AIBU to say that graduation ceremonies are not the place to make political statements?

[anythingbutlillies]

Hard hat on.

DC's graduation today. Fabulous day, but it did not sit well with me that a few chose to unfurl a flag / raise a scarf while they were on the stage.
Just no! So very selfish.

Interested to hear if I am being precious?

Err, no it's not!
Definitely not a public event 😂
Definitely didn't buy a ticket!

A graduation is a life event...that celebrates many people. It's disrespectful imo to hijack that event to make your own political point. It also achieves absolutely nothing...

I didn't say it was a free for all. If you sell tickets to it, it's a public event. Please tell me the last wedding or Birthday party you went to where you had to pay for a ticket?

If you don't mind, I was talking to another Jewish poster about our shared experience. Not everything has to involve you, and Jewish posters don't owe you an explanation.

You mean you're incapable of providing a reasonable one.

False equivalence. If it's an invite-only occasion, it's not public. And if people want to be activists, wear a pin on your gown, have photos outside with your flag. People are there to watch their loved ones graduate, not sit through a political broadcast.

How does someone else holding a flag interfere with another person watching their loved on graduate?

Nah fuck that keep politics out of it bullshit. Politics affect us all, whether you like it or not.

If the UK was under attack and we were all being burned alive, starved and blown up then I'd want the world to be talking about it, not brushing it under the carpet because "politics" isn't for the dinner table.

She says, to someone who finds flag waving divisive and unhelpful.

It would make me wonder why someone is using a celebratory event to make some sort of point as though they imagined they were at Glastonbury. For many reasons, my daughter getting to the point of graduating is the culmination of a lifetime's struggles and not something we thought we'd ever see. Frankly fuck off with your flag shagging. Save it for people who want to see it instead of foisting it on everyone else.

This was a student event where students protested. Totally appropriate.
Let’s stop trying to shut people up, please.

What are you talking about looking at one side to blame

no one is defending Hamas but what the Israeli government is doing is genocide and the west are not wanting to involve themselves

brown Muslim children are not seen as equal Palestinians are not seen as equal different language is used in reporting

the younger generations are the ones that will make a difference the media can’t be controlled as it once was we all see the true suffering now

Because it stirs hate (whether the flag waver means to or not) against Jewish people at the ceremony. That's why.

I agree OP. I’d be pissed if this happened at my child’s graduation. My friends daughters graduation was hijacked by a group of students waving a different flag. The uni called security as they refused to move and left them hanging as to whether they would face any consequences. Fucking idiots.

Are you sure nobody is defending Hamas? Like nobody is defending Iran or the Houthis?

If you only speak out about the wrongness of one party among several, it's going to look like you're taking sides.

First it was ticket only, now it's invite only! Make your mind up!

I welcome every single opportunity for people to express their support for the civilians of Gaza. It that makes some people uncomfortable, then they need to take a good long look at their moral compass

Oh don't be so ridiculous. You are invited. You are given a ticket. Do you not know how life works?

And moral grandstanding/superiority is not a good look. Has it ever occurred to you there's a reason people don't shout about their beliefs at every given opportunity? Clue: it's not because they love dead babies.

With freedom of expression come responsibility of when and where to express those views. Activism in the wrong place no only has the effect of turning your audience against you, even those who share your arguments, but also those who may be converted to them, as it produces an eye rolling "Oh do fuck off" response.

oh Is this the new silence tactic

recognition that the people of Gaza, Palestinians have the right to live is to be silenced or it could be mistaken for support for Hamas

right …

There's literally nothing anyone could say to you. Your mind is slammed shut. You don't even bother to try and read other people's viewpoints. It's a shame.

Same thing.
I was invited to request (up to 2) tickets.

I was only invited to request a ticket as it was our DC.
Mrs Smith from down the road would not have been able to attend as she would not have been invited to request a ticket.

I have read them

I do not believe in silencing people when they see cruelty

I see that as showing humanity

hope that’s clear

Every single opportunity?

What does this mean? Waving a flag during your weekly shop? Shouting free Palestine on the school run? How far would you take this?