I support the national student protests over Palestine.

[Goddessartist]

145. I refer you to this post,

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=18887173

Nanjeanne's post, where she quoted this interview. I agree with her. There will be outsiders doing this to rile up folks. So, your point has no merit. I also wonder why you seem to despise the Palestinians and anyone who stands up for them.

Read full interview https://slate.com/human-interest/2024/04/columbia-university-protests-presidents-jewish-students-encampment.html]


It seems everyone is concerned that things will be getting worse. This weekend, Jake Tapper pointed to calls from an orthodox rabbi for Jewish students to stay home for their own safety. How does that square with what you’re seeing on campus?

Klein: I think that’s honestly ridiculous. I haven’t seen any threats or fear among the Jewish students at the university. I don’t know why there would be fear. On campus there’s really no reason why any student would be more scared now than they theoretically would have been in the past. And even then, I don’t really see any reason for fear. I guess the only potential justification that would make sense to me would be the number of outside protesters. Just that, as in any case, you don’t know who’s going to show up to a large demonstration. There’s always going to be bad faith actors of any kind of kind of mass rally. I think Columbia’s inability to vet these people I guess theoretically could be a cause for concern. But there haven’t been any incidents.

Roedl: The director of the Kraft Center for Jewish Life, Brian Cohen, issued a letter saying he didn’t believe Jewish students should leave Columbia, and that the university and the city need to do more to ensure the safety of the students. So I think—

Klein: Wait. We just got an email from Columbia’s chief operating officer. Are you joking?

What does it say?

Klein: It says, “increasing patrol strength to reach a total of 35 additional guards and two additional supervisors per shift, a total of 111 additional safety personnel”—“this will more than double the current safety personnel per shift. Additional coverage of the Kraft Center during the Passover holiday.” Which I think is simply beyond the pale. Increased coverage during Passover? Please …

Why does it strike you as unserious?

Klein: Because it’s very alarmist. They’ve done this before regarding the Kraft Center. And the truth is that it’s never been under siege. There are no protesters in that area right now. I’ve never seen protesters specifically go by the Kraft Center. I think it’s ridiculous because it implies a level of danger that simply is not there. Honestly, I think this announcement is potentially more distressing to Jewish students than anything else actually happening on campus. Because if you hear the security for the Jewish center is being increased during Passover, the implication is this center could potentially be targeted.


Gift link NYTimes https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/22/us/campus-protest-seders.html?unlocked_article_code=1.mk0.mtyL.2HCuEjRukA20&smid=url-share]

A Night Different From Others as Campus Protests Break for Seder
Pro-Palestinian protesters, many of whom are Jewish, prepared Seder dinners at college protest encampments, even as other Jewish students sought community in more traditional settings.

As evening fell over Columbia’s tent encampment on Monday, about 100 students and faculty gathered in a circle around a blue tarp heaped with boxes of matzo and food they had prepared in a kosher kitchen. Some students wore kaffiyehs, the traditional Palestinian scarf, while others wore Jewish skullcaps. They distributed handmade Haggadahs — prayer books for the Passover holiday — and read prayers in Hebrew, keeping to the traditional order.

But there were also changes and additions, like a watermelon on the Seder plate to represent the flag of Palestine. There were repeated references to the suffering of the Palestinian people and the need to ensure their liberation. There was grape juice instead of wine to respect the alcohol-free encampment, which was started last Wednesday and, despite a police crackdown last week, was stretching into its sixth day.


As a Jew I condemn antisemitism. I condemn Islamophobia. I support peaceful protest. I support a ceasefire. I support freedom for Palestinians. If you attack Jewish people for being Jewish you are an antisemite. If you condemn Israel's war on Gaza you are not an antisemite. All things can be true at the same time.