Impact
In The Community
The University of Southern California (USC) protest is one of many now featured in heavy news coverage due to the clashes between students and law enforcement. USC protests first began after the university decided to cancel valedictorian Asna Tabassum’s commencement speech, a student who has been openly pro-Palestine on social media. USC cited safety concerns for the cancellation of the speech; however, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to local NPR affiliate “LAist” last week that no crime report had been opened for the threats. USC then went on to cancel the entire main graduation ceremony.
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USC also announced a drastic change to the campus-wide commencement ceremony, and it seems that other universities in the U.S. will follow suit, including Princeton University, Emory University, Cornell University, Northwestern University, City College of New York, and George Washington University because students have joined the efforts in calling for a ceasefire and an end to the genocide on Palestinians.
Since Wednesday night, dozens of protesters have been arrested across U.S. universities. At USC, over 90 people were arrested by the LAPD during peaceful protests because they refused to disperse and disband their encampment (up since last week) in Alumni Park, which is where the university’s commencement events take place. Encampment has been an element of many student-led protests sprouting on college campuses all over the country as a quiet means of disruption. USC protesters stood their ground, but arrests eventually started, with LAPD officers zip-tying people and leading them to LAPD vans.
As reported by NPR, arrests have also been made at Princeton University and Emory University, and there has been heavy police presence at Emerson College and the University of Texas, among others. Tensions are rising on college campuses across the nation as students refuse to stay quiet about their activism and their solidarity with the Palestinian people.
A Latino Father Goes Viral
Amidst the chaos of USC protests and the violent reaction of local and campus police forces, a supportive Latino dad emerged as a gold standard for parents everywhere by showing up to support his daughter, one of the protest organizers on campus. While many parents would counsel their children to “mind your own business” or “don’t get involved in things that don’t concern you,” this Latino dad headed to campus and stood by his daughter.
This “don’t ruffle any feathers” approach is particularly pervasive in Latino culture, where it’s common to be taught to keep your head down and not make any waves - “no te metas donde no te llaman” or “no es tu problema” are phrases Latino children hear often.
@holdonnow_ #utaustin
A reporter from ABC7 Los Angeles identified the supportive father as Lazaro Aguero. He confidently stated, “I’m here to support my daughter. She’s studying here, and they’re protesting against a genocide.” He shared that the entire family is against the ongoing genocide and has been aware of his daughter’s efforts on campus.
Aguero also said, “They’re threatening, if we don’t leave the campus we’re going to get arrested. But the students are so brave, look at them, they don’t want to leave the campus.” When asked if he was concerned about his daughter he said, “It does concern me, but my daughter did a right decision. If she rather be arrested fighting for Palestine, I will be the happiest daddy. I will be the happiest daddy if she’s doing the right thing.”
This moving show of support made many Latina daughters proud across social media, and the ABC7 clip quickly went viral. To see a father breaking through machismo beliefs that often lead to controlling behavior and the repression of female power within families was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Thousands of comments can now be found showing the emotional response to seeing a Latino father stand so resolutely by his daughter as she does what so many Latino parents, especially fathers, teach their daughters not to do.
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Many commentators agreed that this viral video served as a reminder not only to other Latino parents but parents across the ethnic spectrum to support their children when they’re putting themselves on the line for acting on their beliefs and seeking change in systems that have been shown to be unjust, unfair, and inequitable.
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The younger generation, as evidenced by students across the U.S. who are raising their voices for Palestine, is following their anti-war beliefs and bringing their parents along with them. Where global governments have stayed silent and stayed put, young people are amplifying Palestinian voices and helping mobilize the masses, not just in their communities but also on social media, across all platforms.
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To put this into perspective, let’s look at the top 5 most controversial SCOTUS rulings in recent years and the harm they’ve done.
Reproductive Rights: Roe v. Wade Overturned
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Image shared by feminist on Instagram
In the 70s, Norma McCorvey, aka Jane Roe, became pregnant for the third time as a single mom in Texas. She decided she didn’t want a third child, but Texas law prohibited abortions, so McCorvey and her lawyers challenged the law’s constitutionality arguing that it violated her right to privacy.
Ultimately, the case reached the Supreme Court, where a 7-2 ruling determined that a woman's decision to have an abortion fell within her constitutional right to privacy. This legalized abortion nationwide and guaranteed women the right to terminate unwanted pregnancies.
Roe v. Wade divided the nation into those who supported the right to life for unborn children and those who supported women’s right to choose. 50 years later, in 2022, this landmark legislation was overturned by SCOTUS in a 6-3 decision. With this legal protection out of the way, individual states are allowed to restrict or fully ban abortions, and that’s exactly what has been happening since.
This SCOTUS ruling has had catastrophic effects, with maternal mortality rising in states where abortion is either restricted or banned. Moreover, abortion bans and restrictions disproportionately affect Black and Latino women, with many losing their lives. Particularly in states like Texas, where Latinos make up 40.2% of the population and abortions are banned after 6 weeks–before many women even realize they’re pregnant.
Affirmative Action: Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina
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Image shared by naleoedfund on Instagram
The 2023 rulings in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina sent shockwaves through the space of higher education. In a 6-3 decision, SCOTUS ended affirmative action policies.
That means that federal-funded American public or private universities can’t consider students’ race in their admissions process. Any advantages given to Black and Latino applicants for a variety of reasons, such as increasing diversity and battling discrimination, no longer exist. This disproportionately affects Black and Latino students.
While college applicants can still discuss how race has influenced their lives in personal essays, this doesn’t lessen the broader impact of the ruling. Dismantling affirmative action policies, which existed to level the playing field for historically disadvantaged racial groups, has led to a decline in minority representation in universities.
The implications for Latino students are particularly noticeable, as one of the groups who benefited most from affirmative action. This SCOTUS ruling severely limits Latinos’ ability to access selective colleges and, therefore, their ability to improve their economic status.
Immigration: United States v. Texas
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Image shared by immigrantsrising on Instagram
In 2023, the Supreme Court determined, with an 8-1 decision, that Texas’ deportation law, Senate Bill 4, would go into effect. SB 4 makes it a state crime to cross the border of Mexico and Texas between entry ports. Essentially, anyone suspected of illegally crossing the border could be stopped, detained, and charged with a Class B misdemeanor, facing up to 6 months in jail.
This SCOTUS ruling revises immigration law and limits immigrants’ ability to cross safely into the United States and request asylum. Moreover, it exposes Latinos, even those who have citizenship or permanent residency, to racial profiling. They may now be more likely to be suspected of and harassed by law enforcement simply because they’re not white or don’t look American.
SB 4 also risks damaging the relationship between law enforcement and local immigrant communities. It blurs the lines between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement, causing fear among unauthorized immigrants and their families about interacting with law enforcement due to deportation risks. This fear may lead to a reduction in crime reporting, which can affect the safety of the entire community.
Student Loan Forgiveness: Biden v. Nebraska
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Image shared by naacp_ldf on Instagram
2023 was a tough year and it brought another controversial SCOTUS ruling, this time relating to student loan forgiveness. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court overturned the Biden administration’s program to provide student debt relief under the HEROES Act. This represented a major blow to economic and racial justice as the program sought to expand student loan forgiveness.
This SCOTUS ruling specifically affects students who don’t have many resources, particularly Black and Latino students. It makes the unfairness in the American education system even worse. Essentially, the ruling sends the message that only people who can afford a good education are entitled to it, no matter their talents or dreams.
By stopping Biden's plan to help with student debt, the court has said no to lots of people who want to go to school and make their lives better. Essentially, it slows down progress, especially within underprivileged communities. Currently, a new version of Biden’s plan is underway, dubbed Plan B. It’s a broader version of the first one and it’s more focused on specific groups of borrowers to avoid the same fate as the first plan.
Terrorism and Social Media: Gonzalez v. Google LLC
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Image shared by daily49er on Instagram
In 2015, Nohemi Gonzalez, a 23-year-old American citizen of Mexican descent, was murdered during a terrorist attack in Paris, France, where she was spending a semester abroad. The day after the attack, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack through a written statement and a YouTube video.
Nohemi’s father, Reynaldo Gonzalez, filed an action against Google LLC, claiming they aided and abetted international terrorism by allowing ISIS to use their platform (specifically, YouTube) to issue threats, recruit members, intimidate populations, and plan terrorist attacks. The complaint also alleged that Google’s algorithms helped ISIS spread its message through content suggestions, which are based on viewing history.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the tech giants in a unanimous decision, rejecting the notion that terrorist organizations being allowed to use the platforms makes the companies liable. This is based on Section 230, which provides immunity for tech companies regarding third-party content users create. While many see this ruling as a win for free speech, others criticize the legal liability shield tech platforms have.
Video by mxespaciolibre on Instagram
As reported by Espacio Libre, a local news and media website that planned on transmitting the eclipse, some of the U.S. tourists were blatantly disrespectful toward locals, claiming that they were having a “private event.” The tourist group was accompanied by the assistant secretary of “Planificación y Desarrollo Turístico” (“Tourism Planning and Development”), Olivia Margarita Fernández, who was seemingly involved with the U.S.-based travel agency, “Betchart Expeditions.” Fernández supported the group of what seemed to be mostly American tourists by claiming that the area was only accessible to those who had paid to be there. When asked who they paid, she provided no answer.
Video by mxespaciolibre on Instagram
As reporter José G. Martínez and his cameraman asserted their right to be there; they were met by the entitled attitude of one of the women from the tourist group, later identified as tour guide Tanya Deyoung. In the video shared by Espacio Libre, Deyoung is seen mockingly saying “goodbye” and “adiós, ahora” as she waves them away dismissively. When Martínez refused to leave, she yelled “no” in his face and physically blocked him from entering the area that the foreigners appropriated as theirs.
Video by mxespaciolibre on Instagram
As the confrontation continued, Deyoung claimed that the tourist group had a “contract” with Fernández for the private use of the space. Martínez and his cameraman didn’t back down, and neither did the residents, who also started to speak up. Among them was a young girl who defended her right to be there. She said, “They won’t let us in, they’re blocking us. They’re not respecting the rules. We have priority because we live here. When we go there [to the U.S.], they kick us out. They’re acting as if this is their city.”
Video by mxespaciolibre on Instagram
Before the girl could continue, Deyoung interrupted and silenced her, screaming very close to her face, “Please leave our private event!” Then, she continued mockingly saying “adiós” and waving them away.
Video by mxespaciolibre on Instagram
Eventually, Martínez approached assistant secretary Fernández, asking to see the alleged permit that allowed the foreigners to claim a public space. Espacio Libre was shown a document that turned out to be a request, not a permit. The request was addressed to the Director of “Ferias, Espectáculos y Paseos Turísticos de Durango” (“Fairs, Shows and Sightseeing Tours of Durango”), asking for the space to set up a group of “specialists in various fields to observe the eclipse” from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Martínez noted that the group didn’t have any specialized equipment with them, and the request didn’t specify what kind of specialists they were. Moreover, they were seen dancing, led by Fernández, an activity usually practiced for entertainment, not scientific observation.
Video by mxespaciolibre on Instagram
Video by mxespaciolibre on Instagram
Espacio Libre’s investigation revealed that they weren’t a group of specialists at all and that the travel agency charged 6,390 USD per person. There were at least 50 people in the group, according to Martínez, which adds up to around 319,500 USD or 5,400,000 MXN. Martínez wondered how much of that money was pocketed by the government of Durango to allow the group of foreigners to appropriate the most privileged spot to watch the solar eclipse.
Video by mxespaciolibre on Instagram
When Espacio Libre shared clips of these deplorable actions on social media, Durango residents and people all over Mexico and the U.S. were outraged. The video quickly went viral as more and more Latinos reproached the vile attitude of white Americans, who, even in foreign countries, feel entitled to claim any space as theirs. Moreover, many took to Yelp to leave scathing reviews calling out the racist behavior of Betchart Expeditions’ staff. Currently, the travel agency's website and Facebook page are temporarily down.
It’s speculated that the Department of Tourism Planning and Development carries some of the responsibility by allowing Fernández to rent out a public space. It’s not just illegal to do so, but it also violates an essential human right–the freedom of movement. In response to the allegations, the Department of Fairs, Shows and Sightseeing Tours of Durango issued a statement, claiming, “At no time was space rented to foreign tourists at this sighting point. Only a small space was delimited to protect the technological equipment of foreign astronomers."
Many perceive these actions as discriminatory against Mexicans, and the fact that it happened on their own soil, seemingly backed by their own government, makes the situation even more shocking. Below is the full video from Espacio Libre TV on Instagram for the complete story.
Note: the video is in Spanish, no English captions are available on Instagram.
