Students hold ‘disorientation tour’ to highlight San Jose State University complicity in genocide
San Jose, CA – On August 28, about 30 students gathered in front of the historic Smith and Carlos Statues at San Jose State University students for a “disorientation tour.” On the disorientation tour, new students were able to hear from experienced campus organizers about the university administration's complicity in the genocide against Palestine and inaction under the Trump presidency.
The first stop on the disorientation tour was at the building where Professor Jonathon Roth assaulted a protester in spring 2024. Protesters successfully disrupted guest lecturer, Jeffery Bluttinger, a known Zionist from CSU Long Beach. After the protest, Jonathan Roth was put on administrative leave before eventually retiring.
“It is up to us, the students, to hold SJSU accountable now and in the future! Because they will try to do this again! It is the students, not the administration, who shut down such an event championing a genocide sympathizer. And it is the students, not the administration, who took away Roth's power, pressuring him into retirement!” remarked Nikki Flowers, a student organizer with Students for a Democratic Society San Jose State and Students Against Mass Incarceration.
Next on the march was Yoshiro Uchida Hall, where students learned about how university administration handled transphobic attacks from conservative shill Riley Gaines against a member of the women’s volleyball team. Students also learned how campus organizers stepped up to support their peer during these attacks. San Jose State administration gave no public comment condemning these transphobic attacks. Students chanted, “When trans rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up! Fight back!”
The last few stops in the disorientation tour were centered around San Jose State University's partnership with well-known weapon manufacturer Lockheed Martin. San Jose State University has a close partnership with Lockheed Martin, providing four dedicated master’s programs to Lockheed Martin employees.
Rei Adriano, representing the League of Filipino Students, said, “SJSU claims to embrace talent from across the world, to support its immigrant and international community, to uplift historically underrepresented groups. Yet it directly funnels its students into destroying innocent lives that it claims to stand for. SJSU doesn't care about human lives, not Filipinos, not Palestinians.”
At the end of the tour, students demanded the administration to disclose its investment funds and to divest from any corporations connected to the occupations and genocide of Palestinians, state repression, and border violence.
“How can an administration give a land acknowledgement while partnering with a company whose logos are on the missiles currently dropping in Gaza? We are here to say to SJSU admin that you cannot have your cake and eat it too,” said Megan Sweet, a member of the San Jose State University chapter of Students for a Democratic Society.