Reclaiming Civil Discourse

Addressing the rise of antisemitism on college campuses

Protestors just outside Columbia’s gates, Bing Guan for The New York Times

More than half a year after the brutal attacks in Israel, another disturbing wave of antisemitism is roiling campuses and forcing them to reexamine core principles of the First Amendment. Recent events at Yale, Columbia, and the University of Virginia once again underscore the importance of a critical understanding of the role and purpose of freedom of speech and expression. They also illustrate how our most cherished right, if distorted or misinterpreted, can become a shield for hate and violence.

This weekend at Yale, what began as peaceful protests against policies of the Israeli government quickly devolved into a violent assault against Jewish students. FAIR Fellow Sahar Tartak was one of those victims. She was verbally taunted, shoved, and ultimately jabbed in the eye with the end of a pole bearing the Palestinian flag—based solely on the fact that she was “visibly Jewish.” When Tartak reported her injury to campus police, she was ignored by officers who informed her that “their orders came from administrators.” This egregious violation of Tartak’s rights and safety signals not only a profound failure of university policy, but also our societal commitment to genuine tolerance, meaningful discourse, and the basic safety to which all citizens, especially members of the most elite academic institutions in the country, are entitled.

Yale’s administration’s tepid response to violence on its campus and physical injury to one of its students highlight a dangerous trend in higher education: tolerance of extremism masquerading as activism that is supported by the Constitution. Ironically, while our government makes naked attempts to restrict freedom of speech under the guise of curbing misinformation, colleges and universities are broadening their interpretation of the First Amendment to promote social justice and equity. Yet these intellectual mavens fail to appreciate a fundamental tenet of this Constitutional right: even when used to advance the most noble of causes, freedom of speech neither supports nor condones physical aggression in any form.

Administrative inaction in higher education has had a chilling ripple effect across the country. Matan Goldstein’s ongoing ordeal at the University of Virginia illustrates how this indifference has enabled a toxic culture at other revered educational institutions. Targeted for his Jewish and Israeli heritage, Matan didn’t just face physical and verbal harassment from his peers; he was subjected to institutional retaliation from those he turned to for assistance and protection. On Monday, faculty at Columbia University staged a walkout to publicly support students who participated in antisemitic protests.

This profound apathy on the part of administrators and faculty compromises the safety of students and undermines the foundational principles of academic freedom and civil discourse. Yet what happened at these universities are not isolated incidents; rather, they reflect a broader and deeper cultural malaise that has infiltrated even the most influential tiers of higher education where antisemitism is now rationalized, and even promoted, under political pretenses. Beneath the thin veneer of social activism, we are witnessing an alarming resurgence of deep-seated historical hatred and prejudices. Intolerance has been institutionalized, repackaged and rebranded by a bizarre reimagining of the First Amendment. It is a distortion of freedom of speech and expression that undermines its very purpose and betrays the mission that colleges and universities once pledged to advance: to foster a society where diverse ideas can be debated safely and constructively.

As citizens in a free society, we should—and we must—advocate for truth and social justice. But we must also demand that those educating our children encourage them to advocate in a manner that is respectful and consistent with the Constitutional principles. We must insist that institutions of higher learning, especially elite campuses that groom our future leaders, adhere to their commitments to serve as bastions of balanced and open discourse, not battlegrounds where students fear for their intellectual and physical safety. It is imperative that they reaffirm their understanding of, and commitment to, free speech by distinguishing between peaceful, nonviolent protest and dangerous and violent acts. They must also strictly enforce penalties against those who choose violence as a means of expression.

It is essential for the entire academic community on any campus—administrators, faculty, and students—to actively work toward restoring a culture of open discourse and thoughtful communication. Only through collective efforts to support and promote meaningful dialogue and tolerance can we hope to reverse these divisive trends and reinstate a climate of intellectual rigor and mutual respect. Chaos may be spreading in the Middle East, but we should not tolerate it in our own home, on American soil. 

Confronting these challenges and defending individual rights will preserve the integrity of our educational institutions and, ultimately, the health of our democracy. Let us move forward with both courage and compassion, dedicated to nurturing an academic spirit that respects the dignity of every individual and upholds the true spirit and meaning of free speech.

We welcome you to share your thoughts on this piece in the comments below. Click here to view our comment section moderation policy. 

The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism or its employees.

In keeping with our mission to promote a common culture of fairness, understanding, and humanity, we are committed to including a diversity of voices and encouraging compassionate and good-faith discourse.

We are actively seeking other perspectives on this topic and others. If you’d like to join the conversation, please send drafts to submissions@fairforall.org.