As most people know who follow current news and social media, college student protests in both countries have escalated in recent weeks. Students have now set up encampments on campus grounds and have even occupied university buildings. In numerous cases, especially in the U.S. to date, the university administrations have called in the police to physically force the protesting students from their encampments on campuses. Universities are doing so under the guise of protecting the safety of their student population, especially in the case of Jewish students who appear concerned for their safety on campus. In some cases, faculty members have joined the protesters in objecting to the use of physical force, especially where the protests have been peaceful.
However, the fact of the matter is that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has also galvanized the unrest witnessed among student bodies over the last two to three decades. As one observer notes, in many students’ eyes, the war in Gaza is linked to other issues, such as policing, mistreatment of Indigenous people, racism and the impact of climate change. More than likely, protesters have been joined by others who oppose the role of their governments in terms of their global policies and lack of action on tackling climate change viewed by many as the first priority in terms of today’s issues. There is a lot of pent-up anger among young people over a number of social issues that they are facing on a daily basis. In addition, many college programs and policies supporting diversity, equality and inclusion have been watered down, particularly in the U.S. as a result of recent Supreme Court decisions.
In addition, there is the apparent lack of transparency among university administrations concerning the allocation of resources and investments in various domestic and foreign industries and businesses. Students pay a lot of money to attend these universities and are asking for greater transparency and accountability in such transactions at home and abroad, not only with respect to Israel but also other global matters. One has to ask whether such student demands are indeed reasonable under the circumstances?
Most would agree that violence on campus, including hate mongering, is not the answer. Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail over the course of the coming weeks. However, with pro-Israel students ratcheting up their counter protests on a number of campuses, the climate could grow even more strained in the coming days. The current disproportionate involvement of an increasingly militarized police force is a major concern, and can only exacerbate the situation on many campuses.
Young people have a right to peacefully protest, which is part of the freedom of expression normally supported in universities and colleges across Canada and the U.S. Unfortunately, college faculties in many states have come under attack by governments over what is being referred to inappropriately as the “woke” effect. Critical thinking has come under attack by conservative elements in both countries. Some faculties are being told not only what they can teach but also how they go about teaching certain subjects. We must all agree that this is a major affront on the fundamental rights and obligations of universities to offer open and considered dialogue on today’s important issues. These attacks have once again frustrated many students in light of the increasingly apparent lack of respect for these institutions of “higher learning”.
Universities have often served as one of society’s important settings for activism, given the very nature of examining and questioning many of our daily issues; whether political, economic, environmental or technological. Activism can often lead to open peaceful protests in a democratic society and must be supported, especially on our campuses.
FROLITICKS 