You give expression to my most fervently held ideas about the importance of free speech, even if it is uncomfortable, or even untrue. As long as it does not directly harm another human being it should be permitted. The government should not be in the business of defining 'truth' for us.
This latest affront by Trump, his regime and enablers has nothing to do with anti-semitism, or stopping it; just as the Congressional ‘Hearings’ last year of the college presidents had nothing to do with preventing ani-semitism on campuses. If anything it amplifies anti-semitism as well as other biases. The Trump folks needed a new word, like ‘communist’ in the 1950s to justify their taking control of universities, schools, businesses, Congress; total control to turn our country into a fascist ‘dictatorship.’ There really is no other word to describe this regime’s goal. The same is true of the Hearing this year grilling four city Mayors. The Republican House Members care not a whit about immigration or immigrants. If they did they would have voted for very good plans that were put forward decades ago, and even last year. And it is Congress’s specific job! They have another code word now to use against those who don’t follow Trump’s lead, all to secure his total control. Too many Americans are uninformed and misinformed to come to any rational, reasonable conclusions about the real issues. The mainstream media feeds us pablum when we need Sriracha to wake us up.
Dear Nikki, Thank you for the subscription. I will look into Bruce Robbins’ matter. Thanks for letting me know. Please keep me posted. Wonderful meeting you! Best wishes, Dennis
Rashid Khalidi observed in yesterday's The Guardian: 'We should not mourn what Columbia has become, for as great as it may have been, none of this is entirely new. Before the current expulsions and suspension, Columbia once in its history expelled a student for non-violent protest: in 1936 for protesting against offering a platform to Nazis. In 1953 its president signed a letter pronouncing communists unfit to teach. Columbia trustees fired two faculty members for opposing the first world war on pacifist grounds, while student conscientious objectors were arrested and jailed.'
You give expression to my most fervently held ideas about the importance of free speech, even if it is uncomfortable, or even untrue. As long as it does not directly harm another human being it should be permitted. The government should not be in the business of defining 'truth' for us.
This latest affront by Trump, his regime and enablers has nothing to do with anti-semitism, or stopping it; just as the Congressional ‘Hearings’ last year of the college presidents had nothing to do with preventing ani-semitism on campuses. If anything it amplifies anti-semitism as well as other biases. The Trump folks needed a new word, like ‘communist’ in the 1950s to justify their taking control of universities, schools, businesses, Congress; total control to turn our country into a fascist ‘dictatorship.’ There really is no other word to describe this regime’s goal. The same is true of the Hearing this year grilling four city Mayors. The Republican House Members care not a whit about immigration or immigrants. If they did they would have voted for very good plans that were put forward decades ago, and even last year. And it is Congress’s specific job! They have another code word now to use against those who don’t follow Trump’s lead, all to secure his total control. Too many Americans are uninformed and misinformed to come to any rational, reasonable conclusions about the real issues. The mainstream media feeds us pablum when we need Sriracha to wake us up.
Right on brother!
Bruce Robbins of the Columbia University English Department, whose presence on panels I recall from my days at Columbia, is under attack. Video interview from three days ago, conducted by Mohamed Hashem of the Middle East Eye; https://www.middleeasteye.net/video/inside-crackdown-columbia-university-bruce-robbins
Dear Nikki, Thank you for the subscription. I will look into Bruce Robbins’ matter. Thanks for letting me know. Please keep me posted. Wonderful meeting you! Best wishes, Dennis
Rashid Khalidi observed in yesterday's The Guardian: 'We should not mourn what Columbia has become, for as great as it may have been, none of this is entirely new. Before the current expulsions and suspension, Columbia once in its history expelled a student for non-violent protest: in 1936 for protesting against offering a platform to Nazis. In 1953 its president signed a letter pronouncing communists unfit to teach. Columbia trustees fired two faculty members for opposing the first world war on pacifist grounds, while student conscientious objectors were arrested and jailed.'
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/03/21/the-chris-hedges-report-americas-constitutional-crisis/
"Much of this government activity claims to target anti-Semitism as a civil rights violation, which, on its face, seems reasonable."
Why is it reasonable? Anti-semitism is not illegal and there is no statute establishing a right to be free from hearing it. And despite the IHRA Definition examples, there is no Jewish right to self-determination. See my brief at https://relativelyfreepress.blogspot.com/2023/12/palestine-two-state-solution-is-illegal.html