University students across the country, facing mass arrests, suspensions, evictions and explusions are our last, best hope to halt the genocide in Gaza.
History will indeed "bless and revere these students"! Thank you for documenting their commitment in the face of state suppression. I wrote about the recurring history of police violence targeting student activists, focusing on the Occupy Movement in 2011 and the movement for peace in Vietnam before that, at https://shahidbuttar.substack.com/p/the-empire-strikes-back.
It's also important to recognize the broader patterns exposed by this moment, and the disturbing intersection of state violence in the service of impeding advocacy supporting human rights. The experiences endured by students activists not only violate the rights of those individuals, but also degrade those rights as enjoyed by others (eg by imposing a chilling effect on speech by third parties observing state suppression and internalizing fear as a result). That is a constitutional harm endured by all Americans—even those critical of the protests for whatever reason. I wrote more about that at https://shahidbuttar.substack.com/i/143833200/militarism-undermining-the-rights-of-americans-not-just-lives-abroad
I’m such a fan of Chris Hedges. Beautifully poignantly written as always, beautifully read. Thank you for your integrity, and attention to this and your support for these young moral leaders.
I'm grateful for this interview and agree that students, as well here in Seattle, community members, are leading with strategies to halt IDF assault and genocide in Palestine. As an undergraduate student in California during the US war on Vietnam and Cambodia, I remember vividly the acridity of tear gas, and especially the strong arm response of San Francisco State President S.I. Hayakawa to student protest over Vietnam and the appointment of Black Studies. Today's authorities are even more tied to powerful corporate military interests than they were in 1968 as we can see by the prompt and severe repression in Atlanta, New York City, Austin, Los Angeles, throughout the US higher education establishment. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions has been agitating for Palestinian equity and self determination for years, possibly since the call for reparations at the Durban conference in 2001; yet I hope students and activists overcome soon the outrageous actions of the IDF and US continued support for Netanyahu, as we saw the demise of LBJ/Nixon foreign policy and the apartheid regime in South Africa.
so much for the concept that universities are designed to cultivate beautiful minds. Students have always been the life's blood of meaningful protests. The fact that it can not be tolerated tells me we are no longer a free society. This treatment screams totalitarian rule
Our universities haven't been centres of learning for decades......but it has taken a genocide in Gaza, for most of us to wake up to what they have become. Conservative bastions of conformity.....where those who want to live an 'intellectual life' learn from books what they can not connect to the realities growing around them.
Shutting down the ethical mind is essential to what is happening now...being made obvious now...as the bellicose west closes its eyes to a genocide and continues to support proxy wars around the world.
Russia and China are the threats......nothing the west condones is evil; the feelings of Jewish Americans matter. The destruction of the indigenous people of Palestine is a non event....to be ignored, or seen through the broken glasses of the Zionist powers, successfully integrated everywhere in the power structures of the imperial west.
That you can't be an intellectual and not see what is obvious to any high school graduate is lost on the liberal elites running everything. But that is lost on those elites...and we are all held captive by their mindless propaganda.
Violence surely does beget violence. Outrageous begets outrageous. And it is all beyond outrageous. Taking sides is what we do and yet the picture is so much bigger for our minds to even come to terms with. I know one thing in my heart that is true. What is happening in Gaza and what we see everyday on the news and read everywhere and hear everywhere is so monstrously wrong, there are no words, nothing to possibly describe the pure insanity. The military industrial complex, the corporations, those in power will continue to make the rules and the universities will bow down to their power as will the politicians. The price of rising up and protesting is enormously high and those that have the courage will pay that price. I remember well the whole Vietnam era and the insanity of that war. We didn’t even win the war but the deaths of thousands of our soldiers, the suicides and homelessness, the drug addiction, the wounded and scarred, many still struggling to survive. How many got spit at when they got home. Oh, yes, how we love our military, until they come home and need our help. Supposedly we fight to make the world safe for democracy while we are close to losing our own. If only the students were united in their efforts but they rage against each other, which does nothing for the people in Gaza. And yet, they must protest and raise their voices and fight for what they believe is right and moral. I only hope they will make a difference, not only for themselves but for the people in Gaza trying to survive one of the worst nightmares that could possibly be perpetrated on any people, people of our own species, people who long to be free.
I wish that I lived near a university where these brave kids were getting expelled, I'd glady share my house and food with them. I think it's important to do anything we can to support them now. They aren't just fighting for Gaza, they are fighting just as much, maybe more, for free speech in America. Chris, thank you so much for using your gift of words to help the world and giving Truth this space to be told. Bless you, brother.
History will indeed "bless and revere these students"! Thank you for documenting their commitment in the face of state suppression. I wrote about the recurring history of police violence targeting student activists, focusing on the Occupy Movement in 2011 and the movement for peace in Vietnam before that, at https://shahidbuttar.substack.com/p/the-empire-strikes-back.
It's also important to recognize the broader patterns exposed by this moment, and the disturbing intersection of state violence in the service of impeding advocacy supporting human rights. The experiences endured by students activists not only violate the rights of those individuals, but also degrade those rights as enjoyed by others (eg by imposing a chilling effect on speech by third parties observing state suppression and internalizing fear as a result). That is a constitutional harm endured by all Americans—even those critical of the protests for whatever reason. I wrote more about that at https://shahidbuttar.substack.com/i/143833200/militarism-undermining-the-rights-of-americans-not-just-lives-abroad
I’m such a fan of Chris Hedges. Beautifully poignantly written as always, beautifully read. Thank you for your integrity, and attention to this and your support for these young moral leaders.
I'm grateful for this interview and agree that students, as well here in Seattle, community members, are leading with strategies to halt IDF assault and genocide in Palestine. As an undergraduate student in California during the US war on Vietnam and Cambodia, I remember vividly the acridity of tear gas, and especially the strong arm response of San Francisco State President S.I. Hayakawa to student protest over Vietnam and the appointment of Black Studies. Today's authorities are even more tied to powerful corporate military interests than they were in 1968 as we can see by the prompt and severe repression in Atlanta, New York City, Austin, Los Angeles, throughout the US higher education establishment. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions has been agitating for Palestinian equity and self determination for years, possibly since the call for reparations at the Durban conference in 2001; yet I hope students and activists overcome soon the outrageous actions of the IDF and US continued support for Netanyahu, as we saw the demise of LBJ/Nixon foreign policy and the apartheid regime in South Africa.
so much for the concept that universities are designed to cultivate beautiful minds. Students have always been the life's blood of meaningful protests. The fact that it can not be tolerated tells me we are no longer a free society. This treatment screams totalitarian rule
Kent State has, it seems, been brought back to horrific life
Our universities haven't been centres of learning for decades......but it has taken a genocide in Gaza, for most of us to wake up to what they have become. Conservative bastions of conformity.....where those who want to live an 'intellectual life' learn from books what they can not connect to the realities growing around them.
Shutting down the ethical mind is essential to what is happening now...being made obvious now...as the bellicose west closes its eyes to a genocide and continues to support proxy wars around the world.
Russia and China are the threats......nothing the west condones is evil; the feelings of Jewish Americans matter. The destruction of the indigenous people of Palestine is a non event....to be ignored, or seen through the broken glasses of the Zionist powers, successfully integrated everywhere in the power structures of the imperial west.
That you can't be an intellectual and not see what is obvious to any high school graduate is lost on the liberal elites running everything. But that is lost on those elites...and we are all held captive by their mindless propaganda.
But for how long?
Violence surely does beget violence. Outrageous begets outrageous. And it is all beyond outrageous. Taking sides is what we do and yet the picture is so much bigger for our minds to even come to terms with. I know one thing in my heart that is true. What is happening in Gaza and what we see everyday on the news and read everywhere and hear everywhere is so monstrously wrong, there are no words, nothing to possibly describe the pure insanity. The military industrial complex, the corporations, those in power will continue to make the rules and the universities will bow down to their power as will the politicians. The price of rising up and protesting is enormously high and those that have the courage will pay that price. I remember well the whole Vietnam era and the insanity of that war. We didn’t even win the war but the deaths of thousands of our soldiers, the suicides and homelessness, the drug addiction, the wounded and scarred, many still struggling to survive. How many got spit at when they got home. Oh, yes, how we love our military, until they come home and need our help. Supposedly we fight to make the world safe for democracy while we are close to losing our own. If only the students were united in their efforts but they rage against each other, which does nothing for the people in Gaza. And yet, they must protest and raise their voices and fight for what they believe is right and moral. I only hope they will make a difference, not only for themselves but for the people in Gaza trying to survive one of the worst nightmares that could possibly be perpetrated on any people, people of our own species, people who long to be free.
As long as Bibi has breath, and Biden has weapons, the genocide will continue.
While the 80% who don't belong to the Eurocentric first world, get to see in real time, and living colour......exactly who we are.
I wish that I lived near a university where these brave kids were getting expelled, I'd glady share my house and food with them. I think it's important to do anything we can to support them now. They aren't just fighting for Gaza, they are fighting just as much, maybe more, for free speech in America. Chris, thank you so much for using your gift of words to help the world and giving Truth this space to be told. Bless you, brother.
Excellent article, Chris, with a sublime conclusion. Thank you.
It sounds as though Princeton is being run by descendants of former Chicago mayor Richard Daley .