Editorial: What We Still Stand For

As the U.S. government continues to fund the genocide in Gaza, as the IDF extends its military aggression from Lebanon and Yemen to Syria, as freezing temperatures and obstruction to humanitarian aid broaden the reach of famine and disease, those of us who work on this newsletter have not lost sight of the bigger picture. We want an end to Israel’s violations of international law and contempt for human life; we want to see its war criminals behind bars. Our aim in exposing the college’s targeted persecution of community members who speak out against these crimes is to push back against its attempts to silence us. It has occurred to us that an unintended effect of the stories we publish may be to discourage some people from taking risks, but our hope is that they inspire us all to take back a community that has historically valued open expression without fear of censure or censorship. Emerson College is, fundamentally, about VOICES. Our speech pathology students help people make their voices understood; our journalism program gives voice to those who would keep the news honest; our musical theater performers lift their voices to bring down the house. So while we organize to restore our right to free speech on campus, let’s remember the voices raised at those student demonstrations last spring—and what propelled them. Let's keep our eyes on the global as well as the local. Speak out wherever you can.