Biden to receive degree from Morehouse College amid divisions on campus over his presence

Washington
CNN
—

President Joe Biden referenced the war between Israel and Hamas during his commencement address at Morehouse College on Sunday, saying he called for an “immediate ceasefire to stop the fighting and bring the hostages home.”

“What is happening in Gaza and Israel is heartbreaking. Hamas’s vicious attacks on Israel are killing innocent lives and taking people hostage. Caught in the middle of all this Innocent Palestinians – men, women and children killed and displaced – are in dire need of water, food and medicine,” the president said. He described the situation in Gaza as a “humanitarian crisis.”

The president then strongly called for a ceasefire along with the release of the hostages. He also called for a long-term political solution to the conflict.

Biden said his administration is “working towards an agreement as we speak” and officials are “working around the clock” to significantly increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. said.

Biden’s remarks came as some faculty and students at the university opposed the decision to allow him to address graduates, citing his continued support for Israel. .

Last month’s announcement that Biden would perform Morehouse’s commencement ceremony sparked outrage among some faculty and staff, prompting the school’s principal to convene a public forum in late April to address those concerns. But even amid the controversy, the school has remained steadfast that it will not rescind Biden’s invitation, which was first extended in September, before the war began.

During Mr. Biden’s speech, one student unfurled a Palestinian flag and other students turned away from Mr. Biden. However, it is unclear whether the president was able to witness these protests. He gave his speech without any noticeable interruptions.

In response to that backlash, and in anticipation of protests, the White House sent Stephen Benjamin, director of the Office of Public Engagement, to Morehouse last week to speak with some students.

At Thursday’s press conference at the White House, Benjamin said he had a wide-ranging conversation with the students, including the conflict in the Middle East.

“I think the most important thing is what the president says,” Benjamin said at the White House. “And I know he’s thought very deeply about what this means for these young people.”

“I am sure the president will have the opportunity to interact with faculty, staff, and students during his stay, and I know he is looking forward to it,” he added.

Biden has largely avoided speaking to large crowds of young people on college campuses over the past few months, but the shift came shortly after his January remarks on abortion rights at George Mason University in Virginia were interrupted more than a dozen times by protesters infuriated by his continued support for Israel in its war on Gaza.

Since then, that anger has only spread as the death toll of civilians, aid workers and journalists in Gaza continues to rise.

According to data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, more than 1,360 student demonstrations were held on campuses across the country between October 7 and May 3. Although the vast majority (97%) of these demonstrations have been peaceful, isolated cases of property destruction and violence have received widespread attention.

These incidents culminated in late April and early May, when Columbia University students overran several university buildings, an encampment at the University of Texas at Austin was forcibly dispersed by police, and an encampment at the University of Texas at Austin was forcibly dispersed, and an encampment at the University of Texas at Austin Counter-protesters launched an assault that lasted several hours. Pro-Palestinian encampment.

Following these instances of campus chaos, Biden condemned the actions of some campus protesters in brief remarks at the White House earlier this month.

“I understand that people have strong feelings, with deep convictions,” Biden said at the time. “In America, we will respect and protect their right to express that. But that doesn’t mean nothing will happen.”

In his remarks, Biden said dissent is “essential to our democracy” but “must never be disruptive or deny the rights of others.”

Biden’s Morehouse inauguration is the latest in a series of efforts by the president this week to acknowledge the country’s historic racial shortcomings while addressing the next generation of Black leaders.

The president met Thursday with plaintiffs in the historic Brown v. Board of Education case that overturned racial discrimination in schools 70 years ago. During the meeting, some of the plaintiff’s relatives urged him to make the anniversary of the case a national holiday.

On Friday, Biden spoke at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where he spoke with members of the Divine Nine, a historic black fraternity and sorority group.

And after Sunday’s Morehouse speech, Biden will travel to Detroit, where he is scheduled to speak at an NAACP dinner.

Biden’s visit to Morehouse will be the second time he has visited the university during his presidential term. In 2022, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a speech on voting rights at Morehouse.

This article was updated with additional information on Sunday.