New venue found for Palestinian rights speaker after divinity school rescinds invite

Submitted by T. Forsyth (feature photo credit: Daniel Ruthenberg-Marshall) on Wed, 2015-09-23 11:47

Rev. Graylan Hagler is coming to Rochester and he is speaking at two venues!

On Monday, September 21, I started getting emails that Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School had rescinded an invitation to have Rev. Hagler give a talk pertaining to the Black Lives Matter movement and the oppression of the Palestinians. The talk, "Connecting the dots: Ferguson to Palestine" was to be a kick-off event for Witness Palestine Rochester's film series at the Little Theatre. I started working with the group this past winter and helped produce a trailer for the film series.

Connecting the Dots is an event meant to show the connections between the struggles of Palestinians resisting the occupation in Palestine by the state of Israel and Black people resisting the occupation of neighborhoods of color—Black neighborhoods—by the police in America. From the community reports given by B.L.A.C.K. members who went to Ferguson, MO and who were subsequently abused and arrested by the police, to members of the Black Lives Matter movement who went to Palestine and witnessed, first-hand, the same kinds of abuse and brutality meted out by the Israeli military against the Palestinians, Connecting the Dots aims to elucidate these struggles in solidarity and resistance.

Rochester Community Video Reportbacks from folks who visited Ferguson, MO:

Ricardo Adams from Ferguson, MO: "Enough is enough!"

Ferguson Report Back- Ricardo Adams and Rosemary Rivera

Video of T-FzPy_h23Y

"The whole damn system is GUILTY!" a community reportback from Ferguson

Partial Q & A from "The Whole Damn System is Guilty"

"They think it's a game, they think it's a joke!" Ferguson organizers speak!

Danielle Ponder sings after organizers from Ferguson, MO share experiences with Rochester

Solidarity Demonstration in Nazareth : Ferguson to Palestine

The Democrat & Chronicle reported in a September 22 article the rationale for the school's actions:

In explaining the divinity school's position, Colgate Rochester President Marvin McMickle issued a statement to students at the divinity school on Tuesday, saying that many of them were aware of the lecture by Hagler sponsored by Witnessing for Palestine.

But, McMickle went on to say,"after certain concerning facts came to light and after consultation with other members" of the divinity school's administration, he notified Witnessing for Palestine that "we are no longer prepared to allow this lecture to take place" on campus.

Death threats made to Hagler also became an issue.

"When we heard about the threats, we stated the need for additional security and we would not provide it," said Thomas McDade Clay, vice president for institutional advancement at Colgate Rochester. And he said the decision to cancel was made on Friday, after it appeared that Witnessing for Palestine would not provide funds for security.

McMickle's statement notes that the divinity school "has been supportive of Palestinian people and publicly critical of the ways by which the State of Israel suppresses the legitimate rights of Palestine,"

But in the case of other speakers, the divinity school either knew the invited speakers or was familiar with their messages,

"Sadly, in this case neither we nor Christians Witnessing for Palestine did an adequate job of vetting and reviewing the particular speaker's message and recent history," said McMickle's statement.

He also said the fact that Hagler's lecture "coincides with Yom Kippur further convinced us of the appropriateness of our decision."

Yom Kippur, which is the Jewish Day of Atonement, begins at sundown on Tuesday and ends at nightfall Wednesday.

In an article published on September 21, Mondoweiss reported on the death threats Rev. Hagler had received from anti-Palestinian groups and bigots:

Hagler told Mondoweiss that pro-Israel groups pressured the divinity school to cancel his speaking engagement.

This past week, Rev. Hagler also says he received numerous death threats via phone and email. In some of the phone calls, Hagler said those threatening him identified themselves as members of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), a hard-line right-wing Evangelical Christian Zionist organization. Hagler said they warned him “We are going to kill you in the name of Christ if you come to Rochester” and “I hope you come here so I can spit in your face.”

Personally, it was a disappointment to hear that Colgate had rescinded the invitation not only because it was the divinity school attended by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. but because of its rich history of social, racial, and economic justice. But I was heartened to hear that Rev. Hagler was coming to Rochester regardless.

According to another article published this morning, Mondoweiss reported that Rev. Hagler had received appreciation and support since the attacks had begun.

“I want to thank all of those who have worked to secure a venue, have notified allies, and sent words of encouragement and blessings,” he said.

Rev. Hagler spoke highly of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) in particular. They have “been tremendous allies as JVP nationally and locally in Rochester put an eye to the matter and effectively put feet on the ground to make a difference,” the reverend explained.

“There are so many emails, and calls of support that I have received and I am thankful for each one,” Hagler added. “It is clear that with all of the people working together bigotry and hatred will continue to be diminished, truth will continue to be increased and the evils of racism here at home and in places like Israel will be challenged until the evils of racism and hatred are no more.”

Hagler maintained “we have not been intimidated, but are determined to bring truth to light.”

The article started by stating that the "Steering Committee of the United Church of Christ Palestine-Israel Network (UCCPIN) strongly condemned" the cancellation of Rev. Hagler's talk tomorrow at the divinity school.

Over the next day or so, I got more emails from organizers scrambling to find a new venue. As I was posting the press releases and the articles from Mondoweiss and the Democrat & Chronicle, a few people stepped up to offer space. (They know who they are, their messages were passed on, and I thank them.)

In the end, the organizers--Christians Witnessing for Palestine and the Rochester chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace--decided to host Rev. Hagler's speaking engagement at the German House (315 Gregory St., Rochester, NY) at 7:30 p.m. this Thursday, September 24.

I was also clued into another speaking engagement earlier in the day with the same heading at the University of Rochester. Rev. Hagler will be speaking from 2:00PM - 3:00PM, at University of Rochester's Wilson Commons Gowen Room, on Thursday, September 24.

Both talks are open to the public.

Steering Committee of the United Church of Christ Palestine-Israel Network (UCCPIN) strongly condemned the cancellation of Reverend Graylan Hagler’s “From Ferguson to Palestine” talk at the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, NY on September 24. - See more at: http://mondoweiss.net/2015/09/cancellation-ferguson-palestine#sthash.bUo...

The Steering Committee of the United Church of Christ Palestine-Israel Network (UCCPIN) strongly condemned the cancellation of Reverend Graylan Hagler’s “From Ferguson to Palestine” talk at the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, NY on September 24. - See more at: http://mondoweiss.net/2015/09/cancellation-ferguson-palestine#sthash.bUo...

The Witness Palestine Film Series begins shortly after Rev. Hagler's speaking engagement. See the films coming up at the end of September and the beginning of October as well as the cultural event scheduled for Friday, October 9, 2015, below.