By: Kelsey Reno, Staff Writer
This past weekend Goddard College of Plainfield, Vermont, held a graduation ceremony. At this ceremony, not unlike many of its kind, the graduating students were allowed to choose their commencement speaker; their choice was Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Goddard’s website touts Abu-Jamal as “an award winning journalist who chronicles the human condition.” Abu-Jamal was also convicted of the shooting death of Daniel Faulkner, a Philadelphia Police Officer. Abu-Jamal is currently serving a life sentence for his crime and was therefore unable to attend the commencement ceremony however he was able to deliver the speech by means of a pre-recorded video. He has been featured in the documentary “Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal” by Stephen Vittoria and has written numerous essays from his solitary confinement cell. [1] This was not Abu-Jamal’s first commencement speech; he has also given commencement speeches at Evergreen State College in Washington and Antioch College in Ohio.[2]
Many have found this choice in commencement speaker to be in bad taste. The widow of Officer Faulkner, Maureen Faulkner, has made numerous statements in the past week about the school’s decision, stating that “it’s not appropriate.”[3] Many law enforcement agents held protests or silent vigils in memory of their fallen brother. In a statement to Fox News, Colonel Tom L’Esperance, director of the Vermont State Police, said that this was “an appalling disregard for law enforcement officers, and their families, who have lost their lives in the line of duty.”[4]
Interim President at Goddard College, Bob Kenny, defended the students’ decision stating that “choosing Mumia as their commencement speaker, to me, shows how this newest group of Goddard graduates expresses their freedom to engage and think radically and critically in a world that often sets up barriers to do just that.”[5]
Tom Corbett, the Pennsylvanian Governor, also spoke out against the choice while speaking about House Bill 2533.[6]
To prohibit events like this in the future, legislation has been introduced into the Pennsylvania House. House Bill 2533, known as the Revictimization Relief Act, would amend the current Crime Victims Act, allowing for injunctions and other legal processes to stop this kind of “revictimization.”[7] Representative Mike Vereb supported this bill in a memo where he claimed it “would put an end to this kind of shameful misconduct (Abu-Jamal’s commencement speech).”[8]
Some are criticizing the bill for the limitations it would put on persons serving time in prisons. On October 6th, the bill passed the House Judiciary Committee with a vote of 23 yeas and 2 non-votes. It will be moving to the floor in the coming weeks.[9]
Background-Abu-Jamal’s Crime
On December 9th, 1981, Daniel Faulkner was shot and killed in the line of duty by Abu-Jamal. Officer Faulkner was attempting to arrest Abu-Jamal’s brother after a traffic stop when Abu-Jamal shot him in the back, Office Faulkner then turned firing one shot at Abu-Jamal, who then shot Officer Faulkner four more times. This was witnessed by numerous people with back up officers arriving shortly after the first shot was fired. Abu-Jamal was then tried and convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. That sentence has since been vacated and replaced with a life sentence.[10]
[1] Goddard. Edu, www.goddard.edu/news-events/press-releases/mumia-abu-jamal-give-commencement-speech-goddard-college
[2] FoxNews.com, www.foxnews.com/us/2014/10/01/despicable-decision-to-allow-abu-jamal-to-give-college-commencement-speech/
[3] FoxNews.com, www.foxnews.com/us/2014/10/01/despicable-decision-to-allow-abu-jamal-to-give-college-commencement-speech/
[4] FoxNews.com, www.foxnews.com/us/2014/10/01/despicable-decision-to-allow-abu-jamal-to-give-college-commencement-speech/
[5] Goddard.edu, www.goddard.edu/news-events/press-releases/mumia-abu-jamal-give-commencement-speech-goddard-college
[6] FoxNews.com, www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/10/07/pennsylvania-gov-slams-convicted-cop-killer-commencement-speech-as-victim/
[7] Repub Caucus, www.pahousegop.com/NewsItem.aspx?NewsID=21643
[8] Memo, www.pahousegop.com/Display/SiteFiles/109/OtherDocuments/revictim%20pdf.pdf
[9] Judiciary Committee, www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/RCC/Public/listVoteSummaryH.cfm?sYear=2013&sInd=0&cteeCde=24&theDate=10/06/2014&rNbr=2369
[10] FoxNews.com, www.foxnews.com/us/2014/10/01/despicable-decision-to-allow-abu-jamal-to-give-college-commencement-speech/
