Muslim activist critical of Israel is cheered at graduation
Sarsour speaks at CUNY
A Muslim-American activist whose role as a commencement speaker had come under protest from critics opposing her stance on Israel was given a standing ovation by graduating students Thursday after she told them they must commit to demanding change.
“We in this room together must commit to never being bystanders to poverty, lack of jobs and health care,” Linda Sarsour told graduates of the City University of New York’s Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy.
Critics of Sarsour who don’t like her views on Israel had spoken out against her being the keynote, but the school administration stood behind the decision, with the dean saying it was important to listen respectfully to differing ideas.