What's on Our Mind - 11-3-2023
Submitted by holliswein on Fri, 11/03/2023 - 5:20pm
The week draws to a close amidst continuing pain and anguish within the Jewish community. Tonight marks yet another Shabbat where hostages remain separated from their families and friends. Thousands of young Israeli soldiers find themselves in perilous, life-and-death situations, torn away from their loved ones. For 75 years, the price we've paid to establish and protect our Jewish homeland has been enormous.
Now college students across our own country are also paying a price. Their campuses have turned into a cesspool of hate. They are drowning in the silence of their professors, administrators, advisors, and even peers. They face violence and intimidation.
President Joe Biden understands the gravity of the situation. He has strongly condemned the vile actions on college campuses. He announced that the federal government will partner with campus law enforcement agencies to track hate-related threats.
According to the White House, dozens of cybersecurity and protective security experts at DHS have been detailed to engage with schools as they navigate incredibly tense environments.
Universities are meant to provide students with an environment to grow and interact with others, fostering critical thinking skills, and exposure to new ideas. They are not meant to be a safe space for hate.
There are millions of minds that are being exposed to and influenced by this hate. These students will graduate and enter a variety of fields. Many will even end up entering public service. Along the way, they will drag this thinking and these misguided ideas with them. No one is safe when the seeds of hate are planted in a new generation of thinkers.
Antisemitism is not a fleeting issue that will dissipate when the conflict in Israel concludes. The hate on college campuses will have lasting implications for our country and democracy. To combat this, we must wage this battle through education and effective leadership. The battle needs to also be waged at the ballot box. Elected officials who perpetuate prejudices and who spread hate with their words need to be defeated.
Words and elections matter.
