President Biden issued a proclamation commemorating the National Day of Prayer, appealing for cooperation and civility amid continued chaos and violence on college campuses across the country.
The declaration was released on Wednesday ahead of the National Day of Prayer on May 2.
“The Bible teaches us to rejoice in hope, endure tribulation, and pray without ceasing,” Biden said in a statement. “My prayer for our nation this year is to continue to believe that our best days are ahead of us, and to continue to believe in integrity, decency, dignity, and respect.”
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President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Hannah Baier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“May we see each other not as enemies, but as fellow citizens, made in God’s image and precious in God’s eyes,” he continued. “May we leave no one behind, give everyone a fair chance, and give hate a safe place. If we act together, we will overcome more than we are capable of.” Remember, there is nothing.”
Biden’s message of peace and nonviolence was announced as American universities across the country descended into chaos amid student protests demanding, among other things, total divestment from Israel.
Students at Columbia University in New York City barricaded themselves inside campus buildings after weeks of protests that ultimately forced a raid by the NYPD on Tuesday night.
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Pro-Palestinian students are confronted by police after breaking down some of the barricades at an encampment on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in Los Angeles, California. (Etienne Laurent/AFP/Getty)
Campuses such as the University of California, Los Angeles, Tulane, and Portland State University continue to be disrupted.
On the National Day of Prayer itself, Biden explicitly addressed the situation and condemned student actions that led to “disorder.”
“Vandalism, trespassing, broken windows, campus closures, forced cancellations of classes and graduations – none of this is peaceful protest,” Biden said Thursday. “Threatening, intimidating, and instilling fear in people is not peaceful protest. It is against the law. Dissent is essential to democracy, but dissent must not lead to disorder. yeah.”
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New York City police arrest Columbia University student. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates earlier said on April 30 that Mr. Biden condemned the “anti-Semitic” and “dangerous” aspects of the protests.
“Throughout his life, President Biden has spoken out against offensive, anti-Semitic slurs and violent rhetoric. As with other tragic and dangerous hate speech recently, President Biden has spoken out against offensive and anti-Semitic slurs and violent rhetoric. “We condemn the use of the word,” Bates said. “President Biden respects the right to freedom of expression, but protests must be peaceful and lawful. Forced occupation of buildings is not peaceful and wrong, and hate speech and The symbol has no place in the United States.”Fox News Digital contacted: The White House has been contacted for comment.
