As a retired University of Utah professor, I am deeply disturbed by the recent violence of law enforcement against peaceful student protesters there.
By all accounts, these students were doing what college students all across the United States have been doing — protesting Israel’s ongoing slaughter of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. According to various accounts, at least 34,000 Palestinians of all ages have been killed, another 7,000 or more are buried under rubble, and countless others have been wounded. Trapped in that tiny enclave with nowhere to go, many are now homeless, many are on the verge of starvation.
What Hamas did on Oct. 7 was despicable and has been condemned by all. But Israel’s response has been grotesquely disproportional, amounting to a war crime against the entire population of Gaza and even international aid workers. And the United States, I’m ashamed to say, is an accomplice by providing Israel with its bombs and bullets and by protecting Israel against international condemnation and censure.
The United States has a long, proud tradition of protesting injustice going back to its founding. I hope University of Utah administrators will come to their senses and allow students to continue peacefully speaking out.
Tom Huckin, Salt Lake City
