Alumni of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School have launched an online petition in which they urge the Dean of the Law School to make a statement against the atrocities committed by Hamas in Israel and be a voice of morality.
The alumni also denounced recent expressions of hatred of Israel that were seen on campus.
“12 days have passed since Hamas massacred over 1,300 men, women, elderly people, children and babies and took over 200 hostage. As Elie Weisel remarked, ‘Silence encourages the tormentor’ and, to date, there has been a deafening silence from our alma mater. As alumni, we denounce the horrific acts of terrorism perpetrated by the terrorist organization Hamas, express unequivocal support for the State of Israel’s right to defend itself and stand by the people of Israel and all Jewish people around the world,” the alumni said.
“Publicly denouncing Hamas’s evil actions and standing with the victims in Israel and the global Jewish community is all of our responsibility. We urge the school to publicly do so and ensure safety for its Jewish students and alumni. Failure to do so is a moral failure of the school’s leadership which enables and perpetuates further antisemitic acts. As recently as October 16, 2023, ‘protestors’ marched down Locust Walk, the main thoroughfare of the University campus, chanting ‘there is only one solution, intifada revolution’ and stating that ‘there are no civilians, they are all targets.’ Make no mistake, this is a call for the death of Jews,” they stressed.
“Beneath the University of Pennsylvania Seal and Arms it is written: Leges sine Moribus vanae (‘Laws without morals are useless’). Penn Law, be the voice of morality and speak up,” said the alumni.
In the petition itself, the former students wrote, “The mass slaughter of Jews is wrong and evil. The intentional targeting and killing of innocent civilians is the very definition of terrorism. Hamas is a terrorist organization and there is no justification for its actions. Condemning acts of terrorism is our moral obligation.”
“These are basic and simple truths that are affirmed by each of us, and we call on Penn Law to do the same. We further call on Penn Law to take affirmative steps to ensure that the campus remains a safe place for Jewish students.”
“We mourn the tremendous loss of each and every life taken by Hamas’s evil acts. We pray for the safe and swift return of the hostages. We yearn for safety and peace,” the petition states.
Click here to sign the petition.