Dear Siena Community,
Since its establishment, The Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King Lecture Series on Race and Nonviolent Social Change has been a key avenue through which Siena preserves the legacy of Dr. King and the nonviolent human rights movement. This series, featuring esteemed speakers and fostering vigorous dialogue, has consistently promoted enlightenment and amplified our commitment to confronting prejudice in all its forms and across all places. It would be antithetical to both its mission and our values to allow the MLK stage to be tarnished by rhetoric of divisiveness and hate. Regrettably, this year’s invited speaker has recently made troubling public statements that have crossed an intolerable line. Therefore, after careful consideration and extensive consultation, I have made the decision to rescind Dr. Rupa Marya’s invitation to speak on campus.
Our invitation to Dr. Marya was extended in the summer. Her intended topic was “Decolonizing Medicine: Transforming our World Through Medicine, Activism, and Music.” She was expected to share her unique perspective on the intersection of society, the human body, and health, particularly in the context of healing the wounds of colonialism. However, I find it difficult to reconcile the noble intent of that topic with her recent comments on social media, where she argued that "The presence of Zionism in US medicine should be examined as a structural impediment to health equity. Zionism is a supremacist, racist ideology and we see Zionist doctors justifying the genocide of Palestinians." Since the onset of the conflict in the Middle East, Dr. Marya has actively engaged in anti-Israel commentary on her social media. She seems to dangerously conflate all Jewish people with a particular political ideology, as well as a racist trope – and that’s not only hurtful, it’s hateful.
While I am a staunch defender of free speech and academic freedom, and I encourage opposing views to be shared, debated, and defended on this campus, there is a line that must be drawn. Siena is a place for everyone and all perspectives, as long as those perspectives are presented with respect and compassion. Academic freedom is woven into the fabric of our identity as a liberal arts institution, and our Franciscan values represent our soul. Speech that espouses bigotry simply does not align with the values and mission of the MLK and CSK Lecture Series or our College’s tradition.
I greatly appreciate the time and effort given by the MLK and CSK Lecture Series Committee. I wholeheartedly endorsed their selection last year, and until recently, I defended the speaker’s invitation. However, we are an institution committed to developing leaders inspired to make the world more peaceful, just, and humane. Speech that divides, rather than unites, and demonstrates contempt for the rights and dignity of all individuals does not have a place at Siena.
Peace and all Good,
Chuck