Let me be clear from the start. The unprovoked and vile attack by Hamas against Israel cannot be justified. Israel immediately had every right to defend itself and to counterattack the Hamas fighters. While Israel may never defeat Hamas as an ideology, it should continue to fight against its military wing.
Yet, after so many months without a clear victory, I do know three things must happen now: an agreement for a temporary ceasefire, the return of all hostages and a massive inflow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. In this context, students at universities in Utah and across the country are calling for a ceasefire to limit the killing of civilians, to have the hostages be returned and for humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of people in Gaza.
In the absence of a ceasefire leading to these positive outcomes, students are demonstrating against the Israeli bombardment of civilian populations in Gaza. Their protests have triggered among the political right a hyperbolic reaction in calling these students as supporters of terrorists or even as actual terrorists. Their critics have framed their objections as either in favor of free speech or in favor of hate speech. These right-wing extremists view any criticism of Israel’s military tactics as antisemitic hate speech. Most of these students believe their protests are protected by the First Amendment. As a recently retired professor at a major research university, I am keenly aware of and sensitive to this framing of a debate. A few protesters indeed are spewing vile hate speech. Those students should be held accountable by their universities and the local authorities. But most of the protesters are clearly exercising their right of free speech. Yet, right-wing extremists now assert that these protesters either are complicit in international terrorism or they are naïve and ignorant young people and thus they should not be allowed to express opinions. I can easily dismiss the first claim. As for the second, yes, they may be less aware of the historical circumstances that led to the Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s military response, and they may naively wish for a more peaceful Middle East. But consider this: They intellectually grew up in the past 10 years in which the former president dominated national politics. His violent and racist rhetoric, whether it targeted Mexicans as rapists, his support of the Proud Boys, his claim that there are good people among the white supremacist and antisemitic rioters in Charlottesville or his consistent claim that Biden is not the legitimate president have, for many of them, cultivated a sense of urgency.
For the right-wing extremists to label them as terrorists and for universities to send in the police in riot gear soon after the demonstrations start is heavy handed, inappropriate and disingenuous. Indeed, hundreds of Israelis are protesting in favor of what these students are calling for: an immediate ceasefire. Would these right-wing extremists refer to these Israelis as being antisemitic?
At the University of Utah, after only eight hours of peaceful protests, campus and city police were sent in to forcibly remove and arrest the students. Instead of detaining and arresting them so soon, I suggest the universities should create a dedicated encampment zone (as was done during the anti-apartheid years on campuses), organize debates and symposia on the war itself and bring together the protesters and Jewish and Muslim students. The universities need to protect free speech while at the same time create an environment of dialogue, respect, and mutual understanding.
As with the peaceful demonstrations against the Vietnam War or against the first Iraq War, these students view they no longer can wait patiently on the sidelines while we older, more “mature” adults continue to make a mess of the world. If we rational, wealthier and more powerful adults in this country have been unable to solve the problems in the Middle East, I say, let these young people flex their vocal muscle, learn more about the Middle East and seek a peaceful and just outcome in that region. This is their First Amendment right, and I support them.
(Photo courtesy of Howard P. Lehman) Howard P. Lehman
Howard P. Lehman is a professor emeritus at the University of Utah’s Department of Political Science.
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