We, students of George Mason University, object to the university’s sponsorship of the event, “Implications of an International Criminal Court’s Investigation of Violence in Gaza”.

As a university, Mason’s mission is to be an “innovative and inclusive academic community committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous world.” This event is incongruent with our university mission statement. As students, we welcome an academic environment that recognizes diverse opinions and worldviews. We expect our educational presentations to address the views of the major stakeholders. We expect panel discussions with diverse views that present students with facts in context. This panel seems to possess no interest in even acknowledging diverse viewpoints selecting speakers with concurring and complementary views. Therefore the panel, sponsored by George Mason University academic departments, does not further the Mason mission of creating an “innovative and inclusive academic community committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous world.”

George Mason University has a duty to address attacks on the academic environment. This program, as originally advertised, will only serve to isolate and demonize Israel and adds little in the way of unbiased information. The lack of fair debate upsets us most. We reject this event and all events like this when sponsored by departments of the university.

We would like the administrators to take notice that the student body at George Mason University does not stand for one-sided panels sponsored by university departments. We do not want our university to be known as a place that furthers a narrow, dismissive, and one-sided discussion and instead wish to promote Mason’s mission of inclusive discussion firmly committed to creating a more “just, free, and prosperous world.”

Sincerely,

Students of George Mason University