Video: Michigan State students stage walkout on ‘Israeli soldiers’ stories’

The video is of a walkout at Michigan State Tuesday night on an Israeli soldiers’ talk. The talk was sponsored by StandWithUs, the Israel lobby group. One of the soldiers was gay–pinkwashing. The walkout was organized by a Palestinian solidarity organization at Michigan State.

Notice the large ROTC presence at the talk. Kellie Rowe at the Michigan State University newspaper reports:

In front of an audience of more than 100 students, two Israeli soldiers, Jossi and Itzik, whose last names are withheld for safety reasons, spoke with ROTC and other students at Demonstration Hall as a part of Israeli Soldiers Stories sponsored by StandWithUs.

National Campus Program Director Brett Cohen said many people in the U.S. hold negative perceptions of Israel, and the program aims to dispel those misconceptions…

But halfway through the presentation, a group of more than 40 students in the Students Allied for Freedom and Equality group, or SAFE, left their seats. Signs were taped to their chests and backs with the names of children who have been killed during the Israeli and Palestinian conflict in red ink to symbolize the blood shed by their deaths.

Without saying a word, the students left the room in silent protest.

SAFE posted the video with this commentary:

On Tuesday, February 21st, 2012, two IDF soldiers came to Michigan State University to spew pro-Israel propaganda and speak about their ‘experiences’. They were co-sponsored by MSU ROTC, MSU Stand With Us and the MSU Hillel.

…The hall originally only featured a few rows, but after SAFE filled those rows, ROTC brought out more chairs for the intended audience. Hence, the ROTC cadets sitting in the back of the room.

After sitting through enough propaganda, SAFE ‘walked out’.

After the walk out, ROTC requested that we return to explain our actions. SAFE declined to strengthen the message and reinforce the symbolism of being ‘silenced’.

A quote from the video:
“This is for everyone we have on our shirts, this is for everyone in Palestine, this is for everyone in the world. This is for you, this is for me. This is for every one who can’t use their voice…today we got to show them we are with them and we support them, and sometimes thats the most important thing, to just show them we support them.” –Dena Elian, MSU SAFE President.