That many of America’s elite colleges and universities are hotbeds of moral decay is not news to the conservative movement. Conservative political leaders, activists, and journalists have been ringing alarm bells about this phenomenon for decades, and now the proverbial chickens have come home to roost in a most disturbing way. Decent Americans know evil when they see it, and the vast bulk of our nation’s populace - on both sides of the political aisle - still rise to the occasion to unequivocally stand on the side of good. However, rhetoric that started at the fringes of the Democratic Party has become increasingly mainstreamed, exposing an underbelly of left wing radicals who are disturbed by the basic notions of American patriotism and - more importantly - lack a basic moral instinct to differentiate between good versus evil.
The “anti-Israel” protests that swept many American campuses in recent weeks is another symptom of this moral rot. Pro-terror activists in the service of Hamas succeeded in weaponizing their cause by disingenuously linking it to other popular left-wing causes, like the anti-police movement and BLM. In doing so, they mobilized large numbers of low-information students and anti-American activists to take to the streets in support of what they call the Palestinian cause.
One of the defining characteristics of anti-semitism is the double standard. Ask yourself: are these students similarly activated by true massacres and war crimes being committed in numerous parts of the world? A simple google search will easily bring up numerous humanitarian crises that are claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands; despots cavalierly flaunting human rights and getting a pass from the world. But when the world’s one Jewish state is brutally attacked on its sovereign soil by a recognized terrorist entity - resulting in 1,200 deaths, thousands of wounded, and hundreds of hostages taken- and responds by taking military action to defeat those who have vowed to continue to massacre and maim - that is the sole “human rights” cause championed by these campus activists. This is a textbook example of antisemitism because of the stark double standard on display, in addition to the numerous publicly available sources pointing to Israel’s military taking precautions to avoid civilian casualties literally unprecedented in the history of modern urban warfare.
So when these young people use violence to occupy university buildings and try to take down the Stars and Stripes, it is natural for good and decent Americans to realize that these fringe protests are just another example of the moral relativism that threatens America’s core ethos as a lighthouse for moral clarity and a force for good.
In recent weeks many Americans are waking up to the dangers of allowing this relativism to fester, and in addition to the dark images coming from some campuses we have also seen some bright moments. Young Americans are reconnecting to what our nation stands for, and recognizing their obligation to stand up for good. Almost 80 years ago the American flag led the fight against evil that culminated in the utter defeat of Nazi Germany and the moral decay and unmitigated evil it represented. For Jews around the world that flag became synonymous with all that is good in the world, a republic that has its imperfections but instinctively rises to the occasion to be a force on the side of good time after time. During this unique moment in history, the Biden administration needs to stop equivocating and needs to start leading with clarity on this issue. The United States of America has an opportunity now to reinforce its core ethos by standing unequivocally with Jewish students, standing with Israel in its war for basic security, and living up to the virtues that our ancestors sacrificed so much for.
CPAC is taking action to stand up against antisemitism on college campuses. Join us in calling for the defunding of these woke and bigoted universities at CPAC.org.
