Israel-Hamas War 2023

[grumbler]

Slogans heard at Columbia:

"We say justice, you say how? Burn Tel Aviv to the ground!"

"Al-Qassam you make us proud! Take another soldier out!"

"Hamas, we love you! We support your rockets, too!"

"Red, black, green, and white, we support Hamas' fight!"

"It is right to rebel, al-Qassam, give them hell!

Not that catchy, but Josq has told me that nobody supports Hamas.

Where were you "at Columbia" that you heard these statements?  Or was it just a dream?

[grumbler]

Actually Jewish students were specifically warned to stay home because campus was not safe, by an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi who works there. The later cancellation of all in person classes occurred after that.

The statements and actions of random individuals does not constitute university policy.  The university can cancel classes.  Random rabbi cannot.

No one said otherwise. Raz stated that Jewish students were told to stay off campus—and they were.

But they were also told to stay on campus, so they were not.  No one "told" them anything but the university, and the university told everyone to take classes remotely. The private statements of private citizens isn't relevant.

[grumbler]

To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday. Faculty and staff who can work remotely should do so; essential personnel should report to work according to university policy. Our preference is that students who do not live on campus will not come to campus.

During the coming days, a working group of Deans, university administrators and faculty members will try to bring this crisis to a resolution. That includes continuing discussions with the student protestors and identifying actions we can take as a community to enable us to peacefully complete the term and return to respectful engagement with each other. I know that there is much debate about whether or not we should use the police on campus, and I am happy to engage in those discussions. But I do know that better adherence to our rules and effective enforcement mechanisms would obviate the need for relying on anyone else to keep our community safe. We should be able to do this ourselves.

Over the past days, there have been too many examples of intimidating and harassing behavior on our campus. Antisemitic language, like any other language that is used to hurt and frighten people, is unacceptable and appropriate action will be taken. We urge those affected to report these incidents through university channels. We also want to remind everyone of the support available for anyone adversely affected by current events.

There are different ways to interpret this statement, but it certainly seems like anti-semitic harassment was an important motivating factor in the closure.

I think that, if you read it closely, it explicitly talks about "antisemitic language" as the specific example of the "many examples of intimidating and harassing behavior on our campus," so I don't agree that this could reasonably be interpreted otherwise.

[Razgovory]

Slogans heard at Columbia:

"We say justice, you say how? Burn Tel Aviv to the ground!"

"Al-Qassam you make us proud! Take another soldier out!"

"Hamas, we love you! We support your rockets, too!"

"Red, black, green, and white, we support Hamas' fight!"

"It is right to rebel, al-Qassam, give them hell!

Not that catchy, but Josq has told me that nobody supports Hamas.

Where were you "at Columbia" that you heard these statements?  Or was it just a dream?

Read it in a news article.

[Admiral Yi]

The first time I scanned Raz's list of genocide chants I thought fuck, expel them all.

Second read through I noticed they're all directed to Israel proper.  Nothing threatening to Jews at Columbia or in the US.  So maybe no expulsion?

[Josquius]

Got to love the double standards continuing to be at play from some.
Endlessly pressing how bad anti semitism has gotten yet the rise in islamophobia?
Not a peep.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-anti-muslim-incidents-hit-record-high-2023-due-israel-gaza-war-2024-04-02/

[Admiral Yi]

Got to love the double standards continuing to be at play from some.
Endlessly pressing how bad anti semitism has gotten yet the rise in islamophobia?
Not a peep.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-anti-muslim-incidents-hit-record-high-2023-due-israel-gaza-war-2024-04-02/

We peeped the Vermont attack.  At least one peep.