Letter to Bowdoin College supporting student protests

 

 Demand Bowdoin College honor its responsibility to protect freedom of speech and the safety of their students

Last Thursday, Bowdoin became one of several colleges and universities to receive a notice from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

The letter, signed by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Michigan) and Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah), states that the committee has “questions regarding Bowdoin’s response to antisemitism on its campus, particularly related to its February 2025 encampment.” The letter, which demands a response by midday on April 10th, refers to the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) encampment in Shaban al-Dalou Union, which protested the College’s refusal to implement the Bowdoin Solidarity Referendum.

This politically-repressive attack on free speech cannot stand. Please send a letter to Bowdoin President Safa Zaki and Board of Trustees Chair Scott Perper calling on them to protect the privacy, education, and rights of their students.

Yes everyone should send a letter to Bowdoin - click here

Here is mine:

Protect freedom of speech and student safety at Bowdoin!

I live in Brunswick and joined the Gaza solidarity vigils for 5 days outside of the Student Union at the college. I was so proud of the students who were enfleshing the seemingly insincere noble sounding mission of the college.

Bowdoin College's motto, "Ut Aquila Versus Coelum" (Latin for "As an eagle towards the sky"), reflects its mission of fostering intellectual curiosity and encouraging students to reach their full potential, contributing to the common good.

Maybe at one time these goals for the students to aspire to were real. Not so today.

I stepped into the union for about 2 minutes with my sign just to take a peek at the scene and gave them a quick cheer and well done.

Much to my surprise the day after the occupation ended there was a knock on my door and the Brunswick police handed me a 'Criminal Trespass Warning' banning me from the campus for one entire year. Needless to say my friends around the world were stunned by the college's retribution toward a 72 year old man who was standing against genocide. 

Your ethical demise is currently being noted by many. The dollar seems to trump truth, justice, freedom and more.

Frankly you are now trying to ban the only interesting thing happening at Bowdoin - student free thought and debate.

I learned all these lessons while in the USAF during the US war on Vietnam.

Bruce Gagnon
Brunswick