# Anti-Semitism on College Campuses **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 4, 2024, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608 "2024-01-04T20:35:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/281 "2024-02-21T14:12:09Z")
Things sure changed after Claudine Gay left. [Nothing to see](https://www.axios.com/2024/01/11/harvard-jewish-students-sue-antisemitism), move along. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/282 "2024-02-21T14:17:38Z")
January 2, 2024: Claudine Gay leaves. January 11, 2024: Students sue Harvard over antisemitism. January 29, 2024: Puzzlegal posts about the lawsuit, leading to an extensive discussion of the merits of the claims (especially of one incident, which is painted by other observers very differently from the lawsuit’s depiction). February 21, 2024: Jackmannii posts about the lawsuit, suggesting that it shows nothing has changed at Harvard since Gay’s resignation. I’m not sure that timeline is super informative. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/283 "2024-02-21T14:53:07Z")
I’m not sure you paid attention to the timing of the posting of that grotesque anti-Semitic cartoon by two Harvard groups this past weekend (one comprising _faculty and staff_), which occurred well after Gay’s departure. But there’s no problem with anti-Semitic bigotry on campus, no conflating of opposition to Israel with rank anti-Jewish hatred. Suure. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/284 "2024-02-21T19:13:38Z")
FWIW 1. Pretty positive not. This is a separate event 2. Your link was paywall for me. Here is another one. [Harvard condemns antisemitic image circulated by pro-Palestinian groups on campus | CNN Business](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/02/21/business/harvard-condemns-antisemitic-image/index.html) 3. What different would you have Harvard do in this instance? They responded and condemned. The groups removed it and apologized blaming its publication on “ignorance and inadequate oversight”. Yeah. Of course it was just shocking to them that such images are offensive. How could they have known? Should people be kicked out? Would that help much? The antisemitism is there. Has been there and is more freely expressed than before. But in this case it seems like the administration responded reasonably. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/285 "2024-02-21T19:42:48Z")
That cartoon is indeed terrible. Although I do have some sympathy for the supposed intent to highlight the shared nature of colonial oppression, sub-_Gifpilz_ level _ZOG_ conspiracy material is not the way to highlight that message. Even if offending the offensive is a laudable goal in itself, they picked entirely the wrong offending party to call out, in the most classically antisemitic way possible. It should have been a sword and an olive branch in that star, not a dollar sign. Amateurs. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/286 "2024-02-21T20:02:38Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I’m not sure you paid attention to the timing of the posting of that grotesque anti-Semitic cartoon by two Harvard groups this past weekend (one comprising _faculty and staff_), which occurred well after Gay’s departure. ??? Yes, absolutely I paid attention to that. I was confused why you linked to something else, a lawsuit that addressed issues that arose _before_ her departure, and then followed that link by snarking about how things have changed _after_ her departure. Was the link a non sequitur? Yes, her departure did not magically end all antisemitism on campus. Did anyone expect that it would? Do you think the school should have responded to this instance of antisemitism differently? ---
**Author:** ![BayLeaves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@BayLeaves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BayLeaves)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2024, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/287 "2024-03-02T13:35:13Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > l which w During the War in Vietnam I joined the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee. This was formed by members of the American Socialist Party who opposed the War in Vietnam. (Most Socialist Party members opposed America’s entry into World War II and supported the War in Vietnam. It’s a long story.) The Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee, which later evolved into Democratic Socialists of America, was virtually unanimous in its support for Israel. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/288 "2024-03-19T00:27:44Z")
Interestingly, DSA today is virtually unanimous in its opposition to Israel! There is some scary shit going on. Not directly college-related, but… Last week a Matisyahu concert here in Chicago was cancelled because of threats of violent demonstrations by pro-Palestinian organizations. Matisyahu is a Jewish-American reggae artist and a supporter of the peace movement. He’s certainly not a right-wing Zionist…he’s not even Israeli! But apparently the fact that he has played concerts in Israel is sufficient to justify his cancellation. I very much doubt that every gentile American musician who has ever played in Israel is being hounded by these people; it appears to me that the real goal is just to intimidate people who dare to be Jewish in public. None of this made the news media as far as I’m aware, I just heard about it from people who had tickets. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/289 "2024-03-20T11:29:55Z")
It made the news media here in the Chicago area. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/290 "2024-03-20T16:10:32Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > None of this made the news media as far as I’m aware, I just heard about it from people who had tickets. The truth, unsurprisingly, is more complex: > **[After being canceled in the US, Jewish singer Matisyahu will return to Israel](https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-791368)** > > During his stay in Israel, Matisyahu, 44, will be recipient of a special prize from Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chickli for their efforts to advocate for Israel. > [@](#): > > According to the singer/songwriter, the issue was actually staff who were unwilling to work at the show. > … > “While the true details surrounding this decision remain opaque, and while the responsible parties all point fingers at one another over the decision, I can assure you there have been no threats of violence received by our security team, who have been vigilant in knowing what is happening in each city,” When it comes to “threats of violent demonstrations,” either Matisyahu is wrong, or you are. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/291 "2024-03-20T16:31:04Z")
It sounds like he may have been talking about concerts which were cancelled in other cities. [Here is a link](https://twitter.com/matisyahu/status/1766176985095524394) to the Twitter post your link quotes in part, which clearly says the Chicago show was cancelled “due to threat of protests”. The reference to “no threats of violence” sounds as though maybe there had been no _explicit_ threats of violence that he knew of, and he felt that the House of Blues was being overly cautious. So my post was wrong in implying that explicit threats had actually been made, but it seems clear that the show was indeed cancelled because HoB felt threatened by the possibility of violence. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/292 "2024-03-20T16:35:00Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > So my post was wrong in implying that explicit threats had actually been made, but it seems clear that the show was indeed cancelled because HoB felt threatened by the possibility of violence. I really struggle to see how you get that second part. “Threats of protest” and “threats of violence” are NOT the same thing. The link you offered contains the line I quoted, which I’ll quote again: > [@](#): > > I can assure you there have been no threats of violence received by our security team How do you get from “there have been no threats of violence” to “HoB felt threatened by the possibility of violence”? ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/293 "2024-03-20T16:50:13Z")
I’m really struggling to think what other reason, _besides_ fear of violence, would cause someone to cancel an event due to planned demonstrations. They were afraid the demonstrators might litter? But here’s some more context, from a Washington Post article yesterday: > Still, there has been no transparency as to exactly what threat necessitated his cancellation in Chicago. Matisyahu told me police advised the House of Blues that a crowd of more than 1,000 might assemble outside the venue. The singer offered to help out with 40 contracted security personnel, he said, but Live Nation passed and called off the performance. > > Brendan Reilly, a Chicago alderman who represents the area around the House of Blues, said in a [statement](https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Statement-from-Alderman-Reilly-Regarding-Matisyahu-Concert-.html?soid=1102200958373&aid=OAXtiv87c7c)March 11 that police told his office of “serious concerns regarding security” two days before the event and had discussed potential “violent protests” with Live Nation and House of Blues staff. > > The Chicago police, who have plenty of experience with demonstrations related to Gaza since Oct. 7, told me by email the department had “sufficient resources allocated to the planned protests.” I think this supports my theory that HoB may have called off the show based on nebulous fears and Matisyahu was annoyed by that. Certainly the demonstrators themselves were happy to take credit. > The U.S. Palestinian Community Network, [one of several groups](https://fightbacknews.org/articles/chicago-victory-activists-cancel-zionist-matisyahus-concert) calling for [demonstrations against](https://www.instagram.com/uspcn/p/C4OwiLJrTI2/?img_index=1) Matisyahu, cried victory: “Through our relentless pressure on [the House of Blues and] Live Nation, the concert of the racist, zionist Matisyahu was canceled!” the group [said in a statement](https://twitter.com/uspcn/status/1766171831197732866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1766171831197732866%7Ctwgr%5E9865861f349d34f8de1ad2aebe9d310568a6bc7b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fmedia%2Fpro-palestinian-group-claims-victory-jewish-musicians-concert-canceled)on X. “Chicago has made it clear that it stands with Palestine and supporters of the #GazaGenocide are not welcome here!” ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/294 "2024-03-20T16:58:10Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > I’m really struggling to think what other reason, _besides_ fear of violence, would cause someone to cancel an event due to planned demonstrations. This doesn’t seem suprising to me at all. They thought it would make the concert experience shitty: people who were out for a fun night on the town and who think of themselves as kind liberals would instead find themselves yelled at and shamed by a throng who were making it much less pleasant to get into the venue. It’s much the same logic behind picketers outside a store, who make it less pleasant to shop at the store, and it certainly doesn’t require violence. I suppose it’s possible that the HoB or the CPD were _afraid_ of violence even though there were no _threats_ of violence. If they were afraid without cause, that’s not an indictment of the protestors, but of them. You also suggest that the “real goal is just to intimidate people who dare to be Jewish in public.” That’s not a fair summary of why he’s being protested. From the JPost article I cited above: > [@](#): > > Matisyahu performed in November at the massive pro-Israel rally in Washington, DC. In January, he visited Israel, where he has performed many times. He spoke at a “Bring Them Home Rally” in Tel Aviv and visited and performed for evacuees from the South. > > During his stay in Israel, Matisyahu, 44, will be one of four recipients of a special prize from Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chickli for their efforts to advocate for Israel since the beginning of the Gaza war. He’s one of four people that Israel’s government is commending for advocating on behalf of Israel during its war on Gaza. If folks disagree with Israel’s conduct during the war, a peaceful protest of someone who advocates for that conduct and who is recognized by the Israeli government for his advocacy seems like a perfectly appropriate action. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/295 "2024-03-20T17:08:29Z")
Yes, at the time of my original post, I hadn’t been aware of his recent Israel advocacy, so that does put matters in a very different light. I find it hard to believe that promoters would cancel a concert and refund many thousands of dollars based on mere concern that people wouldn’t enjoy it as much as they’d hoped to when they bought the tickets, though. It’s not like people are going to blame HoB for the existence of the protest and decide not to go back. > I suppose it’s possible that the HoB or the CPD were _afraid_ of violence even though there were no _threats_ of violence. If they were afraid without cause, that’s not an indictment of the protestors, but of them. Yes, this seems like the most likely scenario to me. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/296 "2024-03-20T17:15:43Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > I find it hard to believe that promoters would cancel a concert and refund many thousands of dollars based on mere concern that people wouldn’t enjoy it as much as they’d hoped to when they bought the tickets, though. It’s not like people are going to blame HoB for the existence of the protest and decide not to go back. They may have also feared a spreading boycott, either organized or disorganized (I.e., people being like, “House of Blues? ugh, didn’t they have that guy that’s shilling for Netanyahu? Let’s go somewhere else”), or being avoided by other musicians for similar reasons; or they may have had staff who said, “I’m not sure we should have this guy here.” > [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Yes, at the time of my original post, I hadn’t been aware of his recent Israel advocacy, so that does put matters in a very different light. I appreciate this. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/297 "2024-03-20T19:44:28Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > I’m really struggling to think what other reason, _besides_ fear of violence, would cause someone to cancel an event due to planned demonstrations. They were afraid the demonstrators might litter? They were afraid the demonstrators might block the area roads, causing other business owners to be angry at them, and/or making it difficult or impossible for people to attend? They were afraid the demonstrators would verbally harass attendees and their workers? They didn’t want to be dealing for weeks with the results of news stories? (If so: fail. I expect they’re now dealing with the results of news stories about the cancellation.) > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I suppose it’s possible that the HoB or the CPD were _afraid_ of violence even though there were no _threats_ of violence. That’s certainly possible. ---
**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/298 "2024-04-19T22:21:13Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > There are lots of Jewish and Israeli college students in America who advocate for Israel’s right to exist, just like there are plenty of Russian or Chinese Americans who support the idea of a Russian or Chinese nation. There aren’t very many of them advocating for Smotrich to annex the West Bank. So, your comparison is pretty silly. You’re shifting goal posts to bolster your argument. Advocating for Israel’s right to exist and advocating for Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks are not equivalent things. And advocating for Palestinian liberation from mistreatment by the Israeli government is not equivalent to calling for the abolishment of the nation of Israel. You were trying to argue that anti-senitism is the only possible explanation for the unique amount of attention that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict receives, and your response here doesn’t support that argument. > [@Babale](#): > > So if your ethnic group has a country that the US has sent funds to, it’s OK to deny you rape counseling based on your religious background? Cool cool cool. And this is more goalpost shifting. As though denying rape counseling is some kind of prerequisite that comes part and parcel with advocating for Palestinian liberation and criticizing the actions of the Israeli government? Like, what? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2024, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/299 "2024-04-22T13:12:55Z")
> [@Kyomara](#): > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > So if your ethnic group has a country that the US has sent funds to, it’s OK to deny you rape counseling based on your religious background? Cool cool cool. > > And this is more goalpost shifting. As though denying rape counseling is some kind of prerequisite that comes part and parcel with advocating for Palestinian liberation and criticizing the actions of the Israeli government? This is a reference to an incident mentioned in the OP, which linked to @DSeid 's post about his daughter’s school, which was in the news for that, among other things. > **[University of Vermont Faces Federal Investigation for Fostering ‘Severe...](https://freebeacon.com/campus/university-of-vermont-faces-federal-investigation-for-fostering-severe-anti-semitic-harassment-on-campus/)** > > The Department of Education has opened a formal investigation into the University of Vermont over allegations several Jewish students have been "subjected to severe and persistent anti-Semitic harassment and discrimination." > This includes Jewish students being kicked out of a support group for sexual assault victims, “online harassment against Jewish students by a Teaching Assistant,” and attacks on the university’s Hillel building, which supports Jewish life on campus. > … > The complaint alleges that school administrators were aware of these incidents, but have “taken no steps to rectify the situation.” > … > The teaching assistant is also alleged to be behind an effort to exclude pro-Israel and Jewish students from campus groups, including one for sexual assault survivors. I didn’t believe this is typical of what’s going on at college campuses. I think it’s more typical to be barraged with anti-Israel (and also anti-semitic) messages in semi-public places. But extreme cases of harassing students for being Jewish certainly seem to be happening. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2024, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/300 "2024-04-22T21:33:59Z")
According to [DSeid’s post near the start of this thread,](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/27) > [@](#): > > What bothered my daughter most was first the bit with the program for support of survivors of sexual support which she had worked with. Materials to volunteers were made into promotion of minimally anti-Zionism and it was declared that anyone who would not condemn Israel was not welcome which persisted despite requests that the important service be open to all. That is, students were excluded from this program not specifically for being Jewish, but for refusing to condemn Israel’s actions. I agree that no valid purpose whatsoever is served by foregrounding the Israel/Palestinian conflict in the context of a sexual-assault survivors’ support services program, but describing that as “kicking out Jewish students” is somewhat misleading. The reporting on “attacks on the Hillel building” on the same campus may also be debatable, as [I discussed above after reading the incident report.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608/31) But the harassment of Israel-supporting students, sometimes in unambiguously antisemitic terms, by a particular teaching assistant at UVM is clearly documented. As the advocacy group that filed the formal complaint argued, the university was “permitting a hostile environment that marginalizes and excludes Jewish students for whom Zionism is integral to their Jewish identity.” Although the hostility was directed specifically against Zionism rather than Judaism, that leaves Jewish students who sincerely feel that their Judaism requires them to support Zionism, or even to support the actions of a given Israeli government, caught between a rock and a hard place. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitism-on-college-campuses/995608.md?page=16)