Some US university presidents were asked by a congressional committee
to explain why they did not punish students for stating antisemitic
views. They explained that they were defending freedom of speech,
which courts have ruled does apply to college students. That includes
the right to express any views whatsoever.
They are now facing waves of hatred for respecting the US Constitution.
Subsequently the president of U Penn did resign.
The article does not report why she yielded to this pressure.
It appears that opposition to antisemitism, opposition which I join
in, is being twisted into an excuse to shut down criticism of Israel's
war crimes.
Those are two different issues; condemnation of Israel's war crimes
does not logically entail any opinion about Jews, just as condemnation
of HAMAS's war crimes does not logically entail any opinion about
Palestinians. I condemn those war crimes without antisemitism and
without condemning the existence of Israel.
The word "intifada" means "uprising". Palestinians have used
different methods for uprising against the occupation, some of which
used violence. The occupation itself uses violence too.
Describing Palestine as stretching "from the river to the sea" does
not embody antisemitism as such, but it does imply the disappearance
of Israel. I oppose that goal, and therefore criticize that phrase,
but I respect the freedom of speech of those who disagree with me on
this issue.
Many right-wing extremists reject outright the idea that the same
moral rules apply to them and to the rest of us. Rep. Stefanik, a
right-wing extremist, supports a fascist US presidential contender,
the wrecker, who publicly welcomes support from antisemites
and even Nazis.