Friday October 13, 2023
Office of the President
Gallaudet University
800 Florida Avenue NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
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Dear Gallaudet Administration,
We are writing as concerned members of the Gallaudet University and Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind Jewish Deaf community to address a recent communication. In particular, we would like to express our concerns regarding the message shared by Dominic Lacy, COO of Gallaudet University, regarding the "global day of Jihad" on October 13, 2023.
First and foremost, we acknowledge the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of all members of our communities. It is commendable that Gallaudet University takes the safety of its community seriously, and we appreciate the efforts made in this regard.
However, it is essential to address the need for clarity and accuracy in your communications, especially when sensitive issues are at hand. The message shared by Mr. Lacy did not identify the group that has been directly responsible for the violence in the communities impacted. In this case, it is important to note that Hamas has committed terrorist attacks against Jewish people worldwide. This declaration must be recognized as a form of anti-Semitism, and it is crucial that your communication reflects this fact accurately. For example, we appreciate that President Cordano’s recent statement does differentiate between Hamas and other groups that have been harmed by their violent intentions, particularly Israelis and Jewish people.
Moreover, Dominic Lacy’s message expressed concern about violence against both Jewish and Palestinian people, whereas the violence by Hamas is directed specifically at Jewish people. This message could be inadvertently interpreted as accusing Jewish people and Israel of calling for violence against Palestinian people, which is neither accurate nor helpful. Not all Jewish people support the actions of the Israeli government, just as not all Palestinian people support Hamas. It is essential to avoid creating a misleading context that lumps distinct groups together and perpetuates misperceptions and unfairly implicates one group for the actions of another.
In the interest of promoting a fair and accurate understanding of the situation, we kindly request that Dominic Lacy and all future communication from Gallaudet University ensures that its communications regarding sensitive global issues are well-informed, precise, and considerate of the potential impact they may have on our diverse community. In this situation, Gallaudet University must acknowledge that the Hamas call for the “Global Day of Jihad” is inciting violence against and murder of Jewish people and that it is anti-Semitism. In addition, Gallaudet University must remain steadfast in its’ anti-Semitism commitment made by President Cordano in 2020, which includes addressing anti-Semitism occurring on our campus and in our community promptly. In President Cordano’s latest statement, there was a notable lack of explicit reassurances of the University’s ongoing dedication to holding accountable individuals who engage in anti-Semitic behaviors within our campus and community. It is crucial for Gallaudet University to explicitly denounce instances of anti-Semitism.
We respectfully urge the President's Office and Gallaudet University to ensure the timely dissemination of future communications, particularly in response to global events that directly influence our Gallaudet campus community. These communications should ideally originate from the President's office promptly, with supplementary statements from other campus departments. Furthermore, we kindly request that any University communications addressing human rights crises, such as the recent attacks on Israel, be composed and articulated in collaboration with affected groups of our campus community.
In light of this, Hillel at Gallaudet stands prepared to extend its support to Gallaudet University, offering assistance to students, faculty, and staff on campus who may be impacted by the events involving Hamas violence. We trust the commitment of Gallaudet University to foster a safe and inclusive environment for all its members and look forward to seeing our institution maintain a high standard of communication. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I appreciate your dedication to our community's well-being.
Sincerely,
Board of Hillel at Gallaudet
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