January 21, 2020
Campus Anti-Semitism Reaches New Highs—Or Lows—in America
Dear Friend of FLAME: Last month, President Trump issued an Executive Order aimed at combatting
anti-Semitism on American college campuses. For ideological as well as
financial reasons, his action caused outrage on numerous
campuses—eliciting cries of censorship from administrators,
faculty, student governments and others. Yet these same academics are quick
to condemn similar offenses directed at African-American, Muslim, women or
transgender students.
Equal protection on campus is everybody’s business—not just
that of the academic community. Anti-Semitism on campus is a reflection of
a greater societal sickness that threatens every minority, whether
racial, religious, sexual or ethnic.
Yet college anti-Semitism has reached epidemic proportions and
deserves not only outrage from every American—but also public
pressure to eliminate it directed at university administrators and elected
representatives at every level.
Numbers tell a horrific story of hate directed at American Jewish college
students—reminiscent of early warnings in 1930s Germany.
Acts of campus anti-Semitism last year rose to 201 reported incidents, an 86% increase in just two years. These included numerous acts of
harassment and vandalism, but also several assaults of Jewish students
according to the Anti-Defamation League’s Annual Report.
There were also a half-dozen bomb threats to Jewish campus institutions. At the University of
California at Berkeley, campus police found a fake bomb covered with
anti-Semitic statements, including “All Jews f--- off and
evaporate.”
Horrifically, during the week of national grieving for victims of the
massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, memorials set
up at four universities—the University of Tennessee, Pomona College,
Eastern Michigan University and Duke University—were defaced with
anti-Semitic graffiti and Nazi swastikas.
Nationwide, many meetings and events of Jewish organizations like Hillel
were disrupted by raucous protesters, typically shouting anti-Zionist and outright anti-Semitic chants. On campuses
from coast to coast, national pro-Palestinian groups like Students for
Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the despicable Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP)
have usually orchestrated the anti-Semitic verbal—and sometimes
physically threatening—assaults.
Jewish students are scared to wear outward signs of their
Jewishness—like Chai or Magen David necklaces, kippot, and pro-Israel or pro-Jewish shirts—because they are harassed and sometimes even assaulted for their membership
in the Jewish people.
The new Executive Order issued by President Trump relates to Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a generous federal funding program for
colleges. Title VI specifically denies funding to colleges that do not
prevent and/or punish perpetrators of discrimination or harassment based on
“race, color, or national origin.”
The new rules extend the list to include anti-Semitic actions, and clearly
state that anti-Zionism—that is,
the denial of the Jewish people’s right to a nation in their
indigenous home—is a form of anti-Semitism covered by the rubrics of Title VI. (It
also states that normal criticism of particular Israel policies is no
different than, say, critiquing American immigration policy or Great
Britain’s Brexit policy.)
The President’s order states that a school’s Title VI
obligations are triggered when harassment is “based on the group’s actual or perceived shared ancestry or
ethnic characteristics, rather than solely on its members’ religious practices.” It
also suggests that funding agencies use the definition of anti-Semitism
advanced by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
The IHRA guidelines include “applying double standards by requiring of Israel a behavior not expected or
demanded of any other democratic nation.”
The anti-Semitic activities on campuses go beyond the sort of incidents
that the ADL tallies. At several schools (including McGill University in
Canada), student and faculty groups have tried to eliminate study-abroad programs at Israeli universities. At the
University of Michigan, a professor—based on his advocacy of a total
academic boycott of Israel—refused to write of letter of
recommendation for a Jewish student who wished to study at the University
of Haifa. (Fortunately, in this case, the campus administration remedied
the situation.)
Columbia University and the University of North Carolina have already been
put on notice that various campus goings-on regarding Jewish students and
groups may endanger their Title VI funding. Even the notoriously anti-Semitic San Francisco State University has taken
steps to ameliorate the hostile atmosphere for Jewish students at the hand
of pro-Palestinian groups.
It is tragic that the state of American universities has degenerated to the
point that Jewish students and groups must look to a presidential Executive
Order for protection from rampant anti-Semitism. Apparently, though, this
is the only way to make cowardly campus administrations sit up and
take action when their Jewish students are harassed and made to feel
unwelcome on campus.
All people of goodwill—and certainly all of those who care about
young Jewish students—should continue to
pressure colleges to take responsibility for the well-being of Jewish students
and organizations on campus in their communities and nationwide.
If your local college—or your alma mater—is a place of
hostility for Jewish causes and Zionist students, demand that the campus
leadership provide a safe place for all Americans, regardless of
ethnicity, religion or support for Israel. Make your financial support
dependent on such equal protection. Write letters to your local
newspaper—or college newspaper—expressing your outrage at the
harassment of Jewish students.
Demand that young Jews leaving home for the first time to study at an
American university should not have to hide their Jewish identity or
their support for the State of Israel as the home of the Jewish people. Nor should they feel that it is risky to participate actively in
Jewish-related or pro-Israel activities at institutions that are supposed
to be centers of diversity and free expression.
In addition, I hope you'll also take a minute, while you have this material
front and center, to visit FLAME's lively
new Facebook page
and review the P.S. immediately below. It describes FLAME's new hasbarah campaign—clearly
explaining the great value that American aid to Israel brings back to America.
Best regards, Ken Cohen
Editor, Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)
P.S. |
Many uninformed Americans—including some
politicians—believe that foreign aid to Israel is a mistake. The
anti-Semites believe Jews are extorting money from U.S. taxpayers or that
Israel “doesn’t need the money.” These opinions, of
course, are mistaken. U.S. aid to Israel is no gift: It’s a wise
investment that repays American taxpayers many times over—in fact
delivering more benefits than most other U.S. foreign aid. That’s why
FLAME has created a new hasbarah message called “Aid to Israel Makes the U.S. Safer” I hope you'll review this convincing, fact-based paid editorial,
which will run in coming months in the New York Times and Washington Post. It lays out the many contributions Israel makes
to U.S. security that far exceed their relatively modest cost. This piece
will also be sent to all members of Congress, Vice President Pence and
President Trump. If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on
Israel's behalf is critical, I urge you to support us. Remember: FLAME's
powerful ability to influence public opinion—and U.S. support of
Israel—comes from individuals like you, one by one. I hope you'll
consider giving a donation now, as you're able—with $500,
$250, $100, or even $18. (Remember, your donation to FLAME is tax
deductible.) To donate online, just go to donate now. Now, more
than ever, we need your support to ensure that the American people, the
U.S. Congress and President Trump stay focused on realistic policies in
relation to Israel, the Palestinians and the entire Middle East.
As of today, more than 15,000 Israel supporters receive the FLAME Hotline at no charge every week. If you're not yet a subscriber, won't you
join us in receiving these timely updates, so you can more effectively tell
the truth about Israel? Just go to free subscription.
|
|
THIS MONTH'S AD APPEARED IN PUBLICATIONS REACHING 10 MILLION READERS IF YOU SUPPORT PUBLISHING FLAME'S BOLD PR MESSAGES, PLEASE HELP US!! FLAME is the only organization that defends Israel with paid editorial hasbarah messages placed in media nationwide every month: The dire threats from Iran, Hamas and Hizbollah, the injustice of BDS, Palestinian anti-Semitism and more. If you support a bold voice that tells the truth about Israel in American media, please donate now. FLAME'S WEEKLY HOTLINE E-NEWSLETTER FLAME's Hotline e-newsletter keeps you up to date on the most important pro-Israel advocacy issues and features our choice of the week's most informative and thought-provoking article on Israel and the Middle East. If you only subscribe to one pro-Israel news service, make it the FLAME Hotline. |
|