May 16, 2002

That quasi-pogrom-esque SF State "demonstration"

That quasi-pogrom-esque SF State "demonstration" (that anti-Semitism is alive and well and living at our major universities) has been extremely well-covered by Meryl Yourish and Joe Katzman. Glenn Reynolds's new FoxNews column ties it all together:

If it is not addressed, last week’s riot may be next week’s — or next year’s — politically motivated murder.

Such may seem unthinkable to Americans, but we saw such behavior on college campuses thirty-five years ago, and we’re seeing such behavior in Europe now. The tolerance of smaller-scale violence and illegality by university administrators has laid the foundation for worse in the future, unless swift action establishes an example that such acts are not tolerated.


This is absolutely right. But I don't expect much in the way of swift or effective action from SF State. It's not only a question of "lack of civility." Those who participated in this repulsive display ought to be ashamed of themselves, in the most literal and serious sense of that phrase; but the required shame is probably not forthcoming, because they dwell in a world which encourages, tacitly and even explicitly, their ideological extremism. The charge of hypocrisy has no sting because the hypocrisy is in fact an essential, explicit part of the ideology (e.g., "racism" construed as a crime which, by definition, cannot be committed by members of certain racial groups, that sort of thing.) Katzman and Reynolds are right that expulsion and prosecution is appropriate for those students who engage in violent, illegal acts. I'm uncomfortable with the idea that anyone should be expelled merely for shouting something, no matter how repulsive it may be. I have never approved of campus speech codes or "hate speech" laws. But whether or not he's expelled, the student who shouts "kill the Jews" at a university rally needs stronger medicine than a generic, sternly-worded letter from the university president.

In a decent, sane world (one that seems more and more to exist only in my imagination) the student who shouted "kill the Jews" would be vilified, excoriated (though not literally), denounced by his fellow "activists", and ostracized by his peers to the degree that he is ashamed to show his face. No one would make excuses for him. His message would be roundly and unequivocally condemned and repudiated by one and all, even by those who supported "the cause." And, sad to say: it's not going to happen.

Posted by Dr. Frank at May 16, 2002 11:35 AM | TrackBack