UNC-Charlotte alum Rep. Hudson applauds university for denouncing BDS student resolution

Congressman Richard Hudson, R-9th, released a statement today in which he applauded administration of UNC-Charlotte, where he earned his degree and served as student body president, for condemning the Student Government Association (SGA) resolution against Israel. 

“I applaud the administration for denouncing the students’ resolution and promoting civil discourse,” said Rep. Hudson in a press release. “As a proud UNC Charlotte graduate and former student body president, the university I know and love is a place of truth, inclusion, and diversity of thought. While it is right for the students to be concerned about the suffering of all civilians, to do so without acknowledging the evil Hamas represents and the fact Hamas’ horrific actions are the reason we are where we are is deeply disappointing. On October 7th, we witnessed a barbaric and unprecedented attack on Israel by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists. Since then, countless innocent men, women, and children have been kidnapped, tortured, raped, and killed by Hamas. The current conflict would end immediately if Hamas would release all the hostages and surrender. Make no mistake: Israel has every right to defend itself against Hamas terrorists and has shown great restraint in its actions. It is in the United States’ and the entire world’s best interest that Hamas is eliminated. I stand with Israel.” 

On March 25, Social Justice for North Africa and Southwest Asia (SJSWANA) and Revolutionary Student Front (RSF), issued a petition to divest UNC Charlotte’s fund’s from Israel.

According to UNC Charlotte’s student newspaper the Niner Times, the petition surpassed their original goal of 500 individual signatures (514) and 14 endorsements from student organizations. 

“The petition sought for the UNC Charlotte’s Student Government Association (SGA) to call for a complete divestment and transparency of all finances allocated to the State of Israel and any organizations within,” according to the Times. 

This petition is reportedly in response to UNC Charlotte’s Mount Zion Project, an archeological excavation project in Jerusalem that is partially funded by UNC Charlotte students and staff. According to the Times, Charlotte has been conducting excavations as part of the project since 2008. 

“UNC Charlotte is the only non-Israeli university with license to dig in Jerusalem,” according to Inside UNC-Charlotte. “Since 2008, students and volunteers have been uncovering what was once the center of the ancient city.”

“That connection will be there forever — that connection between Charlotte and Jerusalem,” said archeologist, Shimon Gibson. Gibson is also a director of the excavation. 

Gibson has been a professor of Practice in History and Archaeology at Charlotte since 2016, according to the Times, directing the project along with Rafi Lewis and James Tabor. 

On March 28, UNC Charlotte SGA reached a divestment resolution. During the meeting groups, including SJSWANA silently protested by engaging in a sit-in.  Upon passage, the university distanced itself from the resolution and reiterated it’s commitment to civil discourse on even the most difficult subjects.

“Student Government Association leadership has been counseled several times on the University’s commitment to maintain institutional neutrality and encouraged to consider that in their requests of administrators,” read the statement. “This SGA resolution does not align with that commitment and will not be acted upon by the administration. SGA plays an important role in the life of the University, and the University supports the rights of its students, individually and collectively, to freely express themselves. In doing so, however, they neither speak for nor represent the position of UNC Charlotte.”

UNC Charlotte embraces different perspectives and promotes civil discourse, including and especially around difficult issues. The University is committed to fostering those conversations in a manner that affords respect, fairness, and dignity to every member of the campus community, and will immediately address any actions that compromise its ability to provide a safe environment to learn, live, and work.”

The post UNC-Charlotte alum Rep. Hudson applauds university for denouncing BDS student resolution first appeared on Carolina Journal.