Massive brutal police repression of students. Called in by administrators. With the Biden Administration’s vocal support. All to protect a genocide. During an election year. Morally revolting and politically suicidal.

One of the most frustrating nights for press access i’ve experienced as a reporter. At Columbia & CCNY, police barricaded public streets for blocks, obstructing journalists from seeing what was happening even from a distance. A policy of exclusion cheered on by Eric Adams’ staff

A parallel in many ways -a) mostly kids appalled by humanitarian atrocities (though some did favour DRV victory) b) gross mistreatment by uni and authorities made them more widespread & radical c) that + LBJ’s refusal to engage led to Nixon win & thus intensification of the war

Columbia’s page regretting the decision it made in 1968 bears a banner about the decisions it is making now. news.columbia.edu/content/new-pe…

Meanwhile, in Gaza, where there's a brutal war, Netanyahu pledges to invade Rafah regardless of a ceasefire. This is what US tax payer dollars and US politicians are supporting.

Why? How does this make Israel, the region, or US any safer?

nytimes.com/live/2024/04/3…

They are delivering an important lesson, the Western state powers that cannot abide protest against Israel's horrific actions in Gaza, that we should not lazily assume we're the good guys.

'So, what did you do as a mainstream journalist in 2024? Did you warn about rising fascism? Did you inform people about white supremacists: the #1 domestic terror threat? Did you show what Israel did to Gaza?'

'No. Something more noble. We helped crush the student protestors.'

The entire world should be shocked by the level of violence that a Democratic Mayor, Governor, and President are willing to use to stop students from criticizing America’s support for Israel.

Exactly so. There's a double standard on speech when it comes to critics of Israel. I'll add that this is also counterproductive: we've already seen that repression will only make the protests spread faster and farther.

A question I'd ask the American political elite is how many students and professors are you willing to beat into a pulp in order to shield Israel from perfectly legitimate criticism based on widely shared principles?

Where are the free speech warriors?

Where are my free speech warriors at? Where are my anti-authoritarians at?

This is what the violence we're seeing on campuses is designed to defend.

If you want a good primer on the unfolding disaster in Columbia University, listen to this talk I had with Joseph A. Howley, who teaches classics there and is in the thick of it. thenation.com/podcast/activi…

Your idiocy helped create this world , don’t you dare give people sententious little lectures. You’re lucky you’re not in prison

Osita Nwanevu Protesting for bad things is bad. Protesting for good things is good. Conservatives who reason via 'rights' but not morals fundamentally don't understand civil disobedience, in which people act outside of their legal 'rights' because some laws are unjust, and some principles are

In places of Higher Learning perhaps we can also educate law enforcement that they are there to “protect and serve” ALL.

Also brush up on the Amendments. It’s the First one. Can’t miss it.

wric.com/news/local-new…

This gives everything away. For Netanyahu, it’s not about the hostages, it’s about inflicting pain and suffering on the Palestinian people.

This is a humanitarian crisis in the highest form.

Protesting war is not anti-semitism, it’s a display of our free speech rights.

Student protests at UW–Madison are reminiscent of the anti-war protests of the 60s that helped end the Vietnam War.

We must protect all students from anti-semitism & Islamophobia. Always.

“If unchallenged, the ICC could assume unprecedented power to issue arrest warrants against American political leaders, American diplomats, and American military personnel, thereby endangering our sovereign authority,” Johnson said.

No shit, asshole.
timesofisrael.com/us-lawmakers-t…