I do not think we are looking at a majority of students. My daughter is a student at UW-Madison. She told me the numbers are relatively small, with students motivated by “pictures they have seen of Palestinians’ suffering from Israeli military actions”. Overall, I suspect that is the larger motivator for most, not their “mentors”.
At the risk of being the “old guy, get off my lawn”, I don’t disagree with your assessment of students “being different now”. (Each generation says this about the youngsters.) I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad or good thing. Just needs to be recognized.
As for the ideas, it’s true that that is a preference for the vast majority of people, but ideas can be messy and dangerous because people are involved. And some of them can be real stinkers!!!
If people didn’t die at Hamas’ hands on 10/7, if people weren’t dying directly because of the war or indirectly because of starvation in Gaza, and if hostages didn’t remain under control of Hamas, the reaction, claims and ignorant absolutes of the protestors (both sides) would be absurd. When demonization of the “other side” gets ramped up, solutions become less likely.
To me, universities are about ideas. Ideas should not be feared. Ideas should be presented and justified. You see “indoctrination”, but why so little faith that students can navigate through it?
No, not really. I don’t idolize anyone, not even Vaclav Havel, my “alias”. All humans are flawed and all have positive and negative characteristics. Admiration is my highest level. Very few meet that standard which I reserve for actions rather than personalities.
But, to repeat what I’ve said (over time & place) re. Biden: he was my fourth choice in 2020; I recognize him as a moderate; I recognize him as an aged individual who sometimes makes gaffes; I recognize that no president controls things as the MAGA crowd seems to think; and, finally, and most importantly, I recognize that he is infinitely better as a choice in 2024 than the lying, ignorant, grifting, me-first candidate that the GOP is offering.
To me the main problem with Trump is that his daily, overwhelming, firehouse supply of aberrant behavior and statements has become so normalized that people can not even keep up. For those who support him it just becomes background noise, “Trump being Trump”, or a chance to “whatabout” his opponent. Very sad that this is so.
While some disagree with Biden’s approach to these problems, the amnesia about crises during Trump’s years is astounding. Remember “I don’t take responsibility at all”? Remember how he blamed Democrats for his early response to Covid because they were impeaching him? Remember the 187 minutes he waited to act on Jan 6th? And some think he can handle current problems? And the inevitable problems his “solutions” will create? SMH.
I do not think we are looking at a majority of students. My daughter is a student at UW-Madison. She told me the numbers are relatively small, with students motivated by “pictures they have seen of Palestinians’ suffering from Israeli military actions”. Overall, I suspect that is the larger motivator for most, not their “mentors”.
At the risk of being the “old guy, get off my lawn”, I don’t disagree with your assessment of students “being different now”. (Each generation says this about the youngsters.) I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad or good thing. Just needs to be recognized.
As for the ideas, it’s true that that is a preference for the vast majority of people, but ideas can be messy and dangerous because people are involved. And some of them can be real stinkers!!!