Republicans Doublethink Campus Free Speech
Republicans ban Gaza protests but expand speech rights for right-wing voices. It's not hypocrisy—it's doublethink. Approved! pic.twitter.com/djnE0UcXDD
— Orwell (parody) (@goodthink1984) September 25, 2024
You may have noticed that prominent Republican leaders are curtailing free speech on college campuses to ban Gaza War protests. You may have also noticed these same leaders just recently rallied to expand free speech for right-wing individuals at predominantly liberal universities.
You may find that contradictory. You would be wrong: it's simply doublethink, a cornerstone of correct thought.
Big Brother deems these protests, critical of the actions of Israel’s government, as antisemitic and therefore under the category of hate speech. However, controversial right-wing speakers are merely political commentators. These deep thinkers are a needed relief from the oppressive progressive regime at elite universities, and they must be heard.
It’s key to note that these leaders are not and have never been wrong. Think of it instead as a sophisticated political recalibration, and certainly not blatant hypocrisy. Accusations that our wise overseers would change rules to fit some myth of political expediency are outrageous — and they'll be punished accordingly.
SYNTAX ERROR
PRINTING JUST THE FACTS
- After years of fighting cancel culture and speech codes on university campuses, Republicans are now supporting such laws regarding alleged antisemitic or anti-Israel speech, despite both generally being constitutionally protected.
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who in 2019 signed a law to protect college speech, has now asked schools to update their rules to prevent antisemitism. He’s also called for “safe spaces” for Jewish students, a term Republicans have previously criticized.
- Republican- and Democrat-run states have adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which includes criticizing Israel as a form of discrimination.
- The US House also passed a bill (with 187 to 21 Republicans voting in favor) that would mandate all federal civil rights offices to adopt the IHRA’s definition. Republicans first sought to codify the IHRA definition to restrict campus speech months before the Oct. 7 attack.
- Another bipartisan bill, whose sponsors include GOP Congressman Mike Lawler from New York, would send federal Education Department-appointed third parties around the country to monitor antisemitism at schools that receive federal funding.
Sources: UnHerd, Politico, The Times of Israel, and Spectrum News 1.
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