“When conspiracy theories involving Jewish control of the media and the money are central to the arguments of BDS supporters who claim not to be anti-Semitic, anti-Semitism flourishes.
“When a central thesis of the student, faculty and off-campus leadership of the BDS movement on campuses is that Zionism is the cause of anti-Semitism, and even Nazism, anti-Semitism is rationalized….
“When BDS banners and messages are at the front of Jew-baiting crowds in Europe, Boston and Miami, it’s clear what BDS is about.”
Shawn, from Florida State University, attests that anti-Semites in a rally screamed “intifada” and stomped on Israeli flags,. Smearing mud on them and tearing them.
But this is freedom of speech.
This is nothing but sophomoric students in the midst of self-development.
That is the way of justifying swastikas on mailboxes of Jews at the University of Oregon.
But, really, swastikas are just graffiti, so what does it matter?
Jason, one of the university’s students, says that people running for political office lead on campaigns of “with Jews, you lose.”
So what? This is democracy.
Shawn of the University of Calgary recalls a violent demonstration in the city. “There were 800 of them on one side and six of us on the other. About 50 of them crossed over the road and yelled ‘kill the Jews’ and ‘Hitler was right.’
“I had a concussion. My sister was punched in the face and pulled to the ground. My mom was punched in the stomach and pushed to the ground.
“The group that hosted the rally is on campus…. I fear for my life.”
That is the worst reaction of Jews because it only makes the haters hungrier.
“Some of my Orthodox friends won’t wear a kippa anymore,” says Brandon of Loyola University.
Take off the kippa, show the anti-Semites you are afraid so they know you are an easy target for violence. Taking off the kippa doesn’t mean you aren’t Jewish. You know that, and so do they.
Jews in Germany tried that. It didn’t work out very well.
One bit of graffiti on campus states, “The best Jew is a dead Jew.”
“Anti-Semitism is institutionalized,” according to Henry of the University of Berkeley. “It is every day. It is not a big deal and does not show up in the newspaper because it is expected.”
That is what drives people like Jake of the University of Santa Barbara to resign himself to say, “Anti-Semitism of the Jewish people is real, and I can only that in the future, we can get through it.”
Hope is not a strategy.