Submission: MSA engages in identity politics with San Bernardino solidarity rally

On Thursday the Muslim Student Association, or MSA, at UCLA held a “Solidarity Rally” in response to a horrific mass shooting on Wednesday that left 14 dead and at least 21 wounded in San Bernardino, California. However, the purpose of this rally was not to commemorate the victims. Instead, the rally – which took place just 24 hours after the attack – was an attempt to reframe the shooting to fit a particular political narrative in which the MSA portrayed Muslim students as victims.

According to the original Facebook page for the event, the MSA planned this rally “in preemptive defense against Islamophobic incidents fueled by the recent San Bernardino shooting.” Neither the attackers – who were Muslim – nor the victims were mentioned in this original description. For a group to gather in defense of their community is one thing. But to hijack and distort the reality of this shooting to recast themselves as victims is nothing short of brazen disrespect for the real victims and their families.

Although the description was later updated to include language condemning the murders, this afterthought was a disingenuous attempt to mask the selfish intentions of the MSA, who attempted to exploit this tragedy to convince others of their victimhood.

The only conceivably appropriate event that the MSA – or any group – could have held would have been a vigil to remember and honor the victims of this attack. Instead, the MSA revealed themselves as political opportunists in their attempt to capitalize on the San Bernardino massacre for their own gain. Their updated event description states that the rally would involve a discussion of “ways in which UCLA students can support their fellow Muslim peers.” This is not to say that the MSA cannot work with fellow students to support their community. But the MSA – no matter how much they want to believe that they are – are not the victims of Wednesday’s attack, and organizing a rally to claim otherwise while ignoring the real victims was unacceptable.

The MSA’s actions are representative of a larger trend by groups at universities across the United States that increasingly choose to engage in this brand of “identity politics.” Such toxic ideology has apparently eroded the moral judgment of the MSA, evidenced by their intentional plan to use tragedy for self-promotion, before even considering to condemn the attackers or honor the victims.

This event should serve as a wake-up call for the UCLA student body regarding the dangers of the identity-obsessed discourse which seems to dominate political life at UCLA. Only through a collective and deliberate effort can the UCLA community create a much-needed shift away from virulent identity politics, and return to the free and academic exchange of ideas that should define a university.

To the MSA: I hope that you can appreciate the magnitude of this tragedy, and how it has affected so many others before yourselves. This was their day, not yours.

Nusbaum graduated from UCLA in 2015 and is a teaching assistant in the life sciences.

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8 Comments

  1. Hey David! Thank you for the post, it’s nice to see your perspective. There are accuracies in your article, it was well written. We do not wish to come off as political opportunists and the rally, was more of a vigil I feel; I personally spoke as did other non-MSA members. I would love to have lunch or coffee to discuss things further, I’ll be delighted to chat with you. Please reach out if this is of any interest to you.
    Cheers,
    Abdul

  2. Hi! UCLA class of 2011; San Gorgonio High School (in San Bernardino) class of 2007 here.

    I want to thank MSA and tell them the city I grew up in and that I love is struggling hard to stand with our Muslim neighbors and friends as the details about this tragedy come out.

    You’re *absolutely* right that MSA at UCLA (or anywhere else) were not the victims of the attack last week. My neighbors were. And I’d hate for people to use the attack on my neighbors to make my former classmates feel unsafe on their campus or create more victims – and, based on some of the conversations about banning Muslim immigration, that’s not too far-off a possibility.

    Speaking as someone from both San Bernardino and UCLA, I want to thank you for your zeal in the defense of my hometown, but we can speak for ourselves. And we’re struggling hard to make sure that #SBStrong means #SBStronger than hate and fear. Cheers!

    1. Hello! Thank you for the comment. I did not intend to come across as representing the San Bernardino community; I have no doubt that you can speak for yourselves. In addition, I am aware that some might use this attack to justify anti-Muslim sentiments that they may harbor.

      From my perspective, this piece serves two functions: (1) to hold the MSA accountable (despite the valid claim that some are using the San Bernardino shooting as a pretext for anti-Muslim rhetoric, the timing and intention of the MSA’s rally were–in my view–both unacceptable); and (2) to comment on the disaster that is the obsession with identity at American universities (this particular incident served as an accessible example).

      Thanks again, and best wishes!

  3. David, I think you are fundamentally out of touch with reality. Identity politics is a phenomena utilized by people or groups with a vested interest – such as politicians, in seeking and retaining power. Thus, the invention of social phenomena such as race, utilized as a political tool to exclude non-whites from the dominant cultural system. This is just one of many examples of how political identity is used by those of the dominant cultural and political systems to get and retain power. People in society are merely responding to the marginalized position imposed on them. So, saying that Muslim students – and, other marginalized communities, are engaging in identity politics by defending themselves from bigotry, discrimination, and violence, is, I think, out of touch.

    1. Thanks for the comment, Robby. “Marginalized” is a favorite word among those who utilize these political tactics. I don’t disagree that some groups face discrimination, bias, etc. However, the political ideology of groups such as the MSA involves an obsession with identity-based victimhood–an obsession that often encourages hyperbole and overdramatic responses.

      My point was not to detract from the real issues that groups face. Rather, I intended to comment on the sad state of affairs at UCLA (and many other universities in general), where this obsession with identity and perceived injustices leads to irresponsible behavior by student groups.

      Sadly, I think you are “out of touch” with reality, if you think that the MSA was justified in holding a rally to “defend themselves” from anticipated reactions to a mass murder, just 24 hours after the attack.

      1. If you, David, attended the 15 minute ‘rally’ your article would be different. Since you didn’t respond to my request to have a discussion, I have to correct you publically not to help you understand because it doesn’t seem like you want to engage. Rather it’s for the sincere viewers who weren’t at the gathering and wish to know the truth.

        The ‘solidarity’ was for the victims not the Muslims. Your words are right, but are out of context, so your understanding is flawed. The rally wasn’t ‘our day’ it was for the victims who were oppressed, my notes were clear if you listened to them. The MSA stands against oppressed humans and since no org in UCLA stood up to, we did and were the only ones. If you’re only evidence are words from a Facebook page which it seems like it from your article, then the premise of the article is flawed.

        If you disagree, I’m always open to speak face to face.

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