The recent events at UC Berkeley have left many appalled and disgusted. The supposed bastion of free speech, tolerance, and diversity has once again shown its true colors as a breeding ground for leftist radicalism and anti-Semitism.
It all started innocuously enough, with the dean of UC Berkeley’s law school, Erwin Chemerinsky, inviting a group of students over for dinner with his wife, who also happens to be a professor at the same university. But what should have been a pleasant evening turned into a shocking display of intolerance and aggression from a group of so-called “activists.”
Malak Afaneh, co-president of Berkeley Law Students for Justice in Palestine, used this opportunity to spew her hatred towards Israel, accusing the school of investing in arms manufacturers for the country. As if that wasn’t disgusting enough, she even had the audacity to greet the host with the Arabic phrase ‘as-salamu alaykum’ before launching into her tirade. It is clear that these students had no intention of engaging in civil discourse or respectful dialogue; they only wanted to cause chaos and spread their propaganda.
Professor Catherine Fisk, Chemerinsky’s wife, tried to silence Afaneh by grabbing her cell phone and pulling at her clothes. She even put her arm around her in an attempt to stop her from speaking. Though some may view this as aggressive behavior, these students were invited into the couple’s home and were protesting on their property. Though these activists were asked to leave, they initially refused.
The protest group is circulating this email. Does this describe the video? The protester, Malak Afaneh, claims the professor, Catherine Fisk, placed her in a chokehold, causing her hijab to tighten and impede her ability to breathe, and then touched her breasts inappropriately. pic.twitter.com/I7ntjAIuYj
— Laura Powell (@LauraPowellEsq) April 11, 2024
Chemerinsky kindly asked the demonstrators to leave his home since it was not a forum for free speech. However, instead of respecting his request, they continued their disruptive behavior, with one student even shouting about a “genocide going on.” This is a blatant lie and a cowardly attempt to justify their anti-Semitic views.
It is disturbing to see that these self-proclaimed champions of free speech have no problem violating the rights of others who disagree with them. They label any criticism of Israel as “anti-Zionism” and then cry about being silenced when they face consequences for their actions. Their real intention was not to engage in productive discussion but rather to attack and intimidate anyone who is Jewish or who disagrees with their extremist views.
Just when you thought higher education could not be more bizarre . . . Students are accusing Berkeley Dean Erwin Chemerinsky’s wife, law professor Catherine Fisk, of assault after students refused to leave a dinner at their home and staged a protest…
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) April 10, 2024
What makes this incident even more troubling is the lack of condemnation from UC Berkeley’s administration. Instead of reprimanding these students for their disrespectful and disruptive behavior, they seem to support it. Chemerinsky has been met with backlash for speaking out against this deplorable display, with some accusing him of trying to suppress free speech. Yet, it was the protesters who were trying to silence someone else.
The fact that this is just one incident in a long line of similar occurrences at UC Berkeley speaks volumes about the state of higher education in our country. Students are taught to hate instead of think critically, and universities have become breeding grounds for radical leftist ideologies.
