[ April 19, 2024 ]
For quite some time it has been obvious that our nation’s colleges and universities are no longer institutions of higher learning, but radioactive wastelands of Leftist indoctrination and Antifa recruitment. Resounding confirmation of this came Tuesday from the University of Michigan, when a Jewish student was condemned for telling the truth, and groveled before his persecutors with an abject apology that is unlikely to remove the cloud of suspicion over him that he guilty of wrongthink.
JNS.org reported that “the student government at the University of Michigan has passed a resolution condemning its president for remarks critical of the Palestinians he made as a high school senior.”
Yes, as a high school senior. As far as we know, Benjamin Gerstein, the condemned student, has been in total ideological lockstep with Leftist totalitarians during his entire time at the University of Michigan. If he had not been, they would certainly have condemned him for that as well. But as it stands, the condemnation is for things he said before he even got there.
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What kind of star chamber is the University of Michigan student government running, that they would censure this young man for statements he made before he was a University of Michigan student, and for which he has issued an abject apology? The snotty little Nazis who condemned Gerstein are now demanding that one march in ideological lockstep with them every day of one’s life, or pay the consequences for dissent, no matter how callow one was at the time of the dissent, and how groveling one’s apology.
The University of Michigan student government further covered itself in shame with the fact that the vote wasn’t even close. Those who will dare to stand for the truth and freedom there are apparently quite thin on the ground. JNS reported that “the final vote of the Feb. 25 resolution rebuking Central Student Government president Ben Gerstein was 25 in favor, zero against and four abstentions.”
What double-plus ungood things did Gerstein say? On the TV show “North Town News Magazine” in 2017, he said: “There should be a test for what type of people deserve a state and what type of people don’t. I think the Palestinian people, with rejecting constant peace deals, with their financing of terror, with their raising kids to hate people purely because of their religion. I don’t think that people deserve a state at this point in time. Until we see a significant change in the Palestinian mentality and a significant change in the Palestinian leadership, I don’t think they deserve a state at this point.”
These statements are true. The “Palestinians” are indeed “rejecting constant peace deals,” financing terror, and “raising kids to hate people purely because of their religion.” So what was Gerstein apologizing for?
Even worse, his apology could not have been more servile, more reminiscent of the self-incrimination of a Chinese victim of the Cultural Revolution at its most febrile and hysterical:
“In this video as well as an op-ed,” Gerstein wrote, “I made statements that erase the history of the Palestinian people.”
What history? The “Palestinian people” are a propaganda fiction, a people that has no history, as The Palestinian Delusion proves. They were invented in the 1960s. Before that, even in the tumultuous days of the founding of the modern State of Israel, there is not a single mention in the international press, the deliberations of the UN, or the statements of Muslim Arab leaders of any “Palestinian people.” They’re the local Arabs, indistinguishable culturally, religiously, ethnically, and linguistically from the Arabs of Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. So what history did Gerstein “erase”?
And how would it even have been possible for an American high school student to “erase” the history of an entire people with a few oppositional statements, even if that people did exist? Is this the kind of flaccid, flabby, lazy thinking that the University of Michigan is encouraging? Yes.
And it gets even worse. Gerstein goes on: “I made racist statements, including the denial of the right to self-determination, that were ignorant of Palestinians’ struggle under occupation. I am sorry beyond words—both for my actions as well as not coming forward with the video sooner and seeking remedy for it. I accept total and complete responsibility for the harmfulness of my language, the offensiveness of my words and the active role I played in the silencing of Palestinian voices.”
What “racist statements” did Gerstein make? He made none, of course, and should have said so. But he and all his fellow students at the University of Michigan and at colleges and universities all over the country have been relentlessly barraged with the idea that “racism” is the original sin, the worst thing anyone can commit.
What’s more, it’s pretty much the only sin. Yes, there is all that “misgendering” nonsense, but I’ve encountered numerous young people who characterize as “racism” anything they dislike or think is wrong, even if it has nothing whatsoever to do with race. It is how they have been taught to think, or to appear to engage in a semblance of thinking. Recently an earnest young man made a lengthy video all about how I am a “white nationalist” for opposing jihad violence and Sharia oppression of women. He adduced numerous statements from me to support his case, without seeming to notice that in nary a one of them did I even mention race, much less say anything “white nationalist.” I was embarrassed for him. “Racism” is the only way he has been taught to see the world, and he simply conceptualize any problem without it. He, and Benjamin Gerstein, are poster children for how contemporary education destroys young minds.
Gerstein’s Cultural Revolution self-incrimination didn’t end there. “I have grown considerably since I made those statements,” he assured us, “and the repulsive views I expressed in the video no longer reflect my current understanding. I am devastated to see them reappear and be defended today. I know an apology is never enough, and I am complicit in the oppression of Palestinians through my past actions.”
An apology is indeed never enough. The student government’s resolution stated that Gerstein’s comments were “Islamaphobic and racist, and we formally condemn these comments.” And, of course, “we recognize the international plight of the Palestinian people, some of whom are constituents of this government.” It also stated: “We recognize that more work needs to be done to uproot racism and Islamophobia at the University of Michigan.”
Of course it does. Why, what else should university students be doing?
The student government’s censure is indicative of the Left’s general tendency to criminalize and marginalize any dissent at all.
Benjamin Gerstein looks to have been well and truly brainwashed, thoroughly and efficiently propagandized, at the University of Michigan. His is a cautionary tale of how far our universities and colleges today have fallen. Many of them are closing because of the coronavirus; it would be a magnificent stroke of luck if the expense they had to undertake to fight the virus made it so they weren’t able to reopen.
Robert Spencer is the director of Jihad Watch and a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. He is author of 19 books, including the New York Times bestsellers The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) and The Truth About Muhammad. His latest book is The Palestinian Delusion: The Catastrophic History of the Middle East Peace Process. Follow him on Twitter here. Like him on Facebook here.
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30 Comments
4 years ago
sue them out of existence everytime they take down Trump supporters , shut down conservative free speech and promote Left/.islam agenda.
This is how patriots fightback and win http://tinyurl.com/y8yzso88
http://offtrade.net/cnmnews/infidel-win-against-islamonazis/
corrupt Left/liberal media will not talk about it lest it wake up the masses to fightback !
But most conservatives won’t fund, support but prefer someone else fight their battle , while they prefer to be internet “warriers”. That is why the Left/Jihadis win.
They are united and will use all fair and foul means to destroy American law for their benefit/power grab
4 years ago
It’s racist, a prosecutable cover-up & form of Sharia to exclude the subject of enslavement of Africans from Saudi Arabia to Mauritania when talking about racism.
Organized Muhammadism?
Trump sells Saudi Arabia weapons & missile defense-system.
[see ‘racism’ on Wikiislam.net]
I see the student on the photo wearing a fleece-material sweater.
I tried to find out if all fleece materials would contain the toxin PFAS, a serious endocrine disruptor that allegedly can lead to infertility, cancer, too early menstruation, female type breasts on men & such, but to no avail.
I just got an answer that GoreTex will soon stop adding PFAS. I think it would be safer to abandon the trademark GoreTex & use a new sign that shows that the material is PFAS-free.
Other sources of PFAS are teflon-pans (DuPont allegedly stopped adding PFAS) & tap-water.
(see PFAS on DRAXE.COM)
That’s a good example what the function of governance ought to be: programming settings that protect kindness & health.
Obviously not working. That’s why the world needs my Globalfirm-project.
I need money.
4 years ago
NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR TELLING THE TRUTH. APOLOGIZE FOR NOT SAYING IT SOONER.
Then, GET A GREAT CIVIL LAW ATTORNEY and have fun!
#BanMuslims
4 years ago
NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR TELLING THE TRUTH. APOLOGIZE FOR NOT SAYING IT SOONER.
Then, GET A GREAT CIVIL LAW ATTORNEY and have fun!
#BanMuslims
4 years ago
No one, no one should ever have to apologize for telling the truth.
4 years ago
Reply to
Bob
For every Mordechai Anielewicz , who died at the age of 23 fighting in the Warsaw Ghetto – close to this boy’s age – there are a hundred Benjamin Gersteins.
I’m afraid the diaspora Jews are going to have develop a little more fortitude if they intend to survive in these increasingly hostile times.
4 years ago
They’re persecuting this kid for something he said in high school in a university? I hope they expel him and he sues their rotten, corrupt university into bankruptcy.
4 years ago
Reply to
MuhamMUDTheFakeProphet
Some alpha male fathers would be taking a baseball bat to the head of the university to show disapproval!
4 years ago
Reply to
Dennis Durkop
That would be great but I’d rather see the atheist Communist, muslum loving professors out of work and on the street — where they belong.
4 years ago
Reply to
MuhamMUDTheFakeProphet
Lately, I’ve been recommending BDS-ing places like the University of MI….
4 years ago
LISTEN UP SON, NEVER EVER APOLOGIZE FOR TELLING OR STATING THE TRUTH EVEN IF IT MEANS GETTING STOMPED ON. STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND NEVER BACK DOWN. DON’T LET THE BULLIES WIN. REMEMBER IT’S WHAT HAPPENED TO THE JEWS IN EUROPE DURING THE 1930’S AND 40’S. THEY LET THE BULLIES WIN.
4 years ago
To say the f’ing Paleswein reject peace deals is gilding the lily considering the fact they’ve fired more than ten thousand rocket and mortar rounds into Israel since Gaza achieved its independence without any cause or provocation beyond the fact that the Jewish state of Israel exists.
4 years ago
Reply to
MuhamMUDTheFakeProphet
Muslims fully believe that killing Jews allows them fast entry into heaven per their fabricated Koran brainwashing! Hard to fight their truth with common sense!
4 years ago
Reply to
MuhamMUDTheFakeProphet
Rejectionism – Over 100 Years of Chronic Arab Rejectionism
http://www.mythsandfacts.org/Conflict/6/rejectionism.htm
Over 100 Years of Chronic Arab Rejectionism The history of the Arab-Israeli conflict reveals 24 major junctures when compromise was offered since the 1920s, dating from pre-state, League of Nations Mandate to the present time.
4 years ago
Why apologize? Our so-called education system from the bottom to the universities are rife with anti-Semites, anti-Israel, anti-American faux-educators. The latter are no more than propagandists whose intent is to deny intellectual integrity to the students, their guinea pigs. The young man should not have apologized for stating the truth.
It is time for these universities, all within the so-called education system to be taken to task, torn down and rebuilt. It won’t happen, of course, because of weak-kneed politicos from all levels of government. Pathetic.
4 years ago
Another great article by Spencer. He brings to our attention the foolishness that is overwhelming reasonable commentary world-wide and within this country. Disagreement that results in the those who disagree accusing the speaker of Islamophobia/racism, or whatever, when the statements made are opinions that are factual as a basis for debate, should never be subject to the kind of response the subject of this article. The conduct of the so-called Palestinian, which were outlined in this article, speak directly to whether they can legitimately claim a right to live side by side with Israel, and to so state that truth is not only appropriate, but that to avoid that truth is the height of cowardice of the Michigan council students.
4 years ago
Egregious. Suppression of truthful free speech, like in Western Europe.
4 years ago
Sort of the same thing happened to me — only I didn’t apologize. I know better than to grovel in such a matter with these neo Communists.
4 years ago
An alpha male should never ever apologize for stating a lie or truth! See videos by Billionaire Dan Pena on Youtube!
4 years ago
The first mistake this kid made was to apologize. The English people had a little thing teaching the kids “never complain; never explain”. If he had done that he would have been on top. Now these vicious anti Semtes are on top. He actually was telling the truth!! The Palestinians know how to play the west to their advantage and the West just folds. Shame on the students for treating the young student as they did. They will never learn a thing. Their minds are hermetically closed and they will never grow up let alone be smart.
4 years ago
Reply to
carpe diem 36
“The English people had a little thing teaching the kids “never complain; never explain”.
We Jews have a little thing teaching our kids “NEVER, NEVER AGAIN!!!”
4 years ago
I hate that he issued an “abject apology’ for telling the truth?
Rejectionism – Over 100 Years of Chronic Arab Rejectionism
http://www.mythsandfacts.org/Conflict/6/rejectionism.htm
Over 100 Years of Chronic Arab Rejectionism The history of the Arab-Israeli conflict reveals 24 major junctures when compromise was offered since the 1920s, dating from pre-state, League of Nations Mandate to the present time.
4 years ago
John Wayne made a remark when he was playing a crusty old cavalry sergeant. “Never apologise it’s a sign of weakness”
There is far too much apologising these days, people should stand their ground. I think the Movie was Yellow Ribbon. You never see those movies any more as they are Politically incorrect.
4 years ago
Reply to
leonore35
The only apology Gerstein owes is to the people of Israel And their supporters whom you defamed when you groveld in front of the student Council and lied to protect your faux position as Student President.
4 years ago
Never apologize when you tell the truth!
4 years ago
Gerstein is a dim witted fool for making a servile,unconvincing apology when an aggressive defense would of made him not only righteous but also famous. Let him accept whatever fate has in store for him.
4 years ago
Much thanks to Obama for helping to create a fractured society in America. We don’t have to concern ourselves with the ‘Melting Pot Tradition’ that was once taught in our schools. Our cities will be populated with ‘groups’ living separately, speaking different languages….we are simply becoming a Balkanized nation..on purpose. Even worse, we will have cities of one group or another. Muslims for the most part will not assimilate. We older folks will soon be saying goodbye to our families, and to the America we knew all of our lives. For those that doubt. look at Europe.
4 years ago
He lost me when he apologize…
4 years ago
He was apologizing for not being politically correct, ie.. a turd is a tootsie roll.
4 years ago
Guy is a pussy. Sounds like he was pleading. The others were being bully’s caught up in their “power”. They all went home and rubbed circles around their nipples singing ahhhh.
