Censorship + Palestine-Israel History Debate (Revolution Books)

For years there has been scholarship, political education, and organizing on campuses in opposition to Israel’s domination of Palestine. With the genocidal Israeli response to the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, many campuses erupted into protest and counter-protest.  Many campus administrations called in police to violently suppress pro-Palestinian students and professors. Pro-Palestinian groups were banned on many campuses. Students were expelled.

This suppression was justified by falsely equating criticism of the legitimacy and policies of Israel with hatred of Jewish people, in other words saying anti-Zionism (opposition to the state of Israel) is the same as anti-Semitism (being against Jewish people as Jews). The Trump regime has wielded this lie as a club to force the universities to greatly restrict academic freedom, scientific rigor and critical thinking. Universities are being turned into the servants of a fascist takeover of society.  It is not an exaggeration to say that this threatens the universities in a fundamental way.  This is one important piece in the overall MAGA agenda of shredding rights, unleashing racism and misogyny, denying science, militarizing cities, unconditionally backing genocide in Gaza. It must be stopped.

This discussion will center on four crucial questions and points:

Is it true as Trump/MAGA fascists insist that any criticism of the legitimacy of Israel or of Israeli policies is anti-Semitism?  How should we respond to the genocide in Gaza?

What kind of damage is done to the universities when anti-Zionism is equated with anti-Semitism?  Why are academic freedom, scientific rigor, and critical thinking in the universities such a threat to the fascists now in power?

What would it take for institutions like universities, museums and art organizations to stop the current wave of capitulation to Trump’s demands?

Everyone who hates Trump should support the organization RefuseFascism.org’s call for massive non-violent protest aiming to drive the fascist regime from power, beginning with flooding Washington DC on November 5.

Read the article in www.revcom.us or come into Revolution Books and get a copy.