KENTUCKY ISRAEL CAUCUS APPEALS TO PUBLIC UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS TO SIGN LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL
Rep. Daniel Grossberg, Sen. Lindsey Tichenor appeal to all Kentucky public university presidents to join as signatories
FRANKFORT, KY (December 1, 2023) – The Kentucky Israel Caucus has delivered a letter to all public university presidents, asking them to add their signatures to the letter supporting Israel in the war against Hamas.
“This was a terrorist attack against innocent civilians, is sickening and heartbreaking, and our young people need to know this sort of action won’t be tolerated,” said Senator Lindsey Tichenor, District 6, (R-Smithfield). “I applaud President Schatzel of UofL and President Jackson of Murray state, and urge our university presidents to sign on in support of Israel and our Jewish community on and off our campuses across the state.”
The letter was delivered via email on November 30.
“In the wake of Hamas’ evil attack against Israel on Oct. 7 and the sickening rise of antisemitism here at home, staying silent is not an option for those who believe in religious freedom, the very right of Israel to exist, and peace itself,” said state Representative Daniel Grossberg, District 30, (D-Louisville) who co-chairs the bipartisan 40-member Israel Caucus in the General Assembly and is Jewish. “I am proud of the strong support from many of my legislative colleagues and the unanimous condemnation Congress recently adopted. The lack of public support from many of our university leaders, however, is deeply concerning, and I hope that we will soon see all of them join the two who have spoken in clear and unmistakable terms against the attacks on Israel and antisemitism here at home. Their voice matters.”
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The following letter was delivered to Kentucky’s public university presidents on November 30.
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Dear Presidents,
The US House of Representatives voted unanimously (414-0) on Tuesday evening to condemn Hamas for the attacks of October 7th and their continued violations of international law. This was a powerful statement to the nation at large.
College students are facing the greatest levels of campus antisemitism in history. They are threatened, harassed, intimidated, and dehumanized, even by faculty who openly deny the events of October 7th, praise Hamas, and call for extermination of the Jewish state. These students are seeking the same moral clarity and reassurance from their University leaders that we, as a nation, got from Congress Tuesday night.
Please join President Schatzel of the University of Louisville and President Jackson of Murray State University in signing a statement of University presidents that condemns Hamas and affirms the humanity of Israelis and Palestinians alike.
https://universitiesunitedagainstterrorism.org/
Here is the content of the brief statement:
**We Stand Together With Israel Against Hamas
We are horrified and sickened by the brutality and inhumanity of Hamas. Murdering innocent civilians including babies and children, raping women and taking the elderly as hostages are not the actions of political disagreement but the actions of hate and terrorism. The basis of all universities is a pursuit of truth, and it is times like these that require moral clarity. Like the fight against ISIS, the fight against Hamas is a fight against evil. We, the presidents and chancellors of universities, colleges and higher education associations across the United States of America and the world, stand with Israel, with the Palestinians who suffer under Hamas’ cruel rule in Gaza and with all people of moral conscience.**
As Martin Luther King Jr said, “In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” You have a powerful voice. Please use it.
Sincerely
Representative Daniel Grossberg and Senator Lindsey Tichenor on behalf of the KY-Israel Caucus.
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Senator Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, represents the 6th Senate District, including Oldham and Trimble Counties and part of Jefferson County. She serves as a Senate member of Interim Joint Committees of Education; Families and Children; and Health Services. Senator Tichenor also serves as a liaison member on the Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services and a member on the Lottery Trust Fund Task Force.
State Representative Daniel Grossberg serves the 30th House District in Jefferson County and is a member of the following House committees: Natural Resources & Energy; Small Business & Information Technology; Tourism & Outdoor Recreation; Administrative Regulation Review; and the Lottery Trust Fund Task Force.
For more information on members of the Senate Majority Caucus and the upcoming 2024 Legislative Session, such as committee schedules and membership, please visit legislature.ky.gov.
Access archived footage of legislative meetings at ket.org/legislature/archives.