Biden to Address Morehouse, Facing Protests over Israel Stance
President Joe Biden has accepted an invitation to deliver the commencement speech at Morehouse College in Georgia on May 19th. However, the announcement has drawn some criticism from faculty and alumni who are critical of Biden’s support for Israel in the recent conflict with Hamas.
The controversy stems from the perception that Biden’s pro-Israel stance contradicts the pacifism advocated by Morehouse’s most famous alumnus, civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. King famously opposed the Vietnam War, arguing that war is a destructive force that diminishes humanity as a whole.
In an online letter, alumni have condemned the administration’s invitation to Biden, claiming that his approach to Israel effectively supports genocide in Gaza. They have pressured Morehouse President David Thomas to rescind the invitation, emphasizing King’s stance that “war is a hell that diminishes” humanity as a whole.
Morehouse Provost Kendrick Brown has acknowledged concerns about the invitation and scheduled an online forum for faculty to discuss the matter. However, he has stated that the college does not plan to rescind its invitation to Biden.
The controversy threatens to overshadow the policy priorities that Biden and Democrats have highlighted on HBCU campuses around the country. The Biden administration has touted increases in federal funding for HBCUs, efforts to forgive student loan debt, energy investments to combat the climate crisis, and support for abortion rights and decriminalizing marijuana possession.
Biden’s speech at Morehouse also has political implications. He won Georgia by a narrow margin in 2020, and Black support will be crucial in his upcoming re-election bid against former President Donald Trump.
The visit marks Biden’s second consecutive spring address to an HBCU graduating class, following his speech at Howard University in 2023.
Biden’s standing among Black Americans has declined since his inauguration, and the Israel issue has led to protests from progressives. The upcoming election may hinge on his support in battleground states like Georgia, where Trump lost by a narrow margin.
