GENOCIDE AND CONTEXT December 8, 2023
Today’s first day of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, arrives during a period of more than seasonal darkness. Israel continues to face the threat of Hamas (and Hezbollah) violence, a war rages in Gaza, and Jews across the globe, including the United States, contend with rising antisemitism.
Of note, Jewish college students who support Israel face continuing antagonism and often intimidation. Jewish students opposed to Israel’s conduct of the war with Hamas and the lack of Palestinian statehood may see themselves as exempt. History teaches that antisemites make no distinction between “good” and “bad” Jews.
This past Monday, a hearing by the House education and workforce committee revealed the tenuous nature of Jews on campus and, by extension, Jews throughout our nation.
Harvard’s president, Claudine Gay, gave a blurred answer as to whether calls for genocide of Jews violates the school’s code of conduct. She stated that such speech was “personally abhorrent to me” and “at odds with the values of Harvard.” But Harvard gives “a wide berth to free expression, even of views that are objectionable.” The university takes action only “when speech crosses into conduct that violates our policies” re bullying, harassment or intimidation.
Calling for the slaughter of Jews is only “objectionable”?
Rep. Elaine Stefanik (R.–N.Y.) asked Elizabeth Magill, president of the University of Pennsylvania, whether calls for genocide violate Penn’s code of conduct. Ms. Magill’s fuzzy reply included, “It is a context-dependent decision.” She added, “If the speech turns into conduct, it can be harassment.”
I applaud free speech on college campuses. But what “context” makes calls for genocide—mass death for Jews or any other group, like Muslims or African Americans—acceptable?
Such speech can lead to locking Jewish students out of campus activities, painting swastikas on synagogue walls, assaulting Jews in the street, and worse.
Calls for genocide represent incitement.
But are people who push for genocide free of wrongdoing if an inflamed antisemite kills “only” 11 Jews, the number of murdered worshippers at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue in 2018? Should calls for genocide go unpunished if no more than 100 Jews are killed? One thousand? Ten thousand? After all, American Jews number around 7 million.
In no way do chants promoting genocide reflect the free exchange of ideas—intellectual vigor—universities promote. In context, such calls offer a twisted sense of moral rectitude to anyone who would wield a gun, knife or bomb to attempt to murder Jews.
More real context: Calls for genocide have induced deranged political leaders and entire nations to take homicidal action. We know where Hitler’s writings and rantings led in Germany and throughout Europe.
Even more: Context, beginning with Hamas’ charter, makes clear that cries of “Palestine free from the river to the sea” advocate the destruction of Israel and murder of its Jews.
Students and others supporting genocide under bogus intellectual justifications—and tossing out verbal smokescreens—may not fire a shot or explode a bomb. But they can trigger others to do so.
Dr. Gay just apologized. Ms. Magill and many university presidents owe not only Jews but all of America a major apology. Their lack of intellectual honesty and moral disorientation regarding free speech encourages ongoing hostility towards, and risks of physical violence against, Jewish students and Jews across the nation.
To all those celebrating Chanukah after the past 2,100 years, stay hopeful. End enjoy!
Feel free to pass this post on.
Order The Short (Pun Intended) Redemptive Life of Little Ned in softcover or e-book from Amazon, barnesandnoble.com or iuniverse.com. Or your favorite bookstore.
Excellent comments.
Everyone should read this book to know the true sequence of events. It’s a very easy conversational read for Jews and non Jews, but has the hard facts.
Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth Hardcover – April 6, 2021
by Noa Tishby (Author)
It’s so relevant now, even though it was published 2 years ago. It’s available on kindle and audio books too.
Happy Chanukah!
Sandy, this looks like a good recommendation. Not Tishby has been making the rounds of the media. Happy Chanukah!