like HLF in US prisons; that there are refugees at the southern borders still locked up; that yesterday marked one year since the murder of US journalists Shireen Abu Akleh; and that the murder of black men like Jordan Neely by a white man on the MTA was dignified by politicians, like [Mayor] Eric Adams and Senator Chuck Schumer.”

Adams, who was present at the ceremony, wrote in a quote tweet responding to Mohammed's speech saying he was "proud to offer a different message at this year’s CUNY law commencement ceremony," claiming that his uncle gave "his life for our [US] country" when he fought as a member of the US troops during one of the most notorious wars: Vietnam.

I was proud to offer a different message at this year’s CUNY law commencement ceremony — one that celebrates the progress of our city and country, and one that honors those who fight to keep us safe and protect our freedoms, like my uncle Joe, who died at age 19 in Vietnam while… https://t.co/vGRKntgH0G
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) May 29, 2023

Adams dismissed Mohammed's message of justice for the oppressed as "words of negativity and divisiveness" and defended US troops and their actions in Vietnam and since. However, the audience did not remain silent, they did not clap either. Adams was met with booing, turned backs, and signs of protest while Mohammed was met with loud cheers and a standing ovation.

The video of Mohammed went viral and gathered a multitude of reactions with many supporting her position and commending her for standing up for the oppressed while others criticized her and went on to defend settler colonialism by going to the defense of "Israel", using their ultimate weapon of choice "anti-semitism".

City University of New York class day speaker slanders Israel & enthusiastically celebrates antisemitism.

Cheers on open borders & releasing violent criminals from jail.

And decries the “fascist NYPD.”

This is a LAW school.

Paid for with tax dollars. https://t.co/bTxnw25qt0
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 28, 2023