New York Post Columnist Rikki Schlott on Anti-Israel Protests and Antisemitism at Universities

University Admissions and 'Cause Hoppers'

• 💡 Elite universities, including Ivy League schools, have historically sought students who differentiate themselves on applications, often through social justice activism.
• 🎯 This has led to the acceptance of students who may be 'cause hoppers,' adopting trendy political stances like pro-Palestinian activism without deep understanding.
• ⚠️ This approach has backfired on institutions like Columbia when these students targeted the university itself for investing in Israel, leading to encampments and protests.

Undercover Investigation at Columbia University

• 🔍 Pro-Israel influencer Zach Sage Fox went undercover at Columbia, describing it as a hotbed of antisemitism.
• 🎭 He noted that students felt comfortable expressing antisemitic views to a stranger in disguise, indicating the extent of propaganda they have absorbed.
• 🗣️ Many individuals encountered either displayed antisemitism quickly or expressed concerns about the antisemitism Jewish students are facing on campus.

Double Standard in Addressing Campus Speech

• ⚖️ Rikki Schlott highlights a significant double standard in how universities address discrimination.
• 🚫 While institutions would readily condemn discrimination against other groups, they have been hesitant to label antisemitism as hate speech.
• 🗣️ Universities have previously policed vaguely offensive speech but now use free speech arguments to deflect responsibility for antisemitic incidents.
• 💰 It appears that financial pressure, such as the threat of losing funding, is what prompts these institutions to take notice and negotiate solutions.