It’s great to have you with us today. Many people have been calling for University leadership to take a stronger stance against the offensive language being used against Jewish students and the Jewish Community. Some argue that the university should treat this issue with the same level of seriousness as other issues they have protected in recent years.
However, now they are specifically addressing the concerns regarding two groups at Colombia. What is your opinion on this? I believe that as long as Colombia, or any other university, applies the same standards to all student groups, they can be seen as defenders of the First Amendment.
This is how I, along with many Fox News viewers, approach the issue. It is important to recognize that the university is not obligated to be affiliated with speech that violates their policies for student groups.
For example, if the KKK wanted to start a chapter on Colombia’s campus, the university would likely refuse to provide funding or official affiliation. This does not mean that students cannot individually hold abhorrent beliefs. It simply means that the university is not required to support such groups in order for them to receive certain privileges and responsibilities based on that association. This approach is not limited to political speech. Sometimes, fraternities are expelled from college campuses for violating recruitment rules or party regulations, which may include underage drinking.
This action does not infringe on the right of fraternity members to be students; it simply means that the fraternity is no longer associated with the university. As long as the policy is applied consistently to all groups, I believe this is the right decision for Colombia. It’s interesting to note that university administrations tend to overlook certain rules when it is uncomfortable for them or conflicts with specific principles. However, in this case, there has been significant pushback from donors and trustees who argue that the university should uphold its principles.
For example, Jewish billionaire Henry Swia resigned from the Columbia Board due to the university’s failure to address anti-Jewish sentiment on campus. He stated that the reputation and integrity of Columbia University, including its business school, have been seriously compromised by their moral cowardice. I think it’s important for donors to voice their opinions on such matters and allow their moral conscience to be heard. Perhaps the pressure from donors could have influenced the university’s response.
It is worth noting that if the KKK or any other group advocates violence against Jews, they should not be allowed to be affiliated with Columbia or any other university. Thank you for having me on the show. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss these important issues..
