St. Olaf Students Want a Supporter of Israel Removed From a School Advisory Board

Because of some racial incidences on campus (from what it sounds like, it was directed at black students), a group of St. Olaf students have published a “list of demands” they want to see implemented at the school. (see a news article about it here)
 
The first demand, coming even before demands such as “college must meet the financial needs of students of color through merit and need-based scholarships” and “create visible and easily accessible gender neutral housing on all residence halls” was this:
 
“We demand the removal of Arne Christenson from the Advisory Board of The
Institute for Freedom & Community. Given Mr. Christenson’s political views and values as a Christian Zionist, St. Olaf College risks his influence upon the speakers brought to the school, the educational offerings, faculty development workshops, and scholarships sanctioned by the Institute through financial means.”
 
How Arne Christenson, or the support of Israel, has anything to do with the racial incidents at St. Olaf, is a question St. Olaf leadership should “demand” the signers of this “list” answer. Using racial incidents on campus, to further their completely unrelated ideals, is shameful. Trying to remove and silence an influencer and leader, whose views apparently differ from their own, is disgraceful and un-American.
 
The ELCA (St. Olaf is a school of the ELCA) has a long history of demonizing Israel and attacking those who support the Jewish state, Christian Zionism. (see here) 
 
Below are the St. Olaf students involved in writing the “list of demands.”
 
“The Drafting Committee includes the following individuals:
AL-Masrafi, Nouf ‘19
Avalos III, Junior ‘18
Brown, Demetrius ‘18
Chakravarty, Udeepta ‘17
Cathro, Dillon ‘17
Fuentes, Tamira ‘19
Gayles, Lamar ‘19
Gowdy, Khadijah M. ‘19
Ismail, Precious ‘17
Lewis, Nikki ‘18
Loza, Brenda ‘17
Mendis, Prabana ‘18
Ramirez Jr, Efren ‘18
Smith, Ashley P. ‘18
Schaffer, Tia ‘20
Soler, Natalia ‘17
Wake, Abdul ‘19
Wetzel, Krysta ‘18
Whirl, Jabri ‘18
Williams, Don ‘18
Wells, Samantha ‘17
Vyas, Shivani ‘17"

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