CAMPUS PROTESTS

No matter where you stand on the Israel-Palestinian-Iranian conflict, it has been painful to watch as students and, too often non-students, have engaged in battles on campuses across our nation. And, if you have been really watching, you will have noted that these “protests” have become exactly that: battles.

I am a firm believer in free speech, particularly in college where education is about civil discourse, discussing new ideas and learning about new cultures and views. It should be uncomfortable and it should expose students to new terrain.

On the other hand, I do not believe that this so-called “discourse” should be allowed to impinge on the rights of students to roam their campus freely. This discourse should not impinge on the rights of students to feel physically safe on their own campuses. This discourse should not impinge on the rights of students to engage in learning what they’re paying thousands of dollars to learn. And sadly, this is what has happened, at Columbia, at Penn, at Harvard, at UCLA, and on many, many campuses throughout the United States.

While a few universities have hosted conversations that have built bridges, too many have abrogated this responsibility by either allowing the violence to fester or by shutting down conversation completely. Neither is helpful.

In this country, where partisanship and extremism has been dominant over the past few years, this conflict has become another topic that has sown division amongst Americans further. It is my wish that colleges and universities will take the lead on holding safe spaces for civil and friendlier conversations, so that we can build bridges of understanding, find the places we agree and work back from there. It is only then that we can begin to heal this country. It is only from these safe places where we will come back together, build peace, and unite as a country. We need to do this for us. We need to do this for our children.