As a protester from the Vietnam War era I can attest that, at least in Australia
where we did our protesting, in a time of conscription, we didn't hate on anyone, or stop anyone from attending classes, or scream abuse at those who didn't agree with us, or were a different ethnicity or another religion.
And we knew a lot more about the war we were protesting; a lot more than the know-nothing students today know of the Gaza war. Or of Hamas, for that matter. (The “
progressive dimwits”)
At my school, Canberra Grammar, in 1967, we held a debate on the Vietnam war, the whole school invited. I still remember the two students who took the opposite sides: both were my classmates. And looking back, I'm a little amazed that the school should do such a thing; remember that was near sixty years ago!
Ross Reid took the pro-America, pro-war side. Steve Padgham took the pro Viet-Cong, anti-war side. Even at that time most of my classmates were anti the war. As was I, in a kind of squishy way. I mean, I didn’t look into it deeply; I’m not sure why. But I guess I generally bought the idea that Ho-Ho Ho Chi-minh was just a nice guy who only wanted to unify his country under a benevolent .... something..., and I went along with that. (Ho turned out to be not that nice of a guy, but that’s another story...).
I remember thinking Ross was brave to (1) have his own view different from the rest of us and (2) to stand up in front of the whole school, a 17-year old, arguing his (unpopular) case. But there was no cancel culture and Ross never was or never felt threatened.
Not the case with today's students. Who (1) do not tolerate dissent from the pro-Hamas anti-Israel view and (2) are openly anti-Semitic. I prefer these day to call them “Jew haters”, for that's what they are. As made clear by the article below. And as made clear by the plethora of videos looking at the encampments and talking (when allowed) to the students.
Like here .... And
Suella Braverman at Cambridge (Mute Morons).
I do hope that one day they feel ashamed of their Jew hatred. They should feel ashamed. And don't give me any of that "we're only criticising Zionism" nonsense! They're not. They specifically hate Jews.
A good article by the editors of The Spectator.
Snip:
As the weather has warmed, it's time for that time-honored tradition — protest season. Because everyone knows the plight of the disenfranchised is best solved at 70°F. Setting up winter camp in a college quad seems unpleasant — the revolution will take place at a time, place and temperature that's convenient for America's poetry graduate assistants.
Campus protests are nothing new in America. They've been a feature of university life since at least the Vietnam War and beyond. And sure, it's fun to get wrapped up in a romantic cause you only just learned about and of which you have only a surface-level knowledge. It might give your life meaning at a time when you're trying to figure out what the point of all of this is. Like you're part of something greater than yourself. Plus, it used to be a great way to meet girls. (Nowadays, these girls are all enbies. Ask your teenager.)
“
Why the Gaza protests are worrying”
The Spectator May 15, 2024
